An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique
An ode to the ‘Sari’: Six yards of pure grace, elegance, and beauty.
Perhaps the most versatile garment in the world, the sari is an old love I have an intense relationship with. And I want to profess my love for it with what I know best ~ words. Worth mentioning is that the following quote by Naveen Patnaik inspired this blog. The quote says: “The sari’s radiance, vigour and variety, produced by a single straight length of cloth, should give us in the West pause and make us think twice about the zipper, the dart and the shoulder pad.”
~~~
The younger me always saw saris as a cumbersome garment with pins poking into one too many body parts, with fussy pleats that refused to be straight, with the infamous drape that never sat right in the first few attempts. I had enough to deal with in my day {i.e. not enough time to spend with my friends}, to add another burden like a sari, to my young mind.
Cut to the present day, and here I am self draping a sari at just about any occasion, but I have no regrets! My blood bleeds the Indian culture and my roots are set strong. I had for some time, played the sitar and tapped gracefully through Bharatnatyam. The charm of these Indian arts is unparalleled, and the most transcendental moments of my life have been while witnessing these arts in concerts and performances.
In recent times, I’ve found myself thinking: how has the sari shaped me, and defined me as an Indian woman? The sari, in my opinion, is an article of clothing that expresses your emotions for you. It is a standpoint for grace and femininity, with each drape expressing a different emotion. My saris have told tales of a lifetime, all that express what has made me the spirited woman I am today. Anyone who has worn a sari can agree with my viewpoint when I say that it’s a spread of grace and sensuality that exudes elegance at its finest.
My power lies in my pen, my spirit, and my saris. A zen state where my mind is aligned to my body, a sari gives me the confidence and grace to walk with my head held high.
To me, the first sensation of a sari is that of nurturing ~ one that brings you straight back into the arms of a mother ~ and is deeply connected to my memory and identity. For me, the wearing of a sari invokes all senses: touch, sight, sound, and definitely smell. My perception of the sari, defining grace and strength, is derived from the days I saw my mother drape one around her with the perfection I have seldom witnessed elsewhere! This is probably one of the biggest reasons I gravitate towards the sari ~ to give me a boost on a low day and walk with the same poise my mother did.
A garment that not only embraces you as you wrap it around your body, it gives you the sanctity to feel safe yet strong, all at once. Embroidered are not just designs, but memories of a lifetime!
My personal highlight of a sari is the fact that it’s a free-flowing piece of cloth, left completely unstitched. This gives it the beauty of fitting the wearer rather than the wearer fitting the garment, allowing the individual adorning the sari to express themselves the way they choose to. I want saris to not just signify traditions and conventions, but to speak modernity and versatility. I want the young girls of our country to be proud of this piece of heritage, allowing them to express their stories with saris in any way they deem fit. A rendition of silk blouses into contemporary crop tops perhaps?
Our country has a rich history, all through which, saris have stuck strong. An integral part of our heritage and a woman’s closet, a sari can be worn to fit the ideals of traditional and modernity, all at once.
To conclude: In my eyes, a sari sits on the body of a woman exuding grace and elegance, and the fabric becomes one with the skin. A sari is an unsewn bolt of cloth that gives every woman the freedom to portray her persona and emotions the way she likes; a style statement no other garment can boast. Yes, wear those six yards of mystique with pride!
BTS 🙂
Do you also share the same emotions for the awesome six yards like I do? Do you experiment with your looks? Post your pictures and tag us on Instagram and show us your potential!
The Indian sari is the ideal blend of the flowy delicacy of a skirt and the structural neatness of dress. Btw, Tangail saris from Bengal are my favourite.
Yes! The sari is superior, knows it, but doesn’t act like it. We should date the sari! 🙂
What a vivid, beautiful, and exquisite tribute to the Sari. And you, Tanya complete the poetry of the Sari.
Thank you for your very kind critique, Vinita ~ humbled and encouraged.
Thank you for this. Stories like this one find a way to help heal our Nation, and to make certain ALL women are heard and celebrated. <3
The Sari is blushing as am I, Reshma.
The Sari of splendour,
in glorious poetry to render.
A flag of truce,
where the heart can surrender.
Oh my ~ thank you, Manisha. The bashful sari says, “…completely bowled over!”
Delightfully expressed. I am saying this by holding each fold in my saree close to my heart <3
Thank you ~ such a poetic remark.
Totally agree on the love for saris. My sister always scoffs in disdain every time I want to wear one for a special occasion, but really, no other ensemble drapes as well as a sari does.
Glad to meet another sari lover, Charitha.
This sari in fact merits graceful women like you, Tanya. You do full justice to them. xx
Thank you for your kind words, Jyoti. Much appreciated.
I wore an Indian sari, many years ago, to a dear friend’s engagement. Saris are definitely beautiful and I had no idea such skill went into wearing them.
Yes, the sari is beautiful… happy you enjoyed the experience, Darsi.
Beautiful work, Tanya! I find saris to be mesmerizing and exceptionally feminine. There’s something so poised and elegant about a woman in sari, even the ones that are not too colourful and elaborate.
Thank you, Raveena. Yes, the sari makes everyone look beautiful. 🙂
I’ve always been an admirer of Indian textiles, so I picked up a few exquisite saris the last time I visited India – but truly, I need less than 5 yards. 🙂
The sari has truly been made to make every occasion ~ a magical affair.
LOVED this! I was just thinking that Urban Diaries could do more posts on the convergence of women/fashion/culture across the globe, and then this popped up. Thank you!
Thank you for reading, Seema! I agree – intersections are where the fun happens 🙂
Dazzling article! I cherish my saris and have an entire collection of them. I do think that tulle and chiffon saris are sexy, but the elegance of crepe silk, the freshness /crispness of a beautiful cotton or the luxury of the heavily embroidered Benarasi are all beautiful in their own right.
The pleasure’s all mine… cheers and more pleats to the sari!
Beautifully expressed!! As poetic as the sari pleats! The sari showcased here is exquisite, Tanya. And saris worn on special occasions certainly have a wonderful appeal.
Aw ~ thank you, Apoorva!
OMG adore this! 🙂 My confession: I have to wear the cheater saris, which are pre-pleated or else I end up resembling an Egyptian mummy!!
…when I stopped thinking of clothes as battle armour, I started thinking of them more as decoration for my own amusement.
Lovely photographs!! And yes, regardless of how much I iron my pleats, a sari sort of makes me look like I am smuggling a loaf of bread!!
You’re amusing.
I hate wearing a sari! As a 5’2” woman, I drown in fabric when wearing one!! Maybe I’m just particular….
The concept of “dressing for yourself” takes on a whole new meaning when you are, quite literally, dressing only for yourself.
So much detail, and very elegantly composed. I am certain ‘the sari’ is mighty pleased. 🙂
Well, life is in the details I think… Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, Suja.
Tanya, your photos are beautifully shot. Yes, the sari is beautiful… and you look delightful in it.
Everyone does… thanks for the sweet compliment.
I love my Mom’s collection of saris but have not had an opportunity to wear them as frequently as I’d like – but I do have a great deal of fascination for them!
We have that in common… Thanks for stopping by, Bharti!
Indeed, I am convulsing in rapture at thy diverse charms! I love wearing saris, and your words could not have done more justice to the magnificence of this Indian attire!!
Your honest feedback is highly appreciated, Khushi.
In spite of the fact that I barely ever wear a sari, whenever I see my mom open up her cupboard to take out those special occasion saris, I feel happy that one day I’ll inherit them!!
I hear you… wearing a sari can feel so beautiful.
This is an exquisite post, Tanya! You brought back such beautiful recollections ~ I’m still jealously guarding my silk saris though I rarely get a chance to wear them here 🙁
That makes me happy to hear, Dassana. And I do hope you find more occasions to wear those beauties…
A saree is a garment that doesn’t need an introduction. A saree represents itself better without saying anything.
I couldn’t agree more.