Beyond Fashion: The saree as culture, craft and woman's statement

As women across Asia continue to wrap themselves in the graceful drape of the saree, it is worth pausing to reflect on how this garment came to be, how it has evolved, and what it continues to mean in a world of shifting identity and culture.

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The saree is more than six or nine yards of cloth. It is a living thread of history, a symbol of continuity, a canvas for artistic expression and a quiet but powerful emblem of femininity, dignity, and heritage.

From the earliest strands of civilisation the concept of the saree begins. Scholars locate its origin in the draped garments of the Indus Valley Civilization, dated around 2800 to 1800 BCE, where terracotta figures and sculptures show women draped in unstitched cloth wrapped around the body. The word itself draws on Sanskrit and ancient linguistic roots: “sattika” in Prakrit, meaning a women’s garment, evolves into the Sanskrit “sati” (a strip of cloth) and eventually into the English-term “saree”. In the Vedic texts the dress is referred to in terms such as nivi, vasa, adhivasa, components of unstitched drapes worn by women, highlighting both the antiquity of the garment and its significance.

In its earliest form the saree was unstitched and untailored, a piece of cloth that could be wrapped and adjusted to the body, its simplicity and adaptability offering freedom and movement. As societies progressed, cloth production, weaving techniques, dyeing and regional textile traditions matured. The fabric of the saree moved from simple cotton to finer silks, as trade networks expanded and empires patronised textile crafts.

One finds in the garment’s evolution an echo of the cultural and political changes across South Asia. During the Maurya and Gupta periods the weaving arts became technically more refined; motifs inspired by nature and religion began to appear on fabrics. Later, in the medieval years and under Mughal influence the richness of fabrics, use of metallic threads (zari) and embellished borders became more widespread, marking status and ceremonial significance.

Innumerable regional forms