Saris are a symbol for the nation

Months before I found out my teaching assignment this summer would be in India, I heard a story on NPR called: “Love Is Saying 'Sari': The Quest to Save a South Asian Tradition.”  I used it for a lesson in my business class on textiles around the world.  Please take a listen to the story and you will discover why many students into fashion were intrigued. 

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/10/27/358366979/love-is-saying-sari-the-quest-to-save-a-south-asian-tradition

Traveling around India I saw the graceful, colorful saris we studied.  What I did not expect was the ease of having one made.   The hardest part is selecting the fabric from all the gorgeous choices in silk, cotton, embroidering, sequins, stones…Next, you simply have the sari sewn by a tailor to your exact measurements, for the fraction of the cost of off the rack dresses in the United States, and it is ready in a few days.   In India there are saris for all occasions, from weddings to work.  In the classroom there is no jean or t-shirt day as you may see in America.

Saris are a symbol for the nation.  Indira from The Teacher Foundation explained you treasure most the saris you are given from a friend or relative.  She also recommends to take the best care of a sari you roll the fabric so it does not crease, placed in a drawer or on a shelf you have your own Indian color wheel of designs and textures.

  

There are sari shops in many places, from markets to mass retailers to the India International Silk Fair, which hosts sourcing events around the world, including this month in New York at TEXWORLD USA.

As I wondered about how the hand weaving tradition can be sustained, I stumbled across Rehwa from Maheshwar in Central India. This NPO is revitalizing the weaving industry. They provide housing, healthcare and education to weaver’s families, and their textiles are exquisite. You can find their products at retailers, shows, and on online.