THE ‘SARI-TORIAL’ ELEGANCE OF 21ST CENTURY WOMEN

New Delhi:Monday, the 21st of December, is World Sari Day and as a young sari protagonist, I love women who are rooted in their design sensibility, are Indian with pride and show young professionals like us the way to make the drape a part of our lives. They are the ones who are ensuring that the sari does not go the kimono way, especially in this new world which has shrunk into the screen of our phones and filled with instant gratification. Let us hear about what the garment signifies for some of the most stellar sari bloggers today.

MAMTA DAS SHARMA

I am a blank canvas and I often paint myself in the colours and textures of a sari. The most beautiful thing about this unstitched garment of almost 6 metres is its free-spirited nature. In fact, I find myself quite synonymous with the attributes of a sari. It’s liberating, sexy and elegant at the same time. For thousands of years, it has been worn, adorned and gone through a heap of transformations, but it’s still relevant and loved just as much. Isn’t that magical? Fashion comes and goes but saris stay and are gonna stay. There is no rule or rhyme for a sari; it dances to your rhythm.

SUMIRAN KASHYAP

In its unassuming, yet hypnotic fluidity, the sari has taught me many a lesson about patience, precision and carriage.  Every sari I’ve ever worn has mirrored my moods at the time. Sometimes, I think of the pallu as a shield, so I fan it out and wrap it around me. Sometimes, I wonder if it’s a shroud for the past versions of myself that have served their purpose—in that mood, I let the pallu fly free. Institutionalised viewpoints may have conditioned me to look at it as a garment symbolizing the rites of passage from girlhood to womanhood. Tracing the roots of instinctive attachment to it reveals that it has symbolized transcendence out of chaos, empowering me to feel more alive and powerful than ever before.

ISHITA YASHVI

To me, the sari signifies timelessness—a piece of garment above trend forecasts and changing styles; a perfect blend of grace and sensuousness.

AIANA JAIN

The sari to me means six yards of sheer elegance. No other garment is so versatile or can be worn in so many different ways. It also means happiness to me; something about the sari, whenever I drape one, makes me very happy.

ESHAA AMIIN

I like things to be modern and still have a bit of tradition. So, the sari to me is six yards of pure grace, elegance and beauty. A sari never tells you to fit in—it makes you stand out.

HARPREET DEVYAL SURI

One of my definite fashion pieces for all reasons and all seasons is the sari. Be it when I wore one for the first time, for my school farewell, or when I wore it for my brother’s wedding or, for that matter, my own wedding functions. We might move towards aping the West in all things fancy, but the sari is one piece of garment which will always be close to my heart and make me feel sensual and stunning. I have kept the entire heirloom pieces passed on to me from generations. It is the six yards of clothing that defines many an Indian woman.