New Delhi: It’s World Saree day today, a day dedicated to a garment that is associated with lots of emotions. It isn’t just a fabric but also a feeling. We all see our mothers, grand mothers, teachers draping sarees since we were children. The moment you know there is a festival coming or there’s a wedding in the family or a get-together, the only attire that we see our mothers and sisters draping is this garment ‘saree’. In many traditional Indian homes, saree is not just a saree, its a feeling, and a bond.
As we celebrate World Saree Day today, let’s also take a look at the history and the past associated with this beautiful garment. The word Saree is originally a sanskrit word which means a piece of cloth. The origin of saree came from the Indus valley civilization which existed during 2800-1800 BC in Northwest India. The journey began with a cotton saree. The weavers used dyes and turmeric to form a saree which was used by women to hide their bodies.
The saree is draped in over 14 states across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Goa and Gujarat.
Saris outside India
Sarees also made an impact on the british during 1970s. Many women from New York gradually liked the idea and started buying and wearing sarees. Saree soon became popular on a global level and is admired and praised by many including lots of celebrities.
Saree became popular Globally
Many women at the prestigious Oscar Award ceremony this year were seen draped in a saree and looked amazing. The event took place at Los Angeles and women proudly wore the six yards of elegance saying ‘saree, not sorry’.
Women in Power who admired Sarees
Many successful women like Rani Lakshmi Bai, Indira Gandhi, J Jayalalitha, Sushma Swaraj, Lata Mangeshkar, Priyanka Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were seen draping sarees in most of the events and public gatherings.
