Traditional Indian Wedding Saris

The Indian bridal sari is often a bright color to represent joy or happiness.

Some view the sari as the world's most enduring fashion symbol for women, both for everyday wear and for weddings. The sari, a word derived from Sanskrit meaning strip of cloth, is a long, rectangular piece of fabric that can be as long as 9 meters. The cloth drapes over the body in various ways, and women wear it with a choli or ravika, the blouse, and a skirt or petticoat for the bottom. Often, a woman's midsection is bare. Women in countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka also wear saris.

History

The origin of the sari began more than 5,000 years ago in Sanskrit texts, when Draupadi, the wife of all the five sons of Panu, an Indian emperor, was the prize won in a gambling feud. As told in the Indian epic, the Mahabharata, the Kauravas, the victors of the feud and the descendants of a king, attempted to unravel the material that Draupadi wore, but they could not make it to the end of the cloth. The story's symbolism rests in that virtue always triumphs.

The Metaphysical

The sari also represents religious and metaphysical connotations in Indian culture. The Kauravas’ inability to unwind the sari symbolizes the nature of infinity, whereas the weaver of the sari, or thread holder, is the architect of the universe.

Fabrics

Handmade saris, preferred for weddings, use natural fibers such as cotton and silk and are more expensive than the more common machine-woven saris made of rayon or polyester. For weddings and other special occasions, brides desire hand-woven saris that use natural dyes. The more expensive the sari, the more geometric or floral patterns throughout the fabric.

Wearing the Sari

Although there are approximately 20 ways to wear the sari, the most common form is to tuck in one portion of the fabric into the skirt or petticoat and then drape the rest of the material over one shoulder, often leaving the stomach bare. The way to wear the sari can be regionally specific, different in eastern, western, northern and southern India.

Colors and Details of the Bridal Sari

A traditional Indian wedding sari is typically red or pink, bright colors that represent joy, happiness, well-being and even sexual connotations. The fabric usually includes intricate embroidery and sometimes pearl and mirror work as well. Modern brides often incorporate organza into the outfit, and brides are choosing a wealth of colors for the sari beyond the traditional red. Sometimes the border of the sari uses thread of gold.

References

• Exotic India Art: The Indian Sari: Fashioning the Female Form
• Cultural India: Bridal Saris