Handmade Indian sarees provider by Silkpetalss: What started as India’s first seamless garment, went on to become the symbol of Indian femininity. A sari consists of an unstitched drape varying from 4.5 to 9 metres (15 to 30 feet) in length and 600 to 1,200 millimetres (24 to 47 inches) in breadth that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, partly baring the midriff. It is traditionally worn in the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. There are various styles of sari manufacture and draping, the most common being the Nivi style, which originated in the Deccan region. The sari is worn with a fitted bodice commonly called a choli and a petticoat called ghagra, parkar, or ul-pavadai. In the modern Indian subcontinent, the sari is considered a cultural icon. See more details on shop Bengal cotton sarees online.
Textiles, just like with everything else, will continue to evolve as time passes. However, a ‘revival’ needs to go beyond just a trend, and instead grow organically and sustain a momentum, says Garg, whose work on the Mashru fabric (a handwoven mix of cotton and silk) over the past decade has led to a revival of the textile. A handmade sari is a testament to the skill and creative genius of the mostly rural artisanal families that make them. Techniques and expertise have been passed down in these families from generation to generation over centuries. The more intricate silk saris take many weeks to make. A weaver of Kanjeevaram saris once who told me how he passes his blessings to the wearer of the saris he creates. He wishes the bride who wears it the strength of the elephants, the grace of a gazelle and a life of abundance represented by the trees, as he weaves each of these into his creations, says Kadam.
The word “sari” means “strip of cloth” in Sanskrit. But for the Indian women—and a few men—who have been wrapping themselves in silk, cotton, or linen for millennia, these swaths of fabric are more than just simple garments. They’re symbols of national pride, ambassadors for traditional (and cutting-edge) design and craftsmanship, and a prime example of the rich differences in India’s 29 states. “The sari both as symbol and reality has filled the imagination of the subcontinent, with its appeal and its ability to conceal and reveal the personality of the person wearing it,” says Delhi-based textile historian Rta Kapur Chishti, author of Saris of India: Tradition and Beyond and co-founder of Taanbaan, a fabric company devoted to reviving and preserving traditional Indian spinning and weaving methods.
Hegemony and its many deleterious aspects include the shackling of thought processes. Thought processes are so sacred that they deny the colony the right to free thinking. Colonization has taken away our right to think in the context so innate and sacred to individuals—the right to express ourselves through the art of wearing. Therefore, there remains an urgent need to reverse this thinking through decolonization. Decolonization entails removing oppressive behaviors while assisting Indigenous peoples in reclaiming land, culture, language, community, family, history, and traditions that were taken away through the colonial process.
Silk Petalss was born from a career Investment Professional’s love for the rich heritage of Indian handcrafted textiles and artefacts. Her admiration for the beautiful heritage weaves and products saw her travelling widely through interior villages and towns of India, interacting with the weaving community and understanding their perspective and concerns. Awareness about their issues, specifically post Covid19, the need to protect the community and our rich heritage led to Silk Petalss being created. Read extra info at https://silkpetalss.com/.
My fondest childhood memories were going sari shopping with my mother and grandmother. I was fascinated by the endless shelves piled with neatly folded, colourful saris, entertained by the salespeople, who were always men, unfolding and draping the whole sari on themselves, and educated by the haggling over the prices while countless cups of coffee were consumed. When Matthan received a gift of 47 Kanjeevaram silks from her ailing grandmother, she was inspired to start the 100sareepact, a social media movement, along with 52-year-old Anju Maudgal Kadam, which encourages women to wear saris and share their stories online.