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Down drapes avenue
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Anjali Sharma took the enrapt audience through the folds and yards of the history of the sari
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A walk through history A different way of wrapping the sari gives a whole new style and look
Draping the pallu over the body unfolded back into several centuries at the Oxford Bookstore’s “The Sari Trace” workshop, presented by apparel design specialist Anjali Sharma. At the Leela Galleria store, different styles and designs of saris and blouses were draped everywhere like in a museum.
Tracing the unstitched garment to its present form, the NIFT alumna took the enrapt audience through the folds and yards of the history of the sari in a presentation.
Though there are no pictorial representations of the garment during the early days in the Harappan civilisation, the origin of body decoration started with body tattoos and materials to cover the body for protection like the barks of trees and animal skin to gradually move on to woven materials.
The Mauryan period (321-72 B.C.) produced evidence of the origin of the sari and blouse in the “Uttariya” or top, “Kayabandh” or belt, “Mekala” or jewellery. The Satvahanas (220-230 B.C.) introduced the stitched tunic worn by female guards in the royal premises. The Kushan era (130 B.C.- 185 A.D.) introduced the sewn pants — worn differently by the guard, door keeper and courtier, with heavy influence from Roman traders.
The Gupta period (4th to 5th century A.D.) which also had foreign influences saw experimentation with the lower garment and the introduction of the “Kancholika” or choli for short. This period marked the garment as more as a cover for protection than modesty with variation in the fabrics — from dyed to stripe designs.
The Rajput period saw a staunch determination to remain with the original styles of a long top and a skirt or “ghagra”, “choli” and “chunari” with the onset of the Mughal era. Though tradition was maintained to resist the Mughal style of dressing, there was an exploration of the fabrics used.
The British rule saw unfitting saris and blouses much like the dresses of the Victorian era and crisp clothing and bags. Anjali Sharma then took us to the different zaris and designs that have come to define different regional saris — Kanchipuram, Benarasi, Venkatgiri, Baluchari, Bandhani, Kalamkari, Kota Ajrak and others.
A live demonstration of the different ways of wearing the garment was also depicted on models from the Bengali to the tribal style. Giving tips on how to select the sari — from the colour, pattern, border to the fabric for an occasion, this NIFT alumni brought the unstitched garment alive.
AYESHA MATTHAN
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