THE INDIAN SARI
Today, from our 5-star luxury hotel, we would like to tell you about this wonderful piece of clothing which dates back over 5,000 years, the sari.
When we think about India, we cannot help but think of “THE” outfit.
The word sari comes from Sanskrit, and it means “strip of cloth”. It dates back to the “Hindus Valley Civilization”, between 2,800 and 1,800 B.C. in the western part of the Indian subcontinent. The earliest known depiction of the sari is the statue of a priest wearing a drape, hence why originally the sari was a unisex item of clothing.
Some sources say that in old times, the usually worn outfit was a dhoti, with a strip worn around the chest and a veil which could be used to cover the upper body or face. A similar garment still exists in Kerala (on the south of India). Everyone generally agrees in saying that all items of clothing associated with the sari, such as shawls and veils, have always been worn by Indian women the way they are currently worn nowadays.
The sari or saree, is made as only one piece, about 5, 6 or 7 metres of rectangular fabric wrapped around the body in a specific way, used for all occasions. The colours used are mainly bright and attractive, revealing the social status of the person who wears it. To help you get a better idea of this I can tell you that red is used by brides and white is worn when mourning.
Normally, women from the subcontinent wear the sari over a short-sleeve and low neck blouse called choli or ravika. The thickness of cholis varies, and there are also several types of embroidery in very elaborate designs. Colour silk (resham), silver and gold strips or gems (zardozi) can also be sewn into it.
Wearing a sari is not that easy, putting it on can be a true from of art. Indian women master this task and get dressed easily, wrapping it twice or three times around their body, placing the remaining cloth over their shoulder. Here is a video showing how to put on this beautiful garment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpfK7_t4F5o
Also, Indian women are expert at handling this item of clothing in any given situation. There is a popular saying which goes: “a western woman shall never be able to wear a sari with the true elegance of an Indian woman”.
As true lovers of luxury, you shall be able to appreciate the most valuable sari in the world, a true work of art.
This garment was meticulously embroidered by hand using 12 different types of gems and metals representing the popular paintings of Raja Ravi, included “Varma musicians”, at the head and leading part of the cloth.
Some of the pieces are made with gold, diamonds, silver, ruby, emerald, yellow sapphire, sapphire, cat’s eye, topaz, pearls and coral, weighing up to 8 kg (15 pounds).
Once more, from the luxury hotel Asia Gardens, we are delighted to be able to share these references to our favourite continent with you. We hope to see you very soon at our very own Asian corner.
We look forward to seeing you..
