Saree Draping Styles of Karnataka

Sarees have always been draped in a myriad ways in India – long, short, dhoti style and even like a ballroom gown. There are more than 60 to 80 regional drapes from about 15 states. In Karnataka alone which is known to be the fulcrum of silk and hence one of the largest producers of silk sarees, there are more than 9 to 10 varieties of documented drapes showcasing the versatility of the garment and the resourcefulness of the user to adapt it to changing needs.  

An incredibly powerful garment, saree has thrived through adaptation from the very beginning. However, it stopped evolving in the last 100 years with the entry of blouse and petticoat in the scene. In all most all states and regions, the local draping styles have vanished and everybody has embraced the urban style of saree draping popularly known as the Nivi style.

The good news is that saree is on a revival mode and is being reinvented for those who want to make a personal statement. Thanks to recent researchers who are keen on digging out the vast repository of draping styles in the past and have recorded more than 80 regional drapes already. Today we bring you some myriad regional styles of Karnataka in which silk sarees are worn:

IyengariKachhe Drape: The drape inspired from the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, IyengariKachhe Drape is a nine-yard drape that when worn well not only looks elegant but also gives optimum comfort to the wearer.

Mysore Shaili Drape: A style worn in Mysore and nearby regions, in this style, the pleats in the front are not tucked unlike the Nivi style, instead they are rolled outwards.

Bhootheyara Drape: Worn by nomadic ceremonial performers in and around Bidar and Kalaburagi, this drape is rather unique where one-half of the sari is turned into an elegant trouser with the other half covering the torso!

Coorgi Drape: Coorgi drape is the most famous drape style from Karnataka. Also known as Kodagu, the kovada women have the front palluneatly tucked over the shoulder and pleats are pushed backwards to get an elegant silhouette. This style of drape was mainly adapted by the women of coorg to be able to easily traverse the hilly slopes of Kodagu.

YakshaganaKase Drape: Part of Karnataka’s draping tradition, YakshaganaKasestyle of draping was in olden days worn by men.

HalakiVokkaliga Drape: This nine-yard drape from Karnataka’s indigenous tribe has pleats spread across the body like a skirt. The top portion of the saree is tied as in the Coorgi style.

In all these regional draping styles of Karnataka, one thing that comes out bold and clear is that the accent of the drape is on comfort. While getting rid of the cumbersome blouses and petticoats, they in no way look outrageous and vulgar but look dignified and graceful.

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Sarees and Sports – Embracing Fitness in Ethnic Way

For all those who thought Sari and sports don’t go together, a run organized by Jayanagar Jaguar, a runners group in Bangalore saw a group of saree clad women take the path less trodden and run in sarees, breaking free all shackles and stereotype.

At 5.45am on a Saturday morning, shaking off the weekend languor, a sundry crowd of more than 212 running enthusiasts gathered at Shalini Gardens in Jayanagar, Bangalore among them were women clad in sarees, ready to put their best foot forward.

The run which was aimed at encouraging women of all ages and from all walks break free and embrace fitness saw enthusiasts from 7 years to 80 year old participate in the event. As these women enthusiastically took to the road in sarees and sneakers, onlookers gaped them in awe and others were inspired to join them.

The wide spectrum of women donning sarees saw Parinita Krishna aged merely 7 who was accompanied by her mother and on the other end of the spectrum was Jayamma, an 80-year-old woman who was the oldest of the lot. There was also 10 year old Sia Ashok who was elated to have worn a sari!

According to Anjana Mohan, an architect and a passionate runner, “those who run in tights are as much of runners as those in sarees. Attire like saree may shorten the stride but increases cadence.

The objective of the event was to get every woman irrespective of size and shape to run without having to get conscious of her figure and stats and the attire that she may have to don to take on running and keep fit. And the many smiling faces that did just that proved that the objective was more than met!

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Upahaar – A Private Exhibition of Handloom Sarees in Bangalore

June 10^th& 11^th2017 marked a new beginning in the history of Handlooms as Shatika in association with House of Parama, opened up new avenues of reaching out to handloom lovers and creating awareness and interest in this unique art via a private exhibition called ‘UPAHAAR’ exhibiting and woven nuggets from various weavers’ heartlands to the residents of a swanky upmarket community in Bangalore.The event was not just any private exhibition with handloom sarees put up on sale, it was an enriching takeaway for guests who paid a visit to the exhibition as they learnt about the various weaves, the different textures in handlooms, the region they come from, the heartrending stories of the weavers, the effort put in by them and what not.

The event saw over 100 guests visiting in the span of two days. As the exhibition was open to the residents from 10:30am until 9:00pm on both the days, there was a continuous stream of curious visitors thronging to check out the handloom sarees collection. The guests spent hours checking out the collection, understanding the weave and experiencing the touch and feel of each fabric and ofcourse adoring themselves in their selected drapes as the saree experts draped it around them. Many of them who visited day one couldn’t resist a revisit on day two and this time with their friends and neighbors!

Wishing and greeting her neighbors and showing what she thought would interest them was Mrs. Nandini Lakshminarayanan, the CEO of House of Parama who hosted the exhibition in her private villa. Her passion for hand touched products and the common interest to promote weaves and upholding the weaving community tempted her into joining hands with Shatika, a well-known entity in this space. Offering eats and warmth to one and all, she played a perfect host.

With over 1000 handpicked sarees on display, the exhibition saw an eclectic mix of weaves, all end to end handlooms like linens, Mangalagiris, Maheshwaris, Benarasi Brocades, Kataan and Organza, Kanjeevarams, Chanderis, Paithanis, Salem, Arni, Uppada, Pochampalli, Kota Dorias and many more from the remotest locations. The sheer variety, different textures, prominent designs and fascinating stories of their making saw one and all in awe with them and left them all asking for more of such events in the near future.

Latest Trends in Silk Sarees

For the working women, the year 2017 has especially been the year of crisp fashion with silk sarees that are trendy yet traditional, making it to their list of formal work life attires. While sarees always look classic at workplace, we are crystal gazing and making updates about the latest work wear trends in sarees so you can benefit from our forecasts in the second half of 2017!

The top five weaves that are trending in the boardrooms and will continue to be seen in the rest of 2017 are:

Plain Silk Sarees:

Flowy floral digital prints and other modern designs are a passé this year. Plain handloom silk sarees in solid colors with minimalistic elegance are an ideal choice at workplace. Right from soft silks to textured tussars, plain is the key to make a statement and mean business.

Kalamkari Silk Sarees:

Kalamkari prints with all their bold designs and colors have a certain elegance and suaveness to them that makes them a hot favorite among working women class. Women at professions from teachers to doctors, to IT- sectors and entrepreneurs, all prefer this style of work at workplace.

Ikat sarees:

Ikat sarees in cotton and silk with their modern designs and colors are bold and beautiful and ooze out confidence, just the thing required for a working lady at her workplace. Because of their modern aesthetic appeal, these ikat sarees are certainly a great work wear option.

Silk Cotton Sarees:

Another range of sarees that are a trend since ages at workplace are the silk cotton sarees. Termed as a 'Comfort Work Attire', the part about these sarees is their diversity and their affordable price ranges. They are certainly a must-have for women who prefer ethnic work-wear.

Khadi silk and Linen silk sarees:

Khadi silk and Linen silk sarees have an aura around them. Naturally lustrous and extremely comfortable, these versatile sarees are extremely friendly on one’s skin and pockets and weigh heavy on smartness and thus hit bang on, on an ethnic work-wear lover’s list.

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