My journey began with a search. Into the origins and the history of the sari. This is the story that unfolded.
The sari can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilisation (3300 - 1300 BC). The earliest known depiction of the sari in the Indian subcontinent is the statue of an Indus Valley priest wearing a drape. it's believes the sari as we know it today evolves from this attire.
The word sari described in Sanskrit शाटी which means 'strip of cloth' and sāḍī in Pali. The word 'Sattika' is mentioned as describing women's attire in ancient India in Sanskrit literature and Buddhist Jataka Tales. This could be equivalent to modern day 'Sari'.
The sari evolved from a three-piece ensemble, between 2nd century B.C to 1st century A.D, into a single garment known as sari mentioned in Pali literature. The ancient Sanskrit work, Kadambari by Banabhatta and ancient Tamil poetry, such as the Silappadhikaram, describes women's drapery. I could find no pictorial or sculptural reference of the last.
A detail from Ajanta Caves, the attendees? wearing a sari ( in white) (2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE)
Detail of a leaf with, The Birth of Mahavira(the 24th Jain Tirthankara), from the Kalpa Sutra, c.1375-1400.
The sari evolved from a three-piece ensemble, between 2nd century B.C to 1st century A.D, into a single garment known as sari mentioned in Pali literature. The ancient Sanskrit work, Kadambari by Banabhatta and ancient Tamil poetry, such as the Silappadhikaram, describes women's drapery. I could find no pictorial or sculptural reference of the last.
The modern sari is commonly worn in the NIvi drape though there are reputed to be a 100 ways to drape a sari.
A Ravi Varma Painting depicting the sari in some of its many drapes
Nivi Drape- A How To
Though the Nivi style the most common and popular, is a garment that accommodates a lot of experimentation and is often experimented upon.i f do i experiment with the drape, i shall share that with you.
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