Chikan Embroidery of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh, was and is the centre of chikan embroidery, renowned for its timeless grace and its gossamer delicacy, a skill more than 200 years old --- exploited, commercialis but not dead. In fact, the craft is alive and struggling to regain some of its former beauty and elegance. Chikan embroidery is done on fine cotton fabric.

The garments are first stitched and then embroidered, whereas skirts, saris, and table linen are first embroidered and then finished. A study of the origin of chikan reveals that this form of embroidery had come to India from Persia with Noor Jehan, the queen of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir. The word chikan is a derivative from the Persian word 'chikaan' meaning drapery. Some, however, insist that the craft migrated from Bengal. What we know is that chikankari came to Oudh when Mughal power declined in Bengal and the artisans moved to the Oudh durbars, seeking employment and patronage.


The design to be embroidered is printed on the fabric with wooden blocks, using fugitive colours, which are commonly made by mixing a glue and indigo with water. For extra fine designs, brass-blocks are sometimes used. In chikan, the needle is held in the right hand while inserting it into the fabric, the left hand supports and controls the thread so that the stitches take the right shape. In traditional chikan no frames were used (though they are used now).

The portion of the cloth to be embroidered is placed over the index finger of the left hand, supported by the rest of the fingers, leaving the thumb free. The needle is pulled away from the embroiderer who starts from the nearest end and finished at the farthest end.


There is a discipline and method in the application of the stitches. The darn stitch is worked on rough cotton fabric to fill angular designs and to cover the surface of the fabric, while satin stitching is done exclusively on delicate fabrics like silk, muslin, or linen. In chikan some stitches are worked from the wrong side of the fabric, while others are worked from the right side. It is however unique in its discipline in as much as stitches designated for a particular purpose are used only for that purpose --- they are not replaced by other stiches. For example, the chain stitch (zanjeera) will only be used for the final outline of a leaf, petal, or stem.

Different specialists work with different types of stitches. For example, open work or jaali is not done by embroiderers who do the filling work - each worker completes his/her bit and the fabric is then sent to the next embroiderer. The wages for each job are fixed separately.

Chamba Rumal Embroidery of Himachal

Chamba region has highly skilled craftsmen. The Chamba rumal embroidery flourished in the princely hill states of Chamba, Kangra, Basholi, and other neighbouring provinces. The rumals are usually square pieces of cloth, beautifully embroidered, and used to cover gifts and offerings. Traditionally the rumals were exchanged between the families of the bride and groom. These rumals were embroidered by upper-class women.


Raas mandal and the Krishna motif are very popular motifs and have huge demand. The cloth used was usually unbleached muslin (very thin white cloth). The embroidery form was a double satin stitch locally called do-rookha, the beauty of which lay in it being reversible --- equally beautiful on both sides.

Banjara Tribal Embroidery & Mirror Work

The nomadic tribe or Banjara are believed to have descended from the gypsies of Europe thousand of years ago and settled in the deserts of Rajasthan. They are among the most colourful tribe in India because of their dresses and jewelry. This nomadic group practises the craft of Banjara tribal embroidery and mirror work. They make beautiful fabric which is characterized by vibrant colours, ornate embroidery and mirror work. Products made by banjara embroidery includes bags, belts, purses, cushion and pillow covers, bed spread, quilts apart from salwar suits, skirts, blouses etc. The embroidery sometimes also uses silver, brass, cowries, animal bones and gold.

Patch Work of Gujarat

Gujarat appliqué is based on the patchwork. Various coloured and patterned fabric is cut into different shapes and sizes. These pieces are then sewn together on fabric having plain background. The appliqué work of Gujarat is manly done on household use items. Dazzling motifs of birds and animals can be seen in bright colours. The stitching of the patterns is not hidden, infact, it is done with gaudy shades and adds to the art.

Patch Work of Tamil Nadu

The word Applique is a French term and is a technique where in several pieces of coloured fabrics is superimposed in patches to give a decorative effect. The patches are then sewn to the base fabric to give specific form and designs. In contrast to this patch work is a craft in which several pieces of clothes are stitched together to form a large piece. Sometimes it is done to repair a damaged cloth.


During festival processions these are usually found on the temple chariots for covering the horizontal beams. Applique work is also done on long tubular pieces which look like long pillars hanging down the sides of the chariots. Usually these are made of cotton and depict images of Durga, Shiva, Ganesha and Kartikeya in bright vibrant shades of red, white, black, blue and yellow.

Patch Work of Orissa

The city of Puri on the banks of Bay of Bengal is not only famous for its beach but is also an important religious town. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims throng to this place to pay a visit to the renowned temple of Lord Jagannath. During Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath sister Subhadra and Brother Balbhadra vast canopies are required. The canopies are a representation of the beautiful craft of Applique and Patch work of Orissa. It's an important traditional craft and followed in Bhubaneshwar and its adjoining areas.


The process involves making a large piece of cloth by joining figurative animals, flowers, geometrical shapes and motifs. This large cloth can then be converted into useful products. Apart from temples activities, the canopies are used in festivals and pavilions. The Pipli village, which is close to Puri is the centre for some lovely applique and patch work of Orissa. The applique craft is also very popular in Puri. The products included lamp shades, garden and beach umbrellas, kitchen accessories, bed and table linen, handbags and other furnishing items.

Chikan Kari Embroidery

Chikan Kari is said to have a divine evolution. Phulkari of Punjab is an essential component of any religious or cultural ceremony. It is not just the religious patterns that make a style religious, the very process and art of embroidery was at one time considered divine and a religious act.

Chambal Rumal Embroidery

Chambal Rumal, the artistic embroidered representation of the Pahari miniature paintings is influenced by Mughal miniatures. They are called rumals because the cloth is invariably square. The subject of the embroideries have been based mainly on religious themes comprising Hindu deities, floral motifs, birds and animals. The Raas Mandal and Krishna theme have been particularly favored.

Orissa's Applique Embroidery and Mirror Work

Orissa's Applique Embroidery and Mirror Work is all based on religion. The Puri Rath Yatra, the umbrellas, the fans all are the symbols of devotion to Lord Krishna. The ceremonial cloth and other fabric products used during the famous Rath Yatra are all embroidered with religious symbols in colorful threads and gold and silver or other metallic threads.

Karnataka's Kasuti Embroidery

Karnataka's Kasuti Embroidery is based on religious themes. Whether the embroidery is on a saree or a ceremonial cloth, the themes are the same, the symbols are modified to give a new look and a crafters' imagination plays a great role in this art.

Swarovski Embroidery Work

Swarovski is the luxury brand name for the range of precision-cut lead crystal glass and related products.

Kashmiri Embroidery

Kashmiri embroidery or kashida is colorful and beautiful as Kashmir itself. Embroiders often draw inspiration from the beautiful nature around. The colors the motifsof flowers, creepers and chinar leaves, mango etc. are the most common ones. The whole pattern is created using one or two embroidery stitch styles.

Phulkari Embroidery Work

The traditional Punjabi embroidery art is phulkari. The pulkari word means growing flowers. This embroidery form, true to its name includes only floral motifs in bright colors. There is sanctity to the art form as the canopy over Guru Granth Sahib, the religious book of the Sikhs is of phulkari.


The phulkari with very intricate floral patterns is called Bagh that means garden. It is primarily used on the odhanies and dupattas. It is considered auspecious for the bride and for the new born. It is worn on ceremonies. Phulkari for some time now is being used in home furnishings specially wall hangings, sofa throws and other soft furnishings

Chikankari Embroidery Work

Chikankari was nurtured in Uttar Pradesh and primarily in Lucknow. The work is done on very fine muslin and now on georgette and chiffon and other fine fabrics. It is more suited for the outerwear but these days there are certain exclusive creations using Chikan work in Cushion covers, pillow covers and table linen. Partition curtains with the chikan embroidery are fast gaining ground.

Kundan Embroidery Work

Kundan work is essentially Indian and it was brought to Rajasthan from Delhi during the Mughal period. Craftsmen from all over the country came to Jaipur, Bikaner, Udaipur and Jodhpur, under the patronage of royal houses. Numerous royal houses from Rajasthan, encouraged and patronized craftsmen to create exquisite kundan work on silver and gold. The entire technique of Kundankari lies in the skillful setting of gems and stones in gold, which is rarely solid.

Resham Embroidery Work

Resham work is where silk threads are used to hand embroidery

Patchwork

Patchwork in different shapes and size appear on many early American quilt. Even today it is a fashion.This particular one is based on the eight-point Lone Star design. It will brighten your sitting room or study room. If you are using simple patchwork, plan your design on a paper with pencils before beginning your work.

Kantha Embroidery Work

Kantha is basically close running stitch filled inside a design. Though the work is simple, the final appearance is beautiful. Different shades of thread; double shade or single shades can be used aesthetically according to your taste.

Chicken Embroidery Work

Chicken Work is almost similar to Shadow work. Like Shadow work, Closed Herring Bone stitches are done on the wrong side of the fabric but the stitches are not done as perfectly as in Shadow work.


In chicken Work, stitching is always done with white cotton rough thread and the fabrics used is thicker than those used for Shadow Work - usually cotton. Though both follow the same stitch they have a totally different appearance.

Mirror Work for Embroidery

Mirror work is the art of stitching mirrors on to the fabric in a variety of designs. Mirrors of different shapes (Square, Diamond, Round etc) and sizes are used for Mirror work. Mirror work can be done on any fabric in sarees, blouse pieces, skirts etc. After fixing the mirror you can stitch beads around to make it more attractive. Sequence is a plastic silver coated material available in different shapes and size. This is also used instead of mirrors.


Materials Required for Mirror Work

Mirrors or sequence of desired shapes & sizes Embroidery Thread Needle There are different ways of fixing mirrors of different shapes to the fabric. Two or three strands of thread are taken to fix mirrors or sequence.

Aari Embroidery Work

Aari embroidery is done primarily by the Muslim cobbler community in India. The designs are of Mughal origin since the art was at one time patronized by them. By using subtle gradations of color the figures and motifs in the designs can be highly representational. Aari at times is also called zari work. The zari thread or the metallic thread if quite commonly used in this style of embroidery. It is done with colored thread as well using color gradations to make the motifs and figures highly representational.

Bead Embroidery

Bead embroidery can be one of the most expressive, most satisfying methods of beadwork you will do. It's like painting with beads; forms create themselves, patterns flow and the beads know where they want to be. It is almost subconscious, you will be surprised at how it evolves. From century old traditions to the modern world culture, the style of beaded embroidery has evolved from simple designs to creatively sewn beaded embellishments techniques. The need to beautify both garments as well as household objects with precious and semi precious stones and glass beads has made this embroidery very popular not onlyin India but the western world as well. In India special bead work embroidery of the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan are very famous.


Types of Beads Used

* Glass Beads

* Wooden Beads

* Metallic Beads

* Plastic Beads

Zari Embroidery

Zari is the metallic yarn, made of pure silver. Originally, zari was manufactured in Yeola; Surat now being another zari-producing center. Initially, zari used in making Paithani was drawn from pure gold. However, silver is the affordable substitute today.


Zari is a type of thread made of fine gold or silver wire used in traditional Indian and Pakistani garments. This thread is woven into fabrics, primarily made of silk to create intricate patterns. It is believed this tradition started during the Mughal period. Zari is also a method of traditional textile weaving in Iran. Zari is the main material in most silk sarees and ghararas. It is also used in other garments made of silk, like skirts, tops and vettis.

Zardosi Embroidery

Zardosi is the oldest form of embroideries done in India. Its existence is from mughal age. Many types of embroideries have lost there identities in this designer world but zardosi is an form of embroidery which always attracts the designers and manufacturers. Indian women still loves her zardosi saree and consider it to be the most important attire in her wardrobe for functions and occasions.

Zardosi is a form of embroidery done by golden metal wires. For this form, embroidery saree is first tucked in a frame an then number of "kaarigars" design beautiful intricate patterns on the fabric through metal threads. This is an very timetaking and hard work. Zardosi sarees are not only famous in India but it has a vast demand in countries outside India too.


Indian Zardosi has made its place in the world and been considered as one among the beautiful embroidery styles including Chickan, Kashmiri, Gujrati and Sindhi embroideries. It is one of the most expensive types of embroidery because not only is the fabric and the material used expensive but also the labourers follow a system of wages on hourly basis. Even though zari work is very expensive, the beauty, the glamour and versatility have made it the most widely used embroidery all over the world. The labour is cheap in India when compared to other parts of the world.

Most common patterns done by the Karigars are mangoes, flowersand leaf patterns.

Overview of Embroidered Sarees and Designs

The Embroidered Sarees in India are hugely admired among the Indian women as they display the intricacy and style in their designs. Artisans are settled in different parts of India and, thus, the embroidered sarees created by them have ethnic variations.

Embroidered sarees are mainly made in the western region and display a rich embroidery (bharat) tradition. Much of these renowned embroideries are created by ethnic groups like the Rabari and Sodha Rajputs. The artisans are adept in making sarees with metallic-thread embroidery and these types of sarees are commonly found in the west. However, most of this embroidery work is created throughout northern India as well.


The embroidered sarees are distinguished for their designs due to the threads that are used in the embroidery work. The Indian artisans use three types of metallic-thread embroidery two of which use gold-wrapped threads called either `kalabattun` which was used by the artisans of earlier times or `zari`. One style, muka, requires thick zari to be coiled on the surface and couched with silk, and is usually worked on heavier silks and satin fabrics. Another style of embroidery work, called `kamdani` and sometimes `kalabattun,` has metallic threads embroidered directly into the fabric with both the zari and ground cloth. This embroidery work is done with finer and lighter metallic threads than in muka work. These embroidery works are created on chiffon and georgette that have gained popularity in the local as well as in the national market scenario. This type of embroidery work is called zardozi or zardoshi work. The third type of metallic embroidery is easier to distinguish because it uses flattened gold or silver wire (badla) that is pulled through the fabric. In this embroidery work small raised metallic `dots` or `knots` are distributed over the cloth to form floral and foliate patterns. Patna had a strong commercial zardozi embroidery tradition for many years, serving local aristocrats and other wealthy patrons during the nineteenth century.


The Embroidered Sarees have a profitable market. As the artisans have started creating embroidery work on very contemporary dress materials, the market demand of these sarees have increased to a great height. The traditional touch amalgamated with modernity creates a fusion in the Indian saree tradition. In recent times, the predominant local commercial embroidery offered in most towns and markets is machine embroidery. Although it is regarded by purists as of a lower order to handwork, much of it is finely made, in a variety of small detailed patterns.

Baluchari Sarees

This Saree from Bengal is usually five yards in length and 42" wide in flame red, purple and occasionally in deep blue. The field of the saree is covered with small butis and a beautiful floral design runs across the edges. The anchal has the main decoration depicting narrative motifs. Taingals and kanthas are other speciality items from Bengal.

Madisar Saree

The Madisar is the style in which the sari is worn by the Brahmin community in Tamil Nadu, India. In ancient days, this was the mandatory style in which the sari was supposed to be worn by a woman after her marriage, but today, to suit modern trends, yet accommodate traditions, the Madisaar is worn by women on selected festive occasions and while witnessing ceremonies. Normally saris are six yards in length, but since the madisar is worn in a different style, one requires a nine-yard sari to wear it. It is a very important part of the Iyer and Iyengar culture. Both Iyer and Iyengar Brahmin wear madisars for all important occasions in their lives, starting with marriage, followed by Seemandham (form of a baby shower), all important poojas, and death ceremonies. Iyers and Iyengars wear Madisars differently. Iyers wear the Pallu (the layer of the saree which comes over one's shoulder)over the right shoulder, but Iyengars wear it over the left shoulder.


Madisars are available in a variety of materials such as silk, cotton, cotton-silk blends, polyester-cotton blends, etc.

Konrad Saree

The Konrad or the Temple Saree is also a speciality item from Tamil Nadu. These sarees were original woven for temple deities. - They are wide bordered sarees and are characterised by wedding related motifs such as elephants and peacocks, symbolising water, fertility and fecundity.


Traditional colours for these sarees are earth shades of browns, greys and off-whites. However, brighter shades have been introduced for the North Indian buyer.

Kanjeevaram Saree

No Indian bridal trousseau is complete without the ‘Kanjeewaram' Saree, characterised by gold-dipped silver thread that is woven onto brilliant silk. Kanchipuram is a town in Tamil Nadu with more than 150 years of weaving tradition - completely untouched by fashion fads.


Kanjeewarams are favoured for their durability. Kanjee silk is thicker than almost all other silks, and is therefore more expensive. The heavier the silk, the better the quality. Peacock and parrot are the most common motifs. Though lightweight kanjee sarees are popular as they are easy to wear and cost very little, the traditional weavers do not like to compromise. While Korean and Chinese silk is suitable for light-weight sarees (machine woven), only mulberry silk produced in Karnataka and few parts of Tamil Nadu, is right for the classic Kanjeewaram.

Kota Doria Saree

Kota in Rajasthan, India is the home of the famous Kota Doria saris made in small villages around the Kota city. "Kota Doria" is a super transparent yet stable cotton or cotton/silk weave consisting of varied guages of yarn, creating an almost graph like pattern called khats (squares formed between the different thicknesses of fibers). The intermittent heavier guage yarns give the fabric enough weight and lateral stability to fall very gracefully, yet it is incredibly airy and transparent. Generally, these pieces are worn in the heat of summer.


The chequered weave of a Kota sari is a prized possession of many women. The gossamer-fine fabric Kota dorias are the finest weaves in India - so fine that they are almost weightless. The spinning, dyeing and weaving are done by skilled artisans and it takes many men hours to do so. The Kota region's craft is exquisite in its perfection. The Kota Doria weave is very special; the warp and the weft use a combination of threads creating a fine chequered pattern where the cotton provides firmness while the silk lends the gossamer finish to the fabric.


Besides the chequered pattern, there are other weaves in complicated designs in a combination of silk and cotton. The standard Kota doria yardage, in sari width, is always woven in white and later dyed in different colours. Some of the weaves also have a narrow border edged with Zari. In the case of saris with designs, the threads are dyed prior to weaving. Ideal for hot summer, this is a muslin fabric woven with alternating threads of silk and cotton in both warp and weft in an open weave.

Banaras Brocade Saree

This Saree from Banaras is virtually mandatory in the bride's trousseau. These sarees vary tremendously as weavers create different products to suit different regional markets and changing fashions.


Most brocades usually have strong Moghul influences in the design, such as intricate intertwining floral and foliate motifs, kalga and bel. A characteristic found along the inner, and sometimes outer, edge of borders is a narrow fringe like pattern that often looks like a string of upright leaves called jhallr. This is almost a signature of Benarasi brocade.

Bandhej Sarees

Art of tie and dye is popularly known as Bandhej in the Gujarat region. Jamnagar, Anjar, and Bhuj are the main centres where artists work traditionally on First step towards the procedure is the dipping of cloth into a colour after which the cloth is folded to a quarter of its size. The designs are created with the combination of small dots and circles. The borders are broad and are worked both in matching and contrasting colours.


The tying of the border and the release of the colour is called sevo bandhavo. The colouring method involves the lightest shade being worked in first order , after which this is tied and a darker colour is introduced. An unlimited number of colour schemes are used. The quality of the bandhej can be judged by the size of the dots: the smaller and closer to the size of a pinhead the dots are, the finer is the quality of the bandhej. Red, , maroon , yellow, and golden, black are the common shades.

Tie & Die / Lehriya Sarees

Tie and die is a multi colored craft of Rajasthan. A large number of colours are used because once the base colour is tied in, a lot of colours can be applied on to the fabric at different stages and then tied and detached gradually. The motifs that are used are birds, leaves, animals, creepers, and human figures in dance poses.


Designs are known by their names such as mountain design, dol design and kite design. Dots are used to make up the designs. A different colour on either side is also practiced by the craftsmen. Lehariya has long lines in a variety of colours found all over the body of the sari or dress material. Turbans are also a good outcome. The lehariya cloths have their own names depending on the designs. Bandhanis are related to festivals, seasons and rituals for which there are particular patterns and colours.

Jamavar Saree

A Jamavar is a special type of shawl made in Kashmir. Historically it was made by hand and some shawls took a couple of decades to complete. Original Jamavar shawls sell for high prices.


The jamavar design is a special floral pattern which resembles the mango fruit. Kanika Jamavar is a high end variety of Jamavar shawl. It is made with weaving sticks and the patterns are so finely done that front and back of the shawl are indistinguishable. Pashmina wool is used to make these shawls. Less then a dozen Kani Jamavar shawls are manufactured every year. The primary manufacturing centre for these shawls is Kashmir while some low end, machine made shawls also coming from Naziwabad, U.P.

Kantha Saree

Kantha is a type of sari popular in West Bengal, India. Worn by Bengali Kayastha women, it is known for its delicate embroidery.

Kantha is really the name for the embroidery itself, rather than the sari per se. Any garment or cloth with kantha embroidery (which forms or outlines decorative motifs with running stitch) is a kantha garment.


Kantha stitching is also used to make simple quilts. Women in Bengal typically use old saris and cloth and layer them with kantha stitch to make a light blanket or throw or bedspread, especially for children. Kantha is currently very popular with tourists visiting Bengal, and is a specialty of Bolpur/Shantiniketan. Another form of running stitch decorative stitching is the Japanese sashiko quilting.

Gadwal Saree

Gadwal Saree is made in cotton in a style influenced by the Banarasi weaves. While the ground of the saree is cotton, there is a loosely attached silk border.

Copper or gold-dipped zari is generally used in these sarees. The motifs of the murrugan (peacock) and the rudraksh are popular.

Traditional colours for these sarees are earth shades of browns, greys and off-whites. However, brighter shades have been introduced for the North Indian buyer.

Chanderi and Maheshwari Saree

The Chanderi saree from Madhya Pradesh is light and meant for Indian summers. It is made in silk or fine cotton with patterns taken from the Chanderi temples.

The Maheshwari sarees are also both in cotton and silk, usually green or purple with a zari border. The traditional block-printed tussar can also be found in contemporary designs nowadays. - Balla tinsel and khari work are the cheaper variations available in metallic embroidery, which have also become quite popular.

Paithani Saree

This saree is named after a village near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Now also woven in the town of Yeola, these sarees use an enormous amount of labour, skill and sheer expanse of material in their creation.

Distinctive motifs such as parrots, trees and plants are woven into the saree. The shades vary from vivid magenta, peacock greens and purples. In the pallav, the base is in gold and the pattern is done in silk, giving the whole saree an embossed look.

Embroidered Tinsel Sarees

The western region also has a rich embroidered tradition, made famous by ethnic groups such as rabaris and sodha Rajputs.

The saree with zardozi, the gold gilt thread embroidery technique, at one time patronised by the Moghul emperors and the aristocracy, is today an inextricable part of a bridal trousseau.

Balla tinsel and khari work are the cheaper variations available in metallic embroidery, which have also become quite popular.

Gujarati Brocade Saree

These are extremely expensive and virtually extinct. The main distinguishing characteristics of the Gujarati Brocade Saree:

Butis (circular designs) woven into the field in the warp direction instead of the weft, resulting in their lying horizontally instead of vertically on the saree when draped.


Floral designs woven in coloured silk, against a golden (woven zari) ground fabric. Although such ‘inlay' work is a common feature in many western Deccan silks, the Gujarati work usually has leaves, flowers and stems outlined by a fine dark line.

Patola Saree

The most time consuming and elaborate saree created by the western region is the potole (plural patola) which has intricate five colour designs resist-dyed into both warp and weft threads before weaving.


Double ikat patola saree is a rare and expensive investment. A cheaper alternative to double ikat patola is the silk ikat saree developed in Rajkot (Gujarat), that creates patola and other geometric designs in the weft threads only.

Bandhani Saree

These are Sarees created by dyeing the cloth in such a manner that many small resist-dyed ‘spots' produce elaborate patterns over the fabric.

The traditional Bandhani market has shrunk however, because of the rise of low-cost silk-screened imitations and most modern Bandhani Sarees are made with larger designs and fewer ties than in the past. There are varieties available in two contrasting colours, with borders, end-pieces and one or more large central medallion called a pomcha or padma (lotus flower). Red and black is the most common colour combination but other pairs of colours are also found. For instance, the panetar saree is a Gujarati-Hindu saree of satin weave and Gajji silk with red borders, central medallions and a white body, which may contain regularly spaced red tie-dyed spots.


Single colour sarees and odhnis with white spots are also common. The most famous of this type is the Gujarati saree called Garchola It is usually red, but occasionally green, and is divided into a network of squares created by rows of white tie-dyed spots or woven bands of zari. The Garchola is a traditional Hindu and Jain wedding saree, which used to be made of cotton, but is now usually in silk. The number of squares in the saree is ritually significant multiples of 9, 12 or 52.

History of Saree

The word 'sari' evolved from the Prakrit 'sattika' as mentioned in earliest Buddhist Jain literature.

Ancient Tamil poetry, such as the Silappadhikaram and the Kadambari by Banabhatta, describes women in exquisite drapery or saree. In ancient Indian tradition and the Natya Shastra (an ancient Indian treatise describing ancient dance and costumes), the navel of the Supreme Being is considered to be the source of life and creativity, hence the midriff is to be left bare by the saree.


Some costume historians believe that the men's dhoti, which is the oldest Indian draped garment, is the forerunner of the sari. They say that until the 14th century, the dhoti was worn by both men and women.

Sculptures from the Gandhara, Mathura and Gupta schools (1st-6th century CE) show goddesses and dancers wearing what appears to be a dhoti wrap, in the "fishtail" version which covers the legs loosely and then flows into a long, decorative drape in front of the legs. No bodices are shown.


Other sources say that everyday costume consisted of a dhoti or lungi (sarong), combined with a breast band and a veil or wrap that could be used to cover the upper body or head. The two-piece Kerala mundum neryathum (mundu, a dhoti or sarong, neryath, a shawl, in Malayalam) is a survival of ancient Indian clothing styles, the one-piece sari is a modern innovation, created by combining the two pieces of the mundum neryathum.

Know about Saree

The saree is a traditional garment for women. It comprises a long single piece of fabric, approximately 5.5 metres in length and 1 metre in width, expertly wound around a woman's body, with the loose end thrown over the shoulder. Worn with a choli, or short, fitting blouse, the fabric itself can be very detailed. Look closely and you might just see real gold or silver threads

sarees of different designs and materials are available in a variety of colours. It is made out of cotton, silk and other synthetic materials. The cost of the sarees varies according to the quality. The outer end of the saree or Pallu is most attractive especially on silk sarees.


Women of Tamil Nadu wear silk sarees on special occasions. The Brahmin community wear the saree in a slightly different way without wearing the long skirt. The length of the saree which they wear is longer (nine yards) than the usual one. It is wound separately on both legs in a proper way without restricting the person's free movement.

Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu and Mysore in Karnataka are famous for their unique silk and cotton sarees.

Andhra Pradesh is famous for its cotton sarees which is designed with jerry and thread. The sarees woven at Venkatagiri and Pochhampalli in Andhra are famous. Cotton sarees of Bengal is ideal as a summer wear.


In Kerala, women wear their traditional two piece cloth called mundu and neriyathu. The 'mundu' (one piece) is draped on the lower part of the body. The second piece; 'neriyathu' is worn on top, over a blouse in the same way as the sarees. This mundu also called 'Settu Mundu' is the traditional attire. The mundu was worn in a different way by the women of the royal families.

sarees are worn in different ways in many places, especially in Gujarat, Manipur, Maharashtra and Coorg (Karnataka).