Tale of Sarees

The nation that we live in today takes great pride in its vibrant culture. The uniqueness of this diversity is however standardized at the times of official events. At most of the official events, when women are asked to appear in Indian formals or ethnic wear, the first image that appears is that of a Saree.

Women Dressed in Saree, Illustrated Deccani manuscript from the 16th century. Source: Wikimedia

Saree- an Indian garment, worn by women by draping it around the body, has over the course of time become a symbol of Indian-ness. However, the garment which today is connotated as a symbol of one-ness of land that offers diversity did not always convey the same message.

With the arrival of the British, the Indian way of draping Saree took a turn. The amalgamation of the British undertone of a stitched blouse and petticoat with Saree was initially seen as a symbol of “modern” or uncultured woman. Notes a Swadeshi poem from Vaishya 1931:12,

*Foreign Saris of Muslin and Crepe, Make the Indian men gape.

Women who never lifted their veil, wear these saris and appear naked.

Drown yourself, you shameless goner, You lose both your money and honour*.

With the arrival of the British in India, the earlier way of draping Saree was looked down upon. The British portrayed the Indians through an oriental lens, where the natives were shown to be barbaric and exotic. Clothing was mocked and sexual liberation was seen as a threat.

Earlier, Sarees were not worn in parts, rather it was a long, single piece of cloth, draped without any clothes underneath. The Saree was made as per Bengal’s hot and humid climate. However, this was seen as an act of “savagery,” resulting in banning Indian women from clubs on the grounds of ‘indecent’ clothing, states historian Toolika Gupta.

Thus, the adaptation of the blouse and petticoat came into play. However, as stated up, this adaptation was treated with hostility and was seen as a contradiction to the Swadeshi Movement. It was criticized to an extent that Sister Susie in the Indian Ladies Magazine (ILM) called it an “un-Indian and exotic” way of tightly twisting the cloth around one’s body, which was uncalled for.

Series of cartoons, criticizing women for their clothing choices were published, where women were mocked for leaving their own culture and moving forward to the ‘Paschim Hawa,’ (Literal Translation: winds that blow westwards. Figurative Translation: Western Trend).

Several magazines and calendar art, therefore, started to portray women who chose a western influence on their clothes as “bad housewives,” writes Onkarnath Vajpai. Abigail McGowan states that women were often pictured as “fashionable” women, who would spend hours on a phone, listen to the radio, admire themselves in the mirror, put on makeup, or just make good use of their leisure time, instead of spending the time doing household chores as per how an “ideal wife” was expected to.

These portrayals usually targeted privileged women. Elite women, who could afford to cover their bodies. However, there had been magazines like Mahila, which welcomed the changes in women’s dressing, appreciated for its coverage.

Though over the course of time the Saree, might have undergone changes in terms of how it is worn, seen, and perceived by the people. Even to this date, a woman’s clothing, though a cultural symbol, is used to question a women’s character.

Like earlier times, even today, the way a woman drapes her saree remains the grounds for her moral character.

Kamla, 1932: The caption below the image ‘Paschim ki hava mein nayi sabhyata ka rangin gubbara’ (colourful balloon of new civilization brought by the winds of west) caricatures the follower of fashion. Source: Journal of Studies in History and Culture