The saree is mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures and depicted in Hindu paintings as far back as 3,000 B.C. In the Mahabharata, Draupadi's never-ending piece of fabric symbolised the triumph of virtue over vice. Not only has the saree seen the rise and fall of kingdoms, legacies and regimes but it has also fortified itself against many an alien influx with fortitude, grace and elan.
It boasts of... various names such as saree, seere, sadi, though the term saree comes from a Sanskrit word sati, which means a strip of cloth. The same word evloved into the Prakrit sadi and was subsequently converted into the word saree. Some people attribute and garment to the Greek or Roman toga one see on medieval statues. But in all probability, the saree is purely Indian and originated from the compulsions of sub-continent weather conditions where cotton, from which the saree was woven, existed long before the legendary Greek invader Alexander set foot to Indian soil.
In the early stages, people of both sexes wore the garment. Gradually, it became more refined, adjustable and in tune with the gender needs of men and women. With the passage of time, the garment came to be known as dhoti for men, and saree for women. Early examples of Indian art support the existence of the saree. Scriptures from the Gandharva, Mathura and Gupta schools (1st-6th Century A.D.) reveal that the saree in its earlier form was a brief garment with a veil. Ancient records also support the act in South India the saree has been for a long period a single piece of material which served as both skirt and veil. This trend continues to date in some rural areas as well.
Legend goes that the saree was born on the loom of a fanciful weaver who dreamt of a woman, the shimmer of her tears, the drape of her tumpling hair, the colours of her many moods and the softness of her touch. Th saree energed from the warp and weft of his dreams, creating waves even as it loomed into view. And it looks as if the tide of its popularity will never ebb.
It boasts of... various names such as saree, seere, sadi, though the term saree comes from a Sanskrit word sati, which means a strip of cloth. The same word evloved into the Prakrit sadi and was subsequently converted into the word saree. Some people attribute and garment to the Greek or Roman toga one see on medieval statues. But in all probability, the saree is purely Indian and originated from the compulsions of sub-continent weather conditions where cotton, from which the saree was woven, existed long before the legendary Greek invader Alexander set foot to Indian soil.
In the early stages, people of both sexes wore the garment. Gradually, it became more refined, adjustable and in tune with the gender needs of men and women. With the passage of time, the garment came to be known as dhoti for men, and saree for women. Early examples of Indian art support the existence of the saree. Scriptures from the Gandharva, Mathura and Gupta schools (1st-6th Century A.D.) reveal that the saree in its earlier form was a brief garment with a veil. Ancient records also support the act in South India the saree has been for a long period a single piece of material which served as both skirt and veil. This trend continues to date in some rural areas as well.
Legend goes that the saree was born on the loom of a fanciful weaver who dreamt of a woman, the shimmer of her tears, the drape of her tumpling hair, the colours of her many moods and the softness of her touch. Th saree energed from the warp and weft of his dreams, creating waves even as it loomed into view. And it looks as if the tide of its popularity will never ebb.
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