The Newsletter | No.54 | Summer 2010 48 The Portrait Simply a sari? The sari has become a global image. Worn by Indian women of diverse religious and cultural groups from the north of India to the island of Sri Lanka in the south. Women proudly wear saris in countries as far apart as Suriname, Britain, South Africa and Indonesia as a statement of their Indian origins. THE ORIGINS OF THE SARI are believed Saris are one of the most elegant for example, are associated with white, it is often included in some form on to date back to the 2nd century BC. garments worn by women, but they do which is seen as a pure colour. Some a sari. Another very popular motif is the One reason for the continued popularity require experience to drape and wear groups regarded white as the colour kalga design, which is an elliptical, fl oral of this form of draped clothing is a them to their best advantage. Basically, of mourning and so white saris are worn motif with a curved point at the top. long established belief by (elite) Hindus a sari is worn by wrapping the material by widows. Red is seen as the colour of This design has become known in the that cut and sewn cloth was impure. around the waist, then pleating the fertility and emotions and as such it is West as the Paisley motif after the motifs As a result, the cloth used for saris is material at the front to create a wide, often worn by brides and young married woven on ‘Kashmir’ shawls in the Scottish neither stitched nor tailored. The various skirt section, then the remainder of the women. Green is associated with fertility town of Paisley during the 19th century. types of sari refl ect India’s diverse material is draped over the shoulders and growth, and so a woman wishing Far left: handwoven climate and geography, and its wide or head. In general, wealthier women, a child might wear a green coloured sari. Saris from the southern parts of India jamdani sari from West range of urban, village and nomadic life. especially those in northern and central Yellow is seen as a religious colour and often have a line of triangles of various Bengal (green with red, The sari embodies India’s multicultural India, tend to wear silk saris, while associated with religion and asceticism. sizes along the inner edges of the side stylised fl owers). society, its economic and trade contacts, poorer women or those in the south It is often worn by women who wish to boarders. religious groups, artistic traditions, of the country opt for cotton versions. express their desire for a more spiri- Middle: handwoven and much more. tual way of life. Dark blue and black are Collections: Textile jamdani sari from Throughout the centuries a wide range regarded by many in India as negative Research Centre, Leiden West Bengal Renowned for their colour and of decorative techniques have been colours and impure and so few traditional (www.trc-leiden.nl) and (turquoise, geometric). beauty, saris are made in diverse ways, developed for saris. Some of these tech- saris can be found in these colours. Volkenkunde Museum, refl ecting their region of origin, the niques are regionally linked, others can Leiden Right: brocade sari, person wearing them and the occasion. be found throughout the country. In the An ancient fl oral motif that appears Assam. There are hundreds of diff erent forms, northwest of India, for example, painted on saris is the lotus, which is regarded including printed, painted, woven and and printed saris are common, while in as symbolising spiritual power, good luck Inset from top to embroidered versions, or indeed a the northeast woven forms are more and fertility. Throughout much of India bottom: wedding sari combination of these techniques. widely available. In the last 50 years many the tree is regarded as a symbol of both from Kerela, Tamila Their beauty is further displayed by the of the regional variations have started to fertility and protection, and as a result Nadu. Silk kadi sari. many forms of draping that can be used; vanish as more and more mills have been Silk batik sari. sometimes traditional, others regional set up to produce saris on a large scale. and more recently there are the styles Photography: derived from the Indian fi lm industry, Colour and motif symbolism plays Joost Kolkman Bollywood. an important role in Indian life and this www.joostkolkman.nl is refl ected in the motifs and styles of A sari is long length of material of decoration found on many saris. Certain between 4 to 8 metres in length, and colours are associated with particular 100 and 120 cm in width. A good quality groups. The Brahmins (priestly caste), example is usually longer and broader than a less expensive version. The basic layout of a sari consists of three areas: end piece, the fi eld and the side or longitudinal borders..