A Journey through Aesthetic Realms
 
Saree: Clothing Women in Style Since Ancient India      
Today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms will be presented in Hindi, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Hindi, Hungarian, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Refined viewers, welcome to A Journey through Aesthetic Realms on Supreme Master Television.

With over 8,000 years of history, India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Her rich culture is reflected in many aspects of social life.

Today, we will have an opportunity to find out about the elegant saree, which has adorned women of the nation for at least 2,000 years. Situated 100 kilometers southeast of Mumbai, Pune is India’s eighth largest city. Its Kala Niketan saree showroom is one of the country’s most renowned retailers of the well-loved garment.

From Pune, India, welcome to Supreme Master Television. We are in Kala Niketan saree showroom at this time, which is considered famous in India for sarees. You will find a wide variety of sarees, which belong to different states of India. A customer coming from any state of India to shop for a saree at Kala Niketan will surely find one of their choices.

A saree is a long piece of fabric worn by adult women. It is wrapped around the body and therefore fits any body size or shape. A properly draped saree highlights the wearer’s ethereal grace.

A saree’s length is approximately six yards, and in India, the saree is usually draped in 10 to 15 different styles. In the most common style, one end of the saree is tied around the waist and the other end is taken over the shoulder. The saree is worn over a petticoat, which is tied below the navel. We wear a blouse on top, which is called choli.

The history of the saree can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization between 2800 and 1800 BCE. Depictions of people wearing a draped garment have been found in ancient sculptures and poetry. According to folklore, a beautiful fairy appeared in the dream of a weaver and inspired him to make a long strip of flowing cloth which became the saree.

Sarees have evolved over time, and its current form has been around for at least several hundred years. Made with both elaborate and simple materials, sarees have two ends that serve different functions. The end used for anchor is made plain; the other end, called pallu, hangs outside. It is greatly extended and highly embellished.

In addition, garnishments are also added to the two longitudinal borders. Although machine weaving has become available, sarees used for formal occasions are almost exclusively made by hand. Instead of patterning dyes on woven fabric, the floral and geometric motifs are produced directly on the loom by joining threads of various colors. After that, additional decorations may be done through embroidery, beadwork, or studding of precious stones.

You can see in this show that many different colors in contrast are used. Like blue and grey, you have seen here green and orange, you have seen maroon, green and pink. There are many different colors. All these are very beautiful. I like this work personally.

Among the most exquisitely adorned are wedding sarees. Golden embroideries are used on brightly colored materials. Let’s now join Mr. Shrikant Pande from Kala Niketan to see what they have in the shop.

For weddings, we have Banarasi sarees which have work done on them. And Kanjivaram with work done. Bandhani sarees made in the state of Gujrat, with work done on them. We have printed sarees which come without any work done on them. And in pure zari work, we have heavy Bandhani sarees. Noticing our adoration of a gorgeous blue saree, our host kindly opens it and explains to us in detail.

See this, what you feel is beautiful. Have a look at it. This is a typical saree from Banaras. Full embroidery work is done on it. It is of zardosi work, blue pressed, Lahariya-style saree.

The length of a full saree is five and a half meters. This pallu is the front part.

This is Banarasi saree, which is used particularly for marriage. And the pallu of this is filled with embroidery work, zari work, and pikni work. It is blue in color and comes with a blouse piece. Banarasi saree is worn on the special occasion of wedding. We can’t wash this saree. You have to dry clean it. Once after 10 uses you dry clean it, press it, and use it.

Sarees from different parts of India have distinguishable styles. Mr. Pande graciously shares with us several of them and points out the special features of each.

One more saree from Maharashtra State, Paithani.

This border is called Munia border. It is Kalamkari work done on pallu. Kalamkari work, Kalamkari pallu, is from a village called Paithan. This saree is made over there. It is a handloom saree, zari is pure, and Meenakari work is done on a full saree.

And this is a wedding saree. Not for general use. This is also to be dry-cleaned. Zari of this saree is pure. Not synthetic.

Now I show you one saree from South India. It is Kanjivaram saree. This is also pure zari saree. Diamonds are attached to it. The main color is pink, the pallu is green, the border is green. A contrasting combination is seen. This comes with a blouse piece. This is called brocket saree. This is also to be worn on special functions and parties.

Very beautiful. You can see that mostly contrasting colors are used. Pink and green. We have seen blue, orange. We have seen different colors.

I’ll show you one more saree. Work is done on the Assam saree. It has a border, pallu, and splendid anchal. This comes with a blouse piece. The embroidery work is called pita work. Diamonds are attached over the saree. This is the best saree from Assam. This is also not a normal wear saree. This is always for special functions and parties.

Now I’ll show you one from Orissa. Orissa is one of the states of India. I’m telling about the saree. It’s made from pure zari and rayon. It has a splendid pallu. The remaining saree is with strips all over. This is also wedding wear. It can be used as normal wear too. But this Orissa saree is special. It is not available in other states.

Besides special occasions, the sarees are also worn as everyday attire. These are made with more durable fabrics.

So these sarees are for daily wear?

These are crepe printed sarees meant for daily wear. Sarees with normal work done on them are for functional wear.

This is a polyester georgette saree.

It can be washed at home and can be worn at any time. This saree is made in Surat, a city in Gujarat State. And the saree of this type is used as a normal wear. It can be washed frequently in cold water. Normally all can use it as normal wear. This is a daily wear saree.

As we are still bedazzled by the colorful array of beautiful sarees, Mr. Pande further explains the different ways the pallu can be styled. If we wear in regular style, the pallu falls behind, and if worn in the Gujarati style, the pallu falls in the front. By bringing the pallu to the front, the main focus is in the front. When the pallu is on the back, it creates a different presentation. The pallu of an everyday wear saree of Bharat, India falls on the back.

There are more than a dozen styles of dressing a saree. Each region has a slightly different way of wrapping the material around the body, positioning the pleats, and draping the pallu. Our host wonderfully demonstrates how this is done.

After seeing so many beautiful sarees, I feel like draping a couple of them on me! We now request Mr. Shrikant Pande to show us a few saree draping styles.

Now, I show the special art of wearing a saree from our Kala Niketan. I show to madam the style of wearing the saree, how the pallu goes back, which side the plate is placed. Now I wrap around the saree. While taking around from the back side, the pallu comes to the front. By this style I’m showing you the way to wear the saree. I have shown how to wear this type of saree, which is one way of wearing a saree. This type of saree, the pallu is red. The pallu is on the back side. Draping the saree from a mustered pack, I have shown you how to wear the saree.

Now I show you how to wear one more Indian style, the Gujarati style saree.

Now I tell you how the saree is draped. Grasping with your fingers and then holding with other fingers. Now the saree is draped and is ready. After it’s ready, it can be worn.

The pallu of this saree is going backward. Now the pallu of this comes on the front part.

It has been fascinating to find out about the rich variety of fabulous Indian sarees. May the beautiful sarees continue to enhance the elegance of Indian women as they have for many centuries. Heaven bless India.

For more information about Kala Niketan, please visit

Splendid viewers, we appreciate your loving presence on this episode of A Journey through Aesthetic Realms. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television for Vegetarianism: The Noble Way of Living, right after Noteworthy News. May your life be filled with celestial grace.


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