Traditional Indian Wedding Sarees
A sari is a large piece of cloth, almost 9 yards long, and it can cover the body from head to toe. It is a dress that fits everyone regardless of size and shape and it is famous for its style and simplicity. A bride's selection of her dress can depend upon her culture, religion, interests or traditions. A traditional Indian bride wears a red wedding dress, whether it is a bridal sari, bridal lehenga or shalwar kameez. The red symbolizes delight, fertility and prosperity. Bridal sarees are usually embellished with traditional art work and have embroidery, ornamented borders and silver or gold patterns. They are embellished and decorated according to the modern trends to give the bride a perfect Indian look.
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History
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In his book "India: Nation on the Move," Manish Chary states that sarees date back to the Indus Valley civilization, which thrived during 2800 and 1800 BC in the subcontinent. A statue of a priest wearing a long cloth depicts the earliest signs of sarees in the subcontinent. According to historians, men's dhotis (an Indian dress for men) are a predecessor of sarees. In his book "Indian Civilization and Culture," Suhas Chaterjee states that until the beginning of the 14th century, both men and women used to wear sarees, and sculptures from Mathura and Gandhara schools show goddesses wearing large cloths covering their legs. In the beginning, women in India wore shawls and veils with sarees. Sarees are a modern creation based on one of the earliest clothing forms in the Indian subcontinent.
Cultural Significance
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Indian culture is full of colors, traditions and rituals. In India, mostly colorful and ornamented sarees are worn for weddings. The people of India continue to wear traditional sarees to show pride in their culture. Sarees are considered to be a sign of sexuality and grace, and colors have specific meanings in Indian culture; colored sarees are worn by young women while women in mourning wear white sarees.
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Wedding Sarees
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Traditionally, wedding sarees were only made out of silk and cotton, but, in recent years, different types of bridal sarees have became available that allow the bride to look traditional as well as heavily adorned on her long-awaited wedding day.
Embroidered Sarees
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Indian women prefer embroidered sarees for their wedding because their designs are delicate and seemingly complicated. Embroidered sarees are available in different fabrics like chiffon, silk and Georgette. Floral and geometrical patterns are often used to embellish sarees for traditional weddings.
Provincial Wedding Sarees
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According to Chitra Sounder, various Indian provinces have their own traditional saree styles. Banarsi sarees are very popular among Indian brides, with woven gold or silver work on them. Kanjivaram sarees are of different and unique color combinations. Various prints are available in these sarees, and this is the traditional dress of Southern India brides. Kashmiri sarees are elegant with colorful embroidery.
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References
- Photo Credit sari image by fotomagic from Fotolia.com
