The Saree
As Deepavali arrives, we shine a light on one of India’s most historically as well as culturally significant garments together with designers Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran and Pavithra Varathan
G rowing up in Malaysia meant being surrounded by a diverse society made up of various ethnicities as well as cultures that have existed many millennia ago; from traditional customs, beliefs, languages, food and dressing, these are but a few aspects of our heritage that we’ve retained. In fact, despite our differences, not only have we managed to maintain ancestries unique to our own cultures, we celebrate them with ethnicities other than our own, even during the years prior to our nation’s independence in 1957.
The saree, one of the oldest forms of Indian clothing, is one such ancestral artefact that has been maintained over 5,000 years and is worn as a traditional costume in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Derived from the Sanskrit word, ‘sati’, which means ‘a strip of cloth’, accounts of this handloom marvel date as far back as the Indus Valley civilisation (3200-2000 BC). Its material— which ranges from chiffon, silk, cotton to silk brocade— and its style of drape, like many of India’s languages, can vary according to the region as well as its many residing
tribes. In some states, zaris, which are silk threads plaited with thin strands of precious metals like gold, silver and even copper, are either used for embroidery or woven into the fabric itself; this serves as regional identifiers as there aren’t many regions that have access to pure zaris. A labour-intensive endeavour that involves several stages, a single handloom saree takes about a week to complete as the process begins from designing the textile, to sourcing materials, creating and dyeing the yarn as well as the actual weaving.
Traditionally, the saree was part of a three-piece ensemble and was known as the ‘sattika’, which in early Sanskrit literature described women’s attire. It comprises the Antriya (the lower garment), the Uttariya (the veil that’s worn over the shoulder or head) as well as the Stanapatta (a chest band). However, the saree we recognise today has since then evolved; paired with the ‘choli’, a fitting blouse that bares one’s midriff, it can be found wrapped around ankle-to-floor length skirts, billowing pants, slim-fit trousers and even jeans.
To date, including present-day variations, the saree can be worn in over 100 ways depending on trends, personal taste and regional practices. Though the more extravagant ones are worn during special occasions, this unique garment is in fact meant for daily, practical use; and in some cases, are precious family heirlooms passed on from mother to daughter, be it on her wedding day or her coming-of-age ceremony.
While it is deemed a seamless length of beautifully made cloth to an outsider, the saree is ultimately a legacy that has endured the passage of time and continues to thrive with the help of a community that remembers its history. Whether it’s the elderly weaver who toils away tirelessly or a grandmother who takes her grandchildren to go saree shopping, the saree is just as revered today as it was during ancient times. In this feature, we speak to Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran and Pavithra Varathan, two designers whose aesthetic direction may be worlds apart, but have maintained their shared roots—each in their own way, of course.