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Traditional Saree Draping Styles From Different Parts Of India

Traditional Saree Draping Styles!

Hello, to all the ladies out there! Today we are here with yet another article. Let’s discuss all things SAREE!

Ethnicity relies on saree. There is nothing better than showcasing your culture than this. In this constantly changing world of fashion trends, the only thing that has not lost its importance is a saree. A women cannot happen to look more elegant and chic than in a saree.

Who thought that this 9 yards long garment can tell so much about your roots??

In this article we are going to tell you about some of the unique saree draping styles in each part of India. The society has a wide spectrum of women all around. Since every person has their own personal style, there is a wide variety of different styles as well.

Before we dive into the different draping styles. Let us first go through a quick recap about how saree came into existence. Shall we??

The word saree comes from ‘sattika’, women’s attire as mentioned in the Jain and Buddhist texts. This attire originally comprised of 3 pieces, the lower garment known as Antariya, a veil worn a shoulder known as Uttariya and the bandeau known as Stanapattha. The saree draping technique falls back to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization during 2800-1800 BC. Cotton was first woven and cultivated in the Indian subcontinent around 5th millenium BC and silk was woven about 2400 BC and 2000 BC.

17 saree draping techniques in India

West Bengal

The state of Roshogolla and Durga puja. From Rabindranath Tagore to Queen Victoria, every culture could be found here. But what is most interesting is their saree draping during the festive season. Their traditional white saree with red borders is quite famous all around the world. Drape the saree over your petticoat as you normally would.Then make flat box pleates and yuck it on your waist. Then bring the saree from your left shoulder to the front and make pleats. Once you are done bring the border of the saree to the right side under your arm and pin it on your hip. Take the remaining part, the tip of the saree and bring it over your right shoulder. Traditionally a bunch of keys was also attached to the pallu as a matter of pride for the housewives. The pictures below will help you get some idea.

Andhra Pradesh

The nivi saree drape of Andhra Pradesh is the most commonly used draping style all over the world. The saree is rounded over your petticoat as you normally would. The pally is worn in even pleats and is brought over the left shoulder. The rest of the saree is gathered to form some more pleats and is tucked on your waist. Accessorised with some jewellery this style is very confident and regal.

Kappulu saree

This is another style of Andhra Pradesh. A little different from the previous one. Tale the start end of the saree and tie it in a knot around your waist in the middle. Then take that end and tuck it into your waist creating some folds. Take the left hanging part and drape it over the top of the previous part and tuck it at the back into your waist. Wrap it a full round to reach the centre then make some pleats and tuck it at the back. Take the remaining pallu and twist it and tuck it at the back. Then the pally is draped over the right shoulder for full coverage. You can also leave it hanging as shown in the pictures.

Assam

The Mekhela Sador of Assam is worn during their traditional festival Bihu. Not everyone knows how to wear this. We will tell you how!

Take the start end and drape it as you would wear a skirt pleat and tuck it in. Now take the tip of the saree and fold it twice, secure it with a pin.  Take the remaining part and form thin pleats. Wrap it a full round till your pleats reach your left shoulder. The length of the fall should be below your knee. Pin it to secure it. It should look like this in the picture.

Maharashtra

The traditional saree of Maharastra is known as Nauvari saree. This is worn during the Lavani folk dance. In this saree there is blouse but no petticoat. The saree is worn in a trouser style. Keep the pallu aside and drape the saree from your back to the front and tie a double knot. Start making pleats and bring it from under your legs like a trouser. Tuck it into your waist at the back. Now take the other end pleat it and tuck it over the knot. This will give you a pang like structure. Then take the pallu form some pleats and bring it to the left side of your shoulder. Accessorize it with a waist band and some jewellery.

Gujrat, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa

This style is worn in a form of lehnga. Drape the saree as you normally would. Keep the pallu aside. Form pleats on the rest of the saree and tuck it in under your navel. Bring the pallu over the right shoulder and make thin pleats. You can leave this as it is or you can spread the pleats and pin ut onto your left hip covering your chest. 

Chhattisgarh

The women of Chhattisgarh wear their saree in the form of surguja. This a tribal form of saree draping. Ethnic yet elegant this saree is worn slightly above your ankles. The saree is draped all around and the loose ends are tucked in the back and front. They have no pleats and the pallu is brought from under the right arm towards the left shoulder covering your chest and head.

Madurai

The name pinkosu generally means pleats at the back. This style can be worn without a petticoat. The pleats start right at the beginning. They are not tucked in but the saree is draped around it. Once it is draped tie a knot and when you get two ends pass one end around your waistband tuck it in. The other end is brought over the left shoulder wrap it around your waist and tuck it to the right side. Fan out the pleats for more elegance.

Karnataka

The bootheyara style if saree draping is another pant style draping. The saree is worn at the bottom half like a pant and since there are no pleats they tie a knot. The top half is wrapped around the bust aust area to cover it. This is a very nomadic style. Look at the picture to get an idea.

Karnataka

The name coorgi comes from a place in Karnataka called coorg. Being a tourist spot this style of saree draping is all recognised widely. Start draping the saree from the back and bring the pallu in front of your right shoulder. Make some pleats at the back and tuck it in at the back just opposite of your normal saree. Drape one more round to cover your chest. At last spread your pallu and pin it below your hips.

Parsi saree draping

This style if saree draping is mostly seen during the navroz festival in the parsi community. Wrap the saree in an anti- clockwise direction and tuck it towards your right. Take the pallu and bring it towards your right. The the other end and form a V shape below your knees. Make pleats with the remaining portion tuck it in. Spread the pallu and pin it onto your left side covering your bust.

Goa saree draping style

Goa has two types of saree draping styles- kunbi and dhangad. In the kunbi style one third of the saree’s inner corner is folded so that it reaches below the knees. Using the arms length the saree is folded into two pieces. One piece is brought anticlockwise to the right side and is knotted. The other piece is tucked in the waist. The pallu is draped over the chest and is tied with a knot over the right shoulder. The remaining piece is made into pleats and tucked in.

In the dhangad saree the inner corner of the saree is folded into two and is knotted anticlockwise to the right waist. The outer end is made into 6 pleats and tucked in the waist. Drape the outer end over the left shoulder. The centre pleat is brought from between the legs and is tucked at the back. The pallu is brought to the front and tucked to the left waist. The picture below depicts this style.

Tamil Nadu

The madisaru style of draping is one of the toughest one to drape. Start with the inner end of the saree and tuck it in the centre. Take the bottom end and bring it from between your legs and tuck it at the back. Bunch up the excess fabric of your left leg. Bring the rest of the fabric around you and tuck it in your waist. Make couple of pleats and tuck some at your right waist and some at the centre. Drape the saree over your chest to your left shoulder and pin it. Fold the pallu in half and tuck it to your left waist.

Complicated as this sounds, the lower portion looks like dhoti and the upper portion as a saree, like so in the picture.

Jharkhand

This is another traditional saree draping style. The natives of jharkhand wear this style. One of the easiest style to drape it is more like the bengali saree draping. Wear the saree like you normally would. Make some box pleats and tuck it in. Bring the pallu over your left shoulder in a shape of a triangle and tuck it in. Tuck the rest of the pallu infront of you over your pleats as shown in the picture.

This style depicts freedom as is the life of the santhali people of Jharkhand.

Kerela

Namboothri saree of Kerala is the oldest type of saree worn in India. It comprises of two parts the lower garment known as Mundum and the upper garment known as Neriyathum. Drape the saree as you normally would. Make some pleats and tuck it in. Now take the pallu drape it around your chest. Make 3-4 pleats and tuck it in. Secure it with a pin. This is the easiest style of saree draping as shown in the picture.

Rajrani style of Gujrat

This is similar to the gujarati saree draping style, but slightly different. Drape the saree as you normally would. Make some pleats at tuck it at the centre if your waist. Take the pallu and bring it over your right shoulder. Make some pleats and pin it. Take the end of the saree and bring it over to your left shoulder. Leave some fabric flowing as shown in the picture and pin it.

Dhoti style saree draping

This style is a take of modernity on the traditional styles of saree draping. This style was flaunted by Shilpa Shetty and Sonam Kapoor quite recently. Drape the saree around your waist and leave some inches of the pallu end. Overlap both the ends and secure it with a pin. Make some pleats on your pallu and bring it over to your right shoulder and pin it to your blouse. Now take the lower part of the pallu and drape it around your waist bringing it to the front. Secure it with a pin. Now take the leftover part, make some pleats and drape it like a dhoti. Now take the last leftover part, pleat it and tuck it at the centre. Secure the front drape with pleats and cover your hip. Try this out to achieve the exact look as the picture.

Hope you like this article. Try out these draping styles and own your tradition. For more fun stuff keep tuning in to Fashionshala.

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