An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An ode to the ‘Sari’: Six yards of pure grace, elegance, and beauty.

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

 

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.

 

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

 

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.

 

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

 

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.

 

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

 

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 🙂

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

An Ode to Six Yards of Mystique

 

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!

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* I love bringing together a bunch of conflicting items and weaving my own sense of one-ness to them. *

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