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According to Indian folklore, the sari, the traditional garment for Indian women, was invented 5,000 years ago by a daydreaming weaver. While weaving, he dreamed of the shimmer of women's tears, the drape of their tumbling hair, the softness of their touch and the colors of their different moods. He wove all of these elements together into a 6-yard piece of cloth.
"Saris are Indian women's statement to the world," says Hema Kundargi, producer and host of Indian Vegetarian Gourmet, a cooking show that is aired through the Cupertino Public Access Channel to 10 Bay Area cities. "They cover all, yet reveal all."
Kundargi, who always wears a sari on the show, decided to stage a sari fashion show two years ago at the Cupertino Public Library after receiving letters from the audience asking about her sari. The event attracted about 75 people.
In response to public interest, Kundargi and 20 of her friends will hold another sari show on Oct. 26 at the library to introduce the quintessential Indian garment to the general public.
A sari is more than just a 6-yard-long garment without stitches.
According to The Sari, by Linda Lynton, saris come in a variety of forms. The nature of the occasion and the region an Indian woman comes from dictate the style and fabric. Saris can be made of textured, hand-woven fabrics, which are more common in remote mountain areas, to heavy silks, which were once exclusively worn by royalty.
A woman's ethnicity and class also affect her choice of fabrics, color and patterns. For example, a widow would wear white, the color of mourning, in northern India, while young, married women usually wear bright colors, such as red and yellow, to symbolize the joy of marriage.
A sari is typically worn over a tight-fitting blouse, called a choli, and a petticoat. The sleeve length and necklines of cholis vary and are often influenced by whatever styles the movie stars favor at any given time.
How to wear a sari? The plain end of a sari should be tucked into the petticoat for a complete turn from right to left. Then about seven to 10 pleats, each about five inches wide, are made and tucked into the waistband, slightly to the left of a woman's navel. The loose end of the fabric, which is known as the pallu, is usually thrown over the left shoulder so it falls to about the level of the knee.
"The pleats are the most important parts of a sari," Kundargi says. "They must hang long to the ground. Otherwise it's very unladylike."
The drapes of the pallu also differ from region to region. In Gujarati, the pallu is draped in front rather than over the shoulder. In Coorg, the pleats are in the rear and only a small portion of the pallu comes over the shoulder.
However different the saris may be, sari lovers stress that saris are unique because one size fits all—and flatters all.
"Saris are figure-friendly," says Kavita Gupta, a chemistry teacher at Monta Vista High School, who will model a sari at the show. "No matter if you are fat or thin, you will look great in a sari because it complements your body."
Gupta says she will teach her
daughter how to wear saris when she is tall enough because she wants her to appreciate her Indian heritage.
Most Indian women like to wear a sari for its simplicity and comfort.
"The sari has been in fashion for 5,000 years," Kundargi says. "It has a good chance to stay in fashion for another 5,000 years."
The sari fashion show will be held at the Cupertino Public Library on Oct. 26 between 3:30 and 5 p.m. For more information, call the Cupertino Public Library at 408.446.1677 or visit Hema Kundargi's website at www.massala.com.
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Photograph by Carrie Jensen