World Saree Day 2024

 

It was Saturday morning December 21st. Day of the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. After a really long time I felt the urge to dress up for pictures outside the home. Abhay obliged. Later I learned that it was World Sareee Day. 

It had been on my mind to do a feature on a few of the tussar sarees in my collection that are in hues of blue-grey. Somehow these shades seem perfect to blend in the days of winter. Tussar too seems like an ideal choice for the chilly days. I picked a few here that showcase a variety of different techniques from the rich textile heritage of India. 

The saree I draped on Saturday is resist printed on fine Vidarbha karvati Kathi from the studio of BodhiByMala. This one has a multitude of auspicious Swastikas, not to be confused with its notorious levo counterpart. The red borders and fiery red pallu add glamour to this elegant saree. Vidarbha produces the finest of all tussars in India. Their golden glow is visible on plain fabric. Borders of Vidarbha tussar sarees are typically in cotton. 

 Mala ji has given me another beautiful tussar in lovely red and white that has the Saraswati yantra motifs on it. You may find it in an earlier post. 

The second saree is tussar, likely from Chhattisgarh, that has been woven with elaborate jamdani technique in the state of West Bengal. The intricate floral details on the pallu and body make it a delightful drape.

The third saree is another print on a Vidarbha Karvati Kinar. This one was marketed online by Maharashtra State Handlooms as Dhamadka print. I learned that Dhamadka was the village in Gujarat where traditional Ajrakh artisans lived since the partition of India. In 2001 their homes leveled by a devastating earthquake most of them relocated to a new township that was named Ajrakhpur. A few families continued to live in Dhamadka. Dhamadka print is nothing but Ajrakh that honors the original hometown. Ajrakhpur is the new township that honors the original art form. On this particular saree it was the unique blend of colors that attracted me. 

The fourth saree is a Gopalpur tussar from Orissa from the brand Vani Vrtti by Anupriya Mridha. Her ikats carry the finest of design elements and this one is no exception. She found inspiration from Chrysanthemum flowers for this design. After I posted pictures in this saree for the first time at least four of my friends went and bought the same saree. I have seen more women in a few other colors. The saree’s charm remains the same after several years since it was introduced. 

A fifth saree I am adding here that I didn’t do on my recent instagram post. This one is tussar from Vidarbha but not woven with the karvati kinar ( sawtooth border). Dyed with natural dyes, this saree has Dabu print technique on it from the state of Rajasthan. 

I hope readers will enjoy the versatility of tussar and get a glimpse of the rich traditions of Indian textiles from this post.

Foot note:

This year’s theme for World Saree Day was “ celebrating elegance, tradition and empowerment “. 

Elegance and tradition are indisputable where saree is concerned. Empowerment is a much understated aspect of a saree. It can mean different things for different individuals at different times. In my case, I spent a large portion of my adult life on foreign land. For past 27 years I have been professionally active in a small city in California where people are generally not as exposed to global cultures as they are in big cities. I still came to work and attended business meetings, conferences and parties in a saree. There are still glances that come my way that express surprise, disapproval or disbelief that reads “ really ?” on the faces. If  I must be honest the thought still crosses my mind “ am I being inappropriate to dress so different from the mainstream society?”. Yet it just doesn’t seem right to change my way of dressing simply to conform with the masses. It feels like being untruthful. In that sense continuing to assert my individuality in the attire that makes me feel true to myself is a mark of empowerment within me. It is not a rebellion. It is simply about not surrendering the person within to pressures from outside. About not feeling embarrassed to be who I am. About not pretending to be someone who I am not. 

The theme of this year’s world saree day couldn’t have rung true for me any better. 

And then I found out another fact that was sheer coincidence. The color for the year ( Benjamin Moore) was “ blue nova” like the bluish grey tinge of color in the skies at dusk. That’s the color theme I picked for my sarees on this occasion!! Some sixth sense I guess !! 

( Pantone color of the year for 2024 was Peachy fuzz)