A Sari Affair

The story of traditional Indian Sari goes like this. 'I was born on the loom of a fanciful weaver, who dreamt of a woman. The enigma of her gooseberry eyes, the secret of her smile, the texture of her moods, the shimmer of her tears, and the softness of her touch. All these he wove together. And he couldn’t stop. He wove for many yards. And when he was done, the story goes, he sat back and smiled'.

And thus centuries ago, the enduring, lasting proof of a classic Indo-Western fusion was created. Yes, a sari is the Indian counterpart of the Little Black Dress. To women who label me it as desi,  the dress has  outwitted all in it's designer modern avatar. 

Casual cotton or breezy chiffon, elegant silk or intricate zardozi, traditional Banarsi or chic crepe, simple kota or conventional

Pic Courtesy Indianfashiontrend.com

tanchoi……..The permutations are endless, but the nuances are critical. Connoisseurs can steal a glance and distinguish between a sari  from Sarojini Nagar and one from Satya Paul or Ritu Kumar. But the beauty of a sari lies in the fact that both look equally elegant.

From Cherie Blair to Naomi Campbell to Liz Hurley, most have worn a sari and  never looked better.

If you ask me, I love the cotton avatar of this traditional attire. Contrasting the crushed cotton look of Mamata Bannerjee,  the starched handloom worn by Sonia Gandhi is elegance personified. It looks all powerful, graceful and oh-so cool. How about trying pastel chiffons Mrs. Gandhi? Lately, extra starch is smacking of arrogance.

The counterpart of sari,  the bodice is no longer a simple piece of garment. It is an ornate piece of art. But when it comes to Bollywood heroines, the blouse is almost non-existent. Instead there are inadequate straps, a few threads and enticing knots. I tell you, when

Pic Courtesy www.sajansarita.co.in

our actresses decide to take the sari route, they leave me red-faced. But I don’t grudge them. Thanks to starlets and television serials, the sari is alive and kicking!

When prima donnas turn up at award functions or memorable events, reveling in the thought of being a woman, they underline the feminine quotient by donning a sari. All of seven yards! Yes, because they know that they can never go wrong with a sari.