My Saree Stories: Part 9 (Navratri Special)
The ninth edition of my saree stories celebrates the nine colours of Navratri. These stories have been written one day at a time for Navratri on another forum and this is a compilation. Navratri celebrates the victory…
My Saree Stories: Part 8
It is festival time in India, and every week you have one celebration after the other. This is a good time for sarees to be aired. And no one minds if you choose to wear something over…
Sujani: Embroidery from Bihar
One of the many diverse art forms that lie relatively undiscovered in Bihar is the Sujini or Sujani embroidery. The earliest known examples of Sujani embroidery date back to the mid 1920s. Women hand embroidered these masterpieces…
My Saree Stories: Part 7
Part seven of the series contains some trivia about saree motifs from Kanchipuram, some more trivia about the weaving of mulmul, and an invaluable lesson from my Dad when I went saree shopping. Saree #61: A Kanchi…
My Saree Stories: Part 6
The saree obsession now takes greater heights. I had bought this black saree last year in November from a stall outside a conference in Nagpur. I wore it but for the life of me couldn’t remember what…
My Saree Stories: Part 5
I’m back with more saree stories, this time with stories about typical Bihari traditions and some lesser known handlooms. Saree #41: A green leheriya from Rajasthan This was a very special moment for us in 2014. My…
Khenda: The saree quilt
The house has become quieter. The mourning rituals ended last evening. Most visitors have left. Even people of the house are beginning to travel. Work beckons. Subodh and one of my nieces together come to me. “Do…
My Saree Stories: Part 4
Welcome back to savour the next part of my saree stories. This time I have for you some funny stories from my Chennai visit, including some experiments with a new drape, and some ordinary days draped in…
My Saree Stories: Part 3
Summer has transitioned to the much awaited monsoons. Romance is in the air. A compilation of some more of my saree stories. Saree#21: A summery cotton saree with applique work My other sarees go into hibernation or…