For millions of Indian women, a beautiful constant in their lives is the sari a simple garment that has stood the test of time through centuries of changing cultures and fashion, remaining a bastion of Indian tradition.
AUT professor of diversity Edwina Pio says the sari “evokes memories of beauty, textile diversity, comfort, sensuousness and femininity, reminiscent of an ubiquitous Indianness”.
The Indian dress will feature prominently at this year’s Auckland Diwali Festival (Oct 8-9), a celebration of traditional and contemporary Indian culture, making a welcome return after two years of cancellations.
Sharon Tang, event producer at Tataki Auckland Unlimited, says the sari has strong religious significance to Hindu goddesses.
“And as one of the most recognisable traditional attires, it will once again feature prominently at this year’s Auckland Diwali Festival."
"Festivalgoers will see the sari worn in a variety of ways through performances like Bharatanatyam, Garba and Kathak across our three festival stages.”
The word sari is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word “sati”, meaning a strip of cloth.
But today, the definition of sari extends to include textiles woven by mill or by hand, often with one consistent density. It ranges from about 3 metres to 4.5 metres in length and can be draped in numerous ways, which varies from state to state in India.
It is thought to have been introduced to New Zealand in the late 1800s and early 1900s during the first wave of Indian migration.
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Advertise with NZME.“The sari is worn by women in and from the Indian subcontinent, and the Indian migrant diaspora has taken the sari around the world, making it a fashion statement, emblematic of culture and often opulent traditions,” says Edwina.
Sangeetha Krishnakumar, a mother of two who moved here from Kerala six years ago, is an avid sari collector.
She has about 300 of the timeless garments in her collection, many passed down from generation to generation in her family.
“I am crazy in love with the sari, it is my favourite garment and I would never miss a chance to wear it,” she says.
Sangeetha says the feminine and elegant sari can be both traditional and modern. In India there are saris for all occasions and women wear them everywhere, from going to the office or the markets to the more sophisticated iterations they wear for gala dinners.
For the Diwali Festival, Sangeetha is leading a traditional folk dance called Thiruvathira, featuring about 50 women wearing saris of the Kerala region.
“The feeling of wearing a sari evokes a million emotions; of being bound by rich heritage and culture that India is known for,” she says.
The sari is draped and worn differently in different regions of India, and the Kerala version, better known as Kasavu sari, is distinct in white and gold and comes as a two-piece dress.
Sangeetha says the sari is a signifier of her identity, roots and belonging.
“Sari is very personal as I grew up seeing my mother, grandmother and aunts wearing them. I feel a sense of being grounded and rooted in my culture when I wear a sari and it makes me feel very Indian, which I am extremely proud to be."
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Advertise with NZME.“It has an enormous significance in all aspects of Indian life, be it social, cultural or religious.”
STITCH IN TIME
Behind the scenes of a full dress rehearsal for this year's Diwali Festival.
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Diwali Festival runs from Oct 8-9 at Auckland’s Aotea Square and Queen St. Thiruvathira is on at 6pm on Sunday. Visit Aucklandnz.com
