Article: Bengal Sarees After the partition of Bengal, the weaver families migrated to West Bengal, they got

along with them the priceless heritage of highly stylized weaving techniques which they had learned from their fore fathers. The handloom industry in the eastern region has had its share of bumpy rides, but Bengal handlooms have survived the ups and downs to become a household name among connoisseurs of textiles. Daccai Jamdani an elaborate and ornate muslin Bengali style saree, came along with the immigrants after partition. This kind of saree is woven in both east and west Bengal but the techniques are little different. In Bangladesh, the weavers use fine Egyptian cotton, while the Indian weavers use only indigenous raw material. The single warp is usually ornamented with two extra weft followed by ground weft. While the original Bangladeshi sari is usually on a beige background, the Indian weavers are a more adventurous in their choice of colours. The intricate all over floral motif with an elaborately designed pallu and boarder is a treat to the eye. The Daccai Jamdani is woven by hand on the old fashioned Jala loom. Sometimes it takes more than a year to complete a single saree. The saree is as fine as muslin and shows off the worksmanship. The Daccai Jamdani is an expensive and delicate drape and a complete party affair. There are other Jamdanis at affordable price and not so delicate, which can be worn by fashion conscious working women. These are mostly Jamdani motifs on Tangail fabric and are commonly known as Tangail Jamdani. Although beige background is the most popular, these are available in bright hues. Tangail, Dhoneokali, Shantipuri and Begumpuri are other popular Bengali style sarees in the lower price range. Of these, Tangail has a fine texture with elaborate border.Over the years, many patterns have merged as the weavers started experimenting with various combinations of design and yarn.

The main clothing of the women folk in rural West Bengal are sarees. After farming the second biggest occupation in West Bengal is weaving. Almost every district has its particular weavesDhaniakhali in Hooghly district, once famous for superfine dhotis has switched over to making sarees in pastel shades. This change is due to failing demand of dhotis. Begampur also in Hooghly district specialises in loosely woven, light-weight and translucent bright coloured Bengali style sarees.There is a rich tradition of weaving handloom cotton textiles among the tribal and semitribal people of West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, Maldah, and Cooch Behar in North Bengal. Rajbanshi weave sarees are very attractive designs of checks and stripes on simple pit-looms. The sarongs of the Pulia are made by joining together two very dense strips woven on simple primitive looms made of short pieces of bamboo stick and a narrow strip of wood about 3 cm wide and 60 cm long. The most well known Bengali style sarees are commonly called Tant sarees. These sarees are majorly worn by the mass. These sarees are woven from cotton. They are famous for their lightness and transparency. These sarees are both in pastel and bright shades. They have broad zari or silken thread embroidered borders. Their pallu is embellished with delicate embroidery. The designs woven both on pallu and the boarder of the saree are very intricate.

Tant sarees come in a wide range of styles and colors. West Bengal being a costal belt, the climate is very humid and sultry. Tant sarees are ideal as a casual wear and as eveningwear during summers. Their beauty makes them eligible to be worn in a party also.Bengali style sarees or best called tant sarees were hand woven till recent times. With weavers opting out for other professions, these sarees are now being produced by machines.

Article Variety of weaves makes tradition of India. There is richness in every weave and every region specializes in its different style. From the eastern India comes the Bengali style cotton Tanth and Muslin. Muslin is made from the finest of cottons grown on the banks of Brahmaputra. The texture of this type of cotton is extremely fine and transparent. The term malmal also refers to the finest quality of muslin cotton. They are very expensive even today. From the western coast of India its the Patola sarees which creates magic. In patola sarees there is another beautiful weave, the ikat. There is single ikat and double ikat. The sarees are based on special tie and dye technique. These sarees generally sport traditional parrot, elephant, diamonds and flower motifs. From eastern central Deccan comes Gadwal. These sarees have a cotton body with designed pure silk border. The silk border is tassar or mulberry. There is also a pure silk version of this saree, woven in bright contrasting colours. Then there is Kanchipuram. As the names suggests its based on the place where its woven. Sarees are rich cotton or heavy silk with traditional motif. Tassar comes from Central India. It is a coarse silk fabric that is made from wild or uncultivated silkworms and the silk state is raw. Fine fabric is used for sarees while the coarser version is used for other garment. It is a very durable fabric but tends to look coarse with wear. Then there is rich weaves from the Northern region. The Benarasi silk saree, its vibrant body colours and golden and silver silk thread border make these sarees very expensive and special occasion wear. When you think of sarees think of the different weaves, pick up what suits your body type best and drape yourself in this very traditional yet chic wear. A saree, as simple as it may be in worksmanship or artistry, never fails to emulate the elegance and grandeur of celebrating the feminine exurberance. Article Saree is traditional clothing for women in India. It is beautiful and ethnic. We have seen a lot of Bollywood actress draped in sarees during formal events. They look elegant in this attire. But Hollywood is not far behind where sarees are concerned.This fashion trend is fast spreading to Hollywood; many celebrities in Hollywood choose to wear saree for formal events. The Indian designers are creating patterns with indo western looks. They are also tailoring ready to wear sarees which is easier to manage. Elizabeth Hurley is one such celebrity who has been spotted in a saree in many occasions. She even wore a pink saree for her Indian wedding in Rajasthan. This isnot a big surprise considering she is married to an Indian businessman, Arun Nayar. Another international celebrity spotted in saree is Anna Kournikova when she attended an exhibition tennis tournament. There were several other tennis player also draped in sarees, but Anna Kournikova looked the prettiest. For another occasion she was spotted in a traditional Ghagra Choli. This was a for the photo call of Omega Watch Company.

Ashley Judd is a global ambassador for Youth AIDs. its a worldwide HIV/AIDS education and prevention effort. She wore saree at the Youth AIDS Benefit Gala on November 2007 at the Ritz Carlton in Mclean, Virginia. She was an epitome of elegance. Her milky white complexion against the bright pink Banarasi Silk saree looked stunning. The saree and its embroidery enhanced her beauty. The top American R&B quintet Pussy Cat Dolls teamed up with the top Bollywood designer RockyS and walked the red carpet to help raise money for Stand Up To Cancer, a program established by the Entertainment Industry Foundation to raise money for cancer research. The girls in black looked stunning. Article It is true, that the six yard unstitched fabric when draped elegantly makes a lady look sensual. Sarees are available in various weaves and textures, prints and colors, traditional designs and fashionable embroidery. They are also available in beautiful patterns but it of utmost importance to know how to choose a saree that will enhance your looks. How does one go about choosing her six yards of sensuality? We do know that saree is such a universal drape that it can suit every body type, but a little bit of thought and research while buying a saree can help you look gorgeous within seconds. Up your oomph quotient in a saree no matter what your vital stats are, here are few pointers that you can keep in mind when picking your sari Short women should pick up sarees that have thin borders and medium pallau or the throw of the saree. Wide, heavy borders tend to make women look shorter. Even when choosing a traditional saree look for thin border versions of the designs that you like. Heavier women should pick up sarees in fabrics that fall easily to create a contoured silhouette and have a flowing drape. Look for sarees in crepe, chiffon, Mysore silk, pure silk, silk blends etc. Avoid overwhelming large prints as they can make you look larger than you are. Check out saris in latest geometrical prints. They add a lot of visual appeal and create a slim silhouette. Thin women should look for cotton and cotton blend saris that create shapely contours. Pick up saris in Bengali style cotton, Gadwal cotton, organza, voile, and teri-rubia. Cotton chikankari, and embroidered saris also look good on thin women. All over embroidered sarees looks good on all kinds of body structure.

Article Indian cinema has seen a sea of changes over the time the leading ladies have experimented with their attires since time memorable. Sarees have seen many changes but its the blouses that get a new look every time. Gone are those days when high neck and long sleeves were in. Now Less is more is the trend and why not show off the perfect figure and flawless skin of todays leading ladies. The earliest evidence of an Indian blouse is Kachuli, an unstitched piece of cloth stretched across the bosom and knotted at the back. From that humble beginning emerged the backless choli of today. In the black white era women preferred wearingcotton sarees with balloon sleeve blouses. Then came cotton sarees and printed blouses. Bengali style sarees and printed cotton sarees were in vogue.

Then came the era of the soft, lacy, full sleeves blouses worn over cotton and Benarasi silk sarees. In the 1970s saree saw a change in its length. It became five yard and was called the panchwari sarees. In the five yard saree, the throw or the loose end of thesaree was small. In a film called Brahmachari, the leading lady Mumtaz draped her saree in a very different way, this became a style statement and even today designertake this as a reference point. In 1980s chiffon became the saree for films. These sarees enhanced the perfect figure of the heroines. The blouses worn with these plain transparent sarees were high neck halter and noodle strip. The Indian brides takes their tips for wedding sarees from the on screen divas.Silk, chiffon, georgette sarees beautified with intricate embroidery designs, differentpatterns, with amazing work of sequins, stones, beads, zari & zardozi, developed indifferent enchanting colour range, perfectly match different season and occasions.

Article The Indian Saree can boast of oldest existence in the world. There is mention of sarees in the Vedas which is a 3000 B.C. old literature. Worldwide fashion has seen many changes but the sarees existence has been as firm as a rock. It is the patterns which changes with times. This is because it is the main wear of rural India. About75% of the population wear versatile sari. We call this cloth versatile because it can be worn in many ways, as shorts, trousers, flowing gown or convenient skirt and all this without a single stitch. Saree is of varied length from 5 yards to 9.5 yards. It is tied loosely, folded andpleated, it can be made into working dress or party-wear. For day to day dressing and especially for middle class women, 5-6 yard sari is comfortable to manage household chores.Working class tucks the same length above the ankles and if they have to work inwater or fields, they tuck the front pleats between the legs to the back, and tie theupper portion round the waist. This way the hands and legs movements are easier. Wearing styles of a saree varies from region to region. Gujarat style and Bengali style are different. So are Mangalorean, Kannadiga, Kodava, Tamilian, Malayali, etc.In Maharashtra and North Karnataka, wearing a nine yard saree tucked in betweenthe legs like trousers was in vogue till the 20th century. Many think sarees are a Greek or Roman influence over India but this is factually not true! Though the Greek or Roman ancient statues have similar kind of flowing drape, sarees were in existence much before Alexander the Great invaded thesub continent. The Indian saree was a treat to Greek eyes and they carried this fashionable drape back with them. Article: Banarasi Sarees and Bengali Brides Bengali women are charming with beautiful large eyes and lustrous black hair.They have a very unique style of draping the sarees. This makes them look homely and traditional. Bengali wedding has a lot of rituals and all these rituals have strong meanings and values. The Bengali community by and large is a very artistic community and this shows in the wedding ceremony.

The wedding ceremony begins with the shakha-paula ceremony in which the bride generally wears the traditional white with red border Bengali style saree. She with her relatives go to the banks of the river and pray for a good peaceful wedded life like the calm flowing river Ganges. Here she is made to wear the white and red coral bangles. This is followed by the Haldi and oil ceremony. The bride is adorned in Bengali style cotton saree preferably in hues of yellow with red border. Tumeric and oil is smeared on the bride for her skin to glow and make her look more beautiful. This is followed by a bath. After the bath, Alta, a red liquid which is a must for Bengali brides is applied on her feet. After resting a while the bride starts dressing up for the big evening. Her forehead has a big red bindi with white floral pattern around it. Her hair is tied back in a bun and her head covered with a red veil. Red is the colour of Bengali weddings. The bridal Banarasi silk is generally red or maroon with gold zari. The traditional saree worn at other ceremonies are generally white with red or maroon border. The gold ornaments are huge and very attractive. Hands are full of gold bangles along withthe shakha and paula and an iron bangle (loha) which signifies that the marriage willbe strong like an iron. Today brides have a variety of sarees to choose from. There are silk sarees with kantha stitch, there are kanjivaran, patola,paithani etc. For the modern bengali brides even ready to wear, hassle-free banarasi silk sarees are tailored. Article It is said that an Indian brides wedding ensemble is incomplete until and unless she buys herself a benarasi saree. Because of the vibrant colour combinations, rich and intricate thread and zari designs, many brides prefer wearing a banarasi saree for her wedding ceremony. As heavy gold jewellery compliments a banarasi saree and it becomes a perfect attire for the bride on her big day. The Kith and kin of the bride and the groom adorn themselves in the best of banarasi silks, brocades, jamdanis, tanchois etc. Another very well known product in Benarasi saree is the silk Jamdani. Technically speaking,this is another variety of brocade. Jamdani is a traditional weave of Banaras. It is still considered to be one of the finest products to coming out of Banarasi looms. The silk fabric is brocaded with cotton and sometimes with zari threads. Jamdani is woven by transfixing the pattern thread between a number of warp threads in proportion to the size of the design. Then the shuttle is passed through the regular weft. By repeating this process, patterns take its form. The Jamdani weaver produces a wide arrange of intricate designs. Some of the traditional motifs of Jamdani are chameli or jasmine,panna hazaar of thousand emeralds, genda buti or marigold flower, leaf form, diagonally striped and so on. The most attractive design feature of the Jamdani sari is corner-motif having a floral paisley. Both Indian and western outfits can be designed from this fabrics. A well tailored, Jamdani salwaar/churidaar kameez will make a very formal Indian wear. Outfit in pastel hues can be worn during day time, while outfits made in bright bold colour can become evening wear. Similarly a cleverly designed western outfit like an evening gown can be worn as western formal.

Patola Sarees A lot has been written about patola sarees from Gujarat and still there are a lot many things to write about this original handicraft of the world.Every feature of patola weave is unique and every small detail isextremely important for completion of a beautiful Patola Saree. A unique feature of the Patola Saree is in its non-use of foot rule. The measurement is made through a tape with smallest measurement of1/100th of an inch. This is the kind of minuteness and precision the weavers follow. For preparing patola silk saree, the foremost requirement is making the design on a graph paper. After making the design, certain threads are accumulated and kept open. The rest of the ends are tied by cotton threads. These open threads are called Tana and Vana. The Tana and Vana then are tied. This is now dipped in different colours. This process helps only the open threads take up the colour. After completion of this process, the coloured threads are tied. Another colour is applied to open threads by immersing the threads in colour. Depending upon the number of colours, tying and colouring are done. Cotton threads are loosened after all required colours appear on both sides of Tana and Vana. The process of colouring the threads takes nearly 75 days. After colouring work is completed, weaving begins. Generally onlyone man works on the handloom, but for a Patola saree minimum two men are required. Weaving of patola is a slow process; two men can weave hardly 10 inch of cloth in one day. After weaving, adjustment and finishing work is done. In the vast state of Gujarat there are only two cities which weave Patola Sarees. They are Rajkot, which is famous for single ikat and Patan which is well known for double ikat. Worlds original handy craft, the Patola saree, was developed much before invention of machinesand to develop this craft the wisdom and strength the craftsmen were involved. This is why Patans Patola is a precious heritage worth preserving. Patola sarees ,colour and design patterns are evolved on each thread. Different colour and pattern are matched exactly on horizontal and vertical threads in weaving. This is the secret of Patola. A design evolved through colouring cross threads is known as Double Ikat. Double Ikat Patola sarees has found its place on the top in the world chart of fabrics because a Patola saree measures 5.5 metres long and 4.0 feet wide. Apart from Patan in Gujarat in India, Bali islands and Japan are other two places where Patola double ikat weave is done, but it is not made on such a huge size. That is why, people from all over the world visit Patan and appreciates this unique craft. The design patterns are developed manually on both sides of the hand loom cloth. No machine can develop this kind of pattern and weave. This is the reason why Textile industry cannot take up this work. Studentsfrom textile industry of Japan and U.S.A. visit Patan in December every year to find out whether this craft can be taken up on machines. They have not been successful so far. For weaving one saree, 25 days are consumed. Total time required for completing making one saree is about 3-4 months with help of 3 craftsmen. For preparing Patola saree, skilled labour, precision, calculation and patience are of utmost importance. A small error can ruin the complete colour code and design of the saree. Because of hard labour and unique skill involved in preparing patola, many craftmen have shifted to other business and today only 2-3 families are engaged in this craft.

Patan, a small place in Gujarat is well known for its Patola saree. These are handwoven sarees which are produced in the large quantity in Patan. Patola sarees are famous for its delicate, beautiful and clear pattern which is done with great accuracy and skill. As these sarees are made with handlooms, the time taken to complete a saree depends on the intricacy of the pattern. If the design of the saree is very heavy and the length, too long, then the skill and time taken to weave the saree becomes double. Even Surat is famous for producing patola saree. Patola sarees are beautiful formal sarees, worn during formal occasions. There are two kinds of patola saree ,single ikat and double ikatDouble ikkat patola sarees are made in Patan. The double ikat weave is a difficult weave to produce. The procedure involved in making double ikkat type of sarees is very complicated and time consuming. It requires great care and skill. In double ikkat type of sarees both side of the saree have the same design. One can wear it from any side. The colours used in these sarees are made from vegetable extracts. As natural dyes are used for these saree there is no fear of any allergies, the colour durability is very high and the colours of the sarees never become pale even with continuous wash. The difficult method of weaving and using of natural extracts increases the price of these sarees Thus owning these sarees has become a status symbol for the rich. The most difficult method of making patola sarees can be seen in Sadvi Wada. Initially mostly all the households in this area were weavers of this kind of sarees but now it is just one family producing such sarees for the elite. You can wear a patola saree on formal occasions or weddings to enhance your looks.

Baluchari Sarees: Bollywood to baluchari Bengal has been famous for its weaves since ancient times. Bengali style sarees and its silk weaving have been mentioned in the Arthashastra. The cultivation of mulberry silk and its weaving is done in the plains of West Bengal. The districts where silk yarn is made are Murshidabad, Birbhum, Bankura, Maldha and Purulia. The district of Maldah on the north bank of the Ganga is the most important centre for silk rearing in West Bengal. Baluchar silks has a long history, it was originally used by the Nawabs and Muslim aristocrats of the Murshidabad. The Hindu noblemen used the raw silk. Baluchar silk was woven into sarees. These sarees had very wide pallu with a panel of mango or paisley motifs at the centre. It was surrounded by smaller rectangles depicting different scenes. The sari borders were narrow with floral and foliage motifs. The fall of the sari was covered with small paisley and other floral designs. These sarees had bright colour schemes. Another familiar motif for the body of the saree was diagonal butis. Even today similar sarees with smaller pallus are being woven at Murshidabad and Varanasi to match contemporary tastes. The Balucahari saree design has a history. Bishnupur a small district in West Bengal is famous for its terracotta temples built by the Malla rulers the temples have motifs from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata on its walls. The local weavers weaved these themes in sarees pallus and boarders thus it gave birth to the baluchari saris. The unique feature of Baluchari sarees is the combination of

animal and bird motifs incorporated in floral and paisley decorations. Other motifs include hunters on horses and elephants, scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and scenes from the Nawabs court. The silk yarn used for Baluchari sarees are not twisted. This makes the texture soft and heavy . Earth colours are used which are permanent in nature and retain their freshness even after so many years.

Ready to wear sarees The nine yard saga of sarees have witnessed massive change inside out with the readily available sarees in the market.So its no wonder why girls who usually walk around in tops and jeans can flaunt sarees with the same ease. Not only that sarees have also undergone change in the draping techniques which have transformed the affair from a complex to a simple one. The festive season has entered its last phase and sarees are the only entity in the market which can make you the cynosure of everyones eyes. Women who have been avoiding sarees are noe much more inclined towards it as the ready made wear has put all end to the hassle of petticoat and blouse. Nida Mahmood who happens to be a saree designer has fabric for all reason and all season. There is silk sarees for parties and wedding wear, there is georgette and crepe for regular hangout sessions as well. Mahmoods diwali collection has been stellar with the introduction of digital print that has made saree the most celebrated wear of the season.Moving on the very same line is designer Anand Kabra who takes ready to wear sarees to one level higher. The sarees are customized and have zip fitted on to them which makes draping an easy process. Thse sarees can be wear in the very same way as one wears jeans or skirts. The idea of the designer is to make the garment an easy reach for all young girls who have been longing to go glam in a saree.

Worlds Longest Saree Suneet Varma the Indian style master has enlisted his name in the records book by creating worlds longest embroidered saree (55 meters). Undoubtedly, it was a gratifying moment for the designer who was extremely overwhelmed at the news. When asked about it, he told the media; The saree is my forte. I have always looked up to this five yard wonder as a canvas on which I can do interesting things. It has paid off with this worlds longest embroidered saree, which a labor of love and a tribute to its timeless allure. Sunnet Verma and his crew had been working on their grand project for over a span of ten weeks. From equins to embroidery, thread work over aari and also on zardozi, mirror work and 3d flowers make up the entire pattern of the saree and adds to the essence of his creation. Whats inspiring is that the designer had his elements of inspiration from the great epic of India Mahabharata. In his own words;I took inspiration from Draupadis chirharan episode in the Mahabharata. Therefore, the motifs and work on the saree are very Indian. So after he got his name in the Limca Book Of Records whats on his mind ? The designer is keen to come up with his own fashion archive. He has been imparting lessons on many fashion houses all

over the country and hence wishes to employ the same when he opens his fashion archive. He tells the media As teachers, we only know to impart knowledge, and as a student the key to success is to absorb as much knowledge as one can. Therefore, I want to create an archival resource where we have works of all the prominent designers from India.

Article: Banarasi Saree Banaras or now know as Varanasi is one of the ancient settlements according to the History of the India. Banaras finds mention even in as ancient as Rig Vedas, dated back to about 2000 year BC. The Indian Mythology too has a reference of Banarasi saree from Banaras in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The two banarasi silk fabrics then used was known Hiranya Vastra and Putamber Vastra. In the ancient time Banaras was famous for the weaving of cotton saree and dress materials, but slowly switched over to silk weaving during the Mughal period. Around 14th century weaving of brocades with intricate designs using gold & silver threads became the speciality of Banaras. Banaras is one of the rich weaving craft centres of India. It is famous for Brocade sarees and all over dress material. Banaras, well known for its Brocade refers to those textiles where, patterns are created in weaving by transfixing or thrusting the pattern-thread between the warp. In regular weaving the weft thread passes over and under the warp thread regularly. But when brocade designs in gold, silver silk or cotton threads are woven, special threads are transfixed in between by skipping the passage of the regular weft over a certain number of warp threads which depends upon the pattern. There may be several sets of heddles arranged so that on different occasions, they raise and depress irregular number of threads in turn, as required by the intricacy of the pattern. The other kind of brocade is the Zari-brocade. When gold and silver threads are use along with or without silk-threads, thrust either as special weft or warp to create glittering raise, we get the zari brocade fabrics. The threads used in weaving brocade or banarasi saree are silver threads; the gold threads are actually gold polish on silver threads. These threads are obtained by closely winding extremely fine gold or silver wire around a silk thread.

Pre stitch sarees Indian women have always remained fashionable in the traditional enthic wear sari. The popularity of Indian Saris has now even crossed the boundary of the country and has mesmerized hundreds of fashionistas worldwide. This sensual and yet modest wear has its unique appeal that even time has not waned. However, it is in this country now that sari is slowly losing its extensive appeal. There is no reason to think that this has anything to do with the loss of grandeur of attractiveness. Rather sari is high on glamour quotient. But it is due to the complex style of wearing this attire that is taking its toll on this popular dress. It takes much time to wear a sari properly. In todays busy world when

women are juggling home and office together, even though they would like to clad in an attractive sari, they hardly find time to wear it neatly. The sari designers and manufacturers have paid much consideration to this problem. They have smartly come up with new options to bring sari back as a regular day to day dress. The new option and much innovative one is the pre-stitched saris. This one comes with the ready-to-wear pattern where you dont have to start from the scratch to wear the sari and struggle with for hours together Now let us see how these pre-stitched saris are making waves of popularity among women of all ages. This new pattern in sari has targeted those fashionable women who would love to wear saris on all occasion provided they have time to wear it. These sari-loving women are flocking and cheering for the pre-stitched saris as it is catering to their desire and at the same time they dont have to compromise with time or other duties like family and office both. Women willing to appear traditionally fashionable are opting for these pre-stitched saris most. The good thing is, these saris are even available to be used as party wears. From traditional to party wear- this wide range is bringing more popularity and fame for this special saris. No doubt these are able to cater to a myriad of women who are willing to make sari their fashion statement. Another plus point of the pre-stitched saris, is that it can encompass every body type whether slim or plus-sized. There are a number of women who are not comfortable wit their body type and hence would like to avoid sari as they dont know how to wear it properly to offer them a stunning look. Pre-stitched saris have taken care of this problem effectively also and luring these women to clad in a gorgeous pre-stitched sari to look fabulous.