Origin of sarees along with interesting facts

Feb. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- Saree has been the popular apparel of Indian women since vedic period. It used to be created in a plenty of designs using a large number of weaving techniques. Slew of archeological evidences including sculptures and paintings also prove that saree was an integral part of ancient women's clothes.

Origin of Indian sarees along with interesting facts:

The Sari word is derived from Sanskrit “Sati” and “Shatika”, which means 'strip of cloth'. It was corrupted to “Sadi” and “Sattika” in Prakrit, and then “Sari” and “Saree” in Hindi.

Saree has been referred in Rigveda as Hiranyadrapi, made from a shining, gold-woven cloth with border as pattas. Women of Vedic period used to wear a uttariya (upper garment), an antariya (lower garment) and a kayabandh (waistband). Saree was worn in form of a uttariya.
According to great epic Ramayana, when Sita, the wife of Lord Rama is abducted by demon Ravana, she tears apart a piece of her saree and throws her anklets, bracelets and other jewellery tying in it.

In great epic Mahabharata, when Dhushashan tries to strip the Draupadi, she calls to Lord Krishna, who increases the size of saree performing a miracle and Dhushashan fails in his wicked purpose. In this scripture, minicheri is mentioned, which is an interwoven saree embellished with pearls and glittering borders.
According to Natya Shastra (200 BC and 200 AD) of Sage Bharata, the navel of Supreme Being is the source of life and creativity. Therefore, midriff is kept left bare by the sari.

In ancient Jain and Buddhist scriptures, saree has been mentioned in Prakrit word “Sattika”.

In archeological excavation of Indus valley civilization period ( 2800-1800 BC), the statue of a priest wearing a saree has been found.
In Ajanta cave sculpture and painting (2nd century BCE), several figures are portrayed wearing different types of saris, which indicate that contemporary Indian artisans were well-versed of weaving the sarees in different techniques.

In Vishnu Sharma's Sanskrit animal fables collection Panchatantra (3rd century BCE), both term “Shati” and “shatika” are used.
Various sculptures of Gandhara, Mathura and Gupta schools of art (1st- 6th century) depict the goddesses and dancers wearing a sari. The saree used to be created in "fishtail" design, which loosely covers legs and then flows in front of leg like a long, decorative drape.

Banabhatta in his Sanskrit romantic work, Kadambari (first half of 7th century) describes the ladies wearing elegant drapery or sari.
Saree has also mentioned in the ancient Tamil poetry Silappadhikaram of Ilango Adigal.

Several ancient Hindu temples have been decorated with the wall carvings depicting the figurines sporting sarees.
Popular Indian historical heroines like Kittur Chennamma (1778-1829), Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi (1835-1858) and Belawadi Mallamma (17th century) battled with enemy troops on horseback wearing tightly tied sarees.

Popular Indian painter Raja Raviverma (19th century) has painted various Hindu goddesses wearing the sarees.

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