While attempting to trace the history of sarees, we came across some of the ancient Indian literature mentioning #sarees. Interestingly, Rig Veda dating back to 3000 B.C. mentions sarees.The 10th chapter of the Rig Veda asserts the feminine to be the supreme principle behind all of the cosmos. Our ancient texts mention, "where women are revered, there the gods rejoice; but where they are not, no sacred rite bears any fruit. It is evident that women were revered as goddesses. Most of the Indian festivals also celebrate the spirit of Devi as that of strength.
Rig Veda mentions a woman needed to wear a saree at the time of Yagya and Havan. Kausalya (Rama’s mother), who was interested to practise religious vows appeared auspiciously by wearing a white silk sari and gladly performed ceremony in a sacred fire (Yagya), by reciting vedic hymns. It would be interesting to examine some of the popular festivals and occasions and the importance the 11-yard drape plays.
Sarees also have a strong connection with the Indian festivals. Historically, Diwali has several origin stories. One tradition links the festival to epic Ramayana, where Diwali is the day Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman reached Ayodhya after a period of 14 years in exile. They had returned triumphant defeating the demon king Ravana's army of evil. Another Diwali origin in Hindu mythology is that it marks the day Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura and freed the people of his kingdom. In Jainism, it is the day Mahavira attained Nirvana. With all of these references, Diwali is celebrated as the triumph of good over evil. It is known as the festival of lights. Such a significant festival has an impact on the traditional wear of Indian women. Diwali is celebrated through 5 days, each day being significant in some way. Women love to wear bright gorgeous saree on the culmination night of Diwali. Each corner of the country is adorned by beautiful women wearing traditional silk gorgeous sarees. These Sarees generally have artistic embroideries along with cut work, sequin work and sequin beaded work that are meticulously fashioned with vibrant colour combinations.
For the festival of Durga Puja, Bengali women wear the finest Sarees from their family cupboards passed down by grandmothers. White and red tant Sarees are most widely seen during this time. The festival coincides with Navratri, Dandiya as well as Garba for different regions. Sarees worn in these festivals are beautifully etched with sequins and beads that accentuate the beauty. Bright colors like red, pink, yellow and blue can be seen widely. Each color has a significance - yellow saree is believed to be auspicious, red symbolizes courage, white is for purity and blue is for tranquility. Traditional Sarees with Madhubani paintings are also preferred to be worn during the Puja.
The regional festivals like Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Onam in Kerala, Nabobarsho in West Bengal, Chhath Puja in Bihar and others are marked by worshipping gods and goddesses in each part of India. For these occasions, Indian women adorn themselves with traditionally weaved silk, cotton and silk cotton sarees that have great ritualistic value. These Sarees generally exhibit the culture of a particular region. The Rajasthani Leheriya sarees are created through a traditional style of tie dye which creates a kaleidoscopic wavy pattern. Bandhani Sarees from Gujarat are classy, beautiful and are a must have for every woman. The Sambalpur district of Odisha is where Sambalpuri Ikat sarees are made. These classic handloom sarees showcase an innovative design developed with an ordinary ikat weave. The Kancheepuram sarees from Tamil Nadu are popularly known as the queen of all saris as it has a noted texture, glimmer, permanence and refinement.
There are several important occasions in a woman’s life that she needs to celebrate. Each celebration requires the perfect Saree to signify the importance. For example, an auspicious saree for the wedding, an elegant, beautiful drape for Godh Bharai (baby shower) and a classic pastel shade of silk or cotton saree for starting up a business or celebrating a promotion.
Every occasion in a woman's life should be celebrated with enthusiasm, tradition and beautiful drapes. Our collection caters to such celebrations. Head over to our “Shop” section and check out the amazing drapes!!! #sareeforwomen #ancienttexts #Urbaneessence #saree #onlineshopforwomen #onlineshopforsaree #onlinesareeshop
