I love wearing saris. Trouble is, the more unique a sari is, the more memorable it will be. If you wore this to a wedding in May, people will still remember it in June. For those of us who are 3,ooo miles from home and Mama’s saris, that doesn’t leave us with many options, especially if shopping at ISP in Murrland isn’t a palatable idea.
Since I haven’t been back to the pind since 1989 (insert cringe here), and I feel like I’m getting massively ripped off if I buy something on Devon or University Avenue, that only leaves me with one way to get my pleats on; every year, some relative returns from Kerala with a few gifts which my much-adored Chinamma chose for me. She knows that I favor Kanjeevaram…and that her older sister, my Moms, is very conservative. [See: my blouse sleeves, for proof.] Chinamma always sends me something beautiful, and because of her, I haven’t needed to purchase something silky or slinky online. And that, dear mutineers, is why I didn’t see this (click, to enlarge…if you dare):
Meanwhile, I clicked that link (like you wouldn’t) and saw this:
Oddly enough, the Kanchipuram saris didn’t resemble what I thought they would; they looked more like the “fashionable”, lightweight, embroidered/bedazzled saris. I almost started to worry, but then I relaxed when I realized that the “special link” was how I could procure opulent, heavy silk! I must ask my Tamizzhhlan friends how to pronounce this phrase properly…wouldn’t want to botch it with my ABD accent and all.
Looks like someone hacked into the site. I think they’ve corrected it because I couldnt link through.
I think it got hacked too. I found the saris listed above now listed under Kanchipuram.
2 ΓΒ· Ennis said
Oh, yay. I guessed right. π
It’s back to normal…they must’ve turned on their “live” help-line at some point after 1:30 am, when I wrote this. I’ll let Happy NoNo Place know it’s safe to go back…
Anna: As you know I got back from India last month. It is no secret that I like to see Indian ( sorry South Asian)women in Sari. The latest I read few days ago is that most popular Sari these days in India is what they call “MOONGA SARI”. I guess it’s a name of some village in Assaam. Kanchipuram and Banarasi silk are “Passe”. For further details consult my Boss at home (who goes wild buying this stuff – when in India). Sometimes I wonder when is she gonna wear all the saris she keeps buying !!
Here’s how
http://www.ehow.com/how_5127_wear-sari.html
[Ed. note: original title was “But how does one tie it?”]
Does it come in both 6 yard and 9 yard lengths?
π
6 ΓΒ· Rahul said
HA! I was wondering when the pun would begin. π
. . .
As for YoDad:
I think that’s one of the greatest things about you. π
THANK YOU! I just got an email from someone who said that I was an idiot for saying Kanchipuram is old/out-of-fashion! I told them that I am often an idiot, but not about this!
YoDad, how lucky are you, that your boss is so beautiful look at, attired in your beloved saris? π Besides, she needs plenty of them– Abhi strikes me as the impulsive type. Can’t rush off to India to shop for a wedding, when you’ve got a kid like that. π
It’s a shame…some of the saris aren’t half-bad. And they’re actually a bit more reasonably priced compared to other online sari websites. I just wouldn’t trust giving my CC digits to some random site that can be so easily hacked. Not to mention my parents would have connipition fits if I bought a sari online, rather than getting my saris from my aunt’s cousin’s nephew’s sister-in-law that just got back from Ernakulam.
I like the Congressional Black Caucus, but n* cock, that’s just taking it too far.
Oh, my, hacks who can spell – how refreshing!
And this is why we shouldn’t read our junk mail – the phrases tend to hang around loose in memory, and raise their ugly heads when least wanted.
i agree with that. i was thinking this is going to be a warm reminiscence… it ended up as quite a rude shock since the defences were down. at least with junk mail, one doesnt voluntarily wade into the muck.
That is so cute when you act all prude femme.
I wouldn’t trust this website either. I usually have to stick to getting ripped off by the folks on University Avenue to get my saris. Luckily, I don’t have that many functions to go to, so a couple of saris are enough for me, I think it’s been about a year since I wore one. Love the pictures of you and your Mom, Anna!
I wish that we updated our fashion, and that Indians rely less on Middle-Eastern influences (i.e. the salwar kameez is purely Persian, and Iranians don’t even wear them). I once saw a fashion show back in ’03, and it showed low cut saris exposing the girls g-string. This exposure of the top one inch of the buttocks/kundi was a trend for some reason in the USA, and I have no clue why, and Indian fashionistas tried to adapt this to Indian clothes. I thought that this was tacky.
re: boston_mahesh
the slutty saris are exactly why i prefer girls to stick to the salwaar kameezes or lenga/choli so they don’t sully the name of saris. saris with tube top blouses are super tacky! of course, women who can’t maintain the sari neatly have no business wearing them either (practice at home, girls!). being bengali, i’m all about the saris but i wish people would see that they don’t have to be worn without a blouse to be sexy… if you can wear the sari well, it will look hot even if you’re an old auntie π that being said, i still won’t wear my mom’s granny blouses either π
I LOVE wearing saris too…just so beautiful…last year for my org’s annual dinner, I must have spent months searching for the right chiffon sari, but everything was way above my budget so I borrowed a beautiful black one from my friend…I could spend a lot of money (if I had a lot) on saris.
17 ΓΒ· iluveggs said
Your mom must be very liberal. π As for my mom’s blouses…don’t be talkin’ bout my Mama! Speaking of…
Spycandy said:
Ever since I moved to the East Coast, it’s been wedding-palooza; most of my family is here and I’m actually close enough to NY/Philly to attend functions. Before that, like you, a couple were more than enough for me. π And thank you, that’s one of my favorite pictures of us. Moms was chillin’ in North Beach, drinking Illy, wearing a SET SAREE/Onam outfit! I love it. π
the slutty saris are exactly why i prefer girls to stick to the salwaar kameezes or lenga/choli so they don’t sully the name of saris. saris with tube top blouses are super tacky! of course, women who can’t maintain the sari neatly have no business wearing them either (practice at home, girls!). being bengali, i’m all about the saris but i wish people would see that they don’t have to be worn without a blouse to be sexy… if you can wear the sari well, it will look hot even if you’re an old auntie π that being said, i still won’t wear my mom’s granny blouses either π
wow, I really disagree. I’ve seen the most elegant looking saris with tube tops…but I agree with you on the granny blouses.
Um… I was going for some dry humor, but it was so dry that it evaporated.
21 ΓΒ· pingpong said
no worries bud. i am in a very arid place myself these days.
p.s. lunghionline.com is available in case we have an entrepreneur type here. if there is a call for mustachioed full bellied desi models – I’m the man to call. Special pricing for wielding props like a gandaasa or a lathi.
I don’t know about all of you but I really love getting dressed up in my best chiffon just so I can lay — tragically — on the stairs.
What a bizarre statement.
Salwaar Kameez is practical, stylish and elegant. It can be just something you wear to work in, go to sleep in, or can be cut modern and very sexy with a plunging neckline, or whatever you’re into. It’s traditional and modern, rural and urban. And since when is it ‘purely Persian’? It’s been the normal dress of north west India since anyone can trace back. What a bizarre form of cultural purity you aspire to.
Funny how it’s only women’s dresses that are appointed to be thermostats of Indian cultural purity. If any man offers advice on what women should wear, especially those decrying that they are ‘purely’ from outside the boundaries of what is defined as ‘Indian’, I suggest those men stop wearing trousers and shirts which are purely ‘western’ and walk around in a dhoti all day.
http://www.tulsisilks.com/
Anna: I love Kancheevarams. Please drool through this site! I have been to their store once and cried that I could not afford all their sarees!
Why was my comment deleted?
This is where my mom bought my wedding saris. She went to the physical store, found her selections online, sent the links to me, waited for my approval and then purchased them. It was my mom who forbade me from wearing ombodhu gajam (9 yards) at my wedding because she didn’t want me to look like a patti-ma, but did she shorten the blouses’ sleeve or midriff length? No. “You’re getting married, not showing off your skin.” But, but … oh well.
No matter what anyone says, Kanchipuram saris are the most elegant, albeit heavy. I feel so wonderful in one! However, these days, the ladies are into the lighter saris with “work” on them so that’s what mom’s getting me from India this time. Can’t wait to see what she’s picked.
my favorite sari store in india is deepam in bangalore.. i usually only have 2 hrs of shopping time during my trips, but i find solid saris here.. bhatura and cheeky monkey went this past summer and loved it as well… as for stores in the usa? the best by far is mirage saris in atlanta, and the auntie won’t fck up your blouses and will actually tailor them to fit.. (what a concept.. even the damn tailors in india can fck up blouses of pricey sari’s and make me want to cry..)
Maybe I’m old fashioned but I’m quite partial to Nalli’s in Madras. Perhaps that’s because it is where my mother and grandmother have shopped all their lives. You can’t beat the smell of the silk and the sari guys who unfold and fold hundreds and hundreds of saris for you in minutes.
nalli’s is FANTASIC.. i usually fly straight into bangalore and don’t go elsewhere.. hence i’m restricted to deepam (which is awesome as well) but i loved nalli’s when i went a year ago…
I used to go shopping to Nalli’s or Kumaran’s in Panagal Park with my mom. Now the parents have retired to another town and thus stopped my excursions to Madras. But YahOOOOOOOOOO! This summer I am going to Madras for a wedding. I am sooooo collecting my $$$$$ for a great shopping expedition π
That might be true, but in terms of looks, chiffon can give silk a run for its money.
Maitri- Thanks for the tip. Headed to Madras next week so I’m going to check out Pothy’s for a change π
Mate, I do. Desi men have not realized the wonders of a dhoti / veshti / lungi. I wear a lungi at home and sometimes go to my supermarket in a white polyster dhoti – it is head turning. Nothing beats a dhoti in summer. Any self-respecting politician in Kerala wears a ‘mundu’. As for sarees – tis the ultimate dress for a desi woman. Fondly remember Kumarans in Madras as it was the first place I took my Mum after my first pay packet. For once, I let her splurge.
Anna – the saree is far more elegant on you than a mini-skirt.
why? seems an inordinately long. hopefully not coz of financial constraints.
Color me clueless, but what’s a good way to keep track of what’s in style and what’s not?
bollywood movies.
seemati in kochi has quite the buzz for bridal trousseaus and custom woven sarees
The comment thread was scarier than the video. Ouch.
oh those poor poor people at sarees online, look what’s happened now
The latest I read few days ago is that most popular Sari these days in India is what they call “MOONGA SARI”. I guess it’s a name of some village in Assaam.
YoDad – moonga/muga is the generic term for an Assamese raw silk sari, I believe – I’ll vet that with my mom. She’ll be delighted to know that the mugas she’s been collecting over the years are back in style!
Tegardless of what fashion comes or goes, I love the regional silks. Whether they’re simple prints from the south, or kanjeevarams, or benarasis, or mugas…love ’em all. And chiffons too. Not as a big a fan of the overpriced synthetic spangly stuff that I find in Hillcroft. π Now if I could just find a source for some silks from western India…any ideas, folks?
Oh, and ladies? Let’s not forget about The Sari Project – strut your stuff!
Margin: I finally gave up all pretense of pride and begged my Marathi dentist/friend to buy me a Paitani. I have never seen one so beautiful! I told her I wanted an old traditional color. I got a blue with red border with peacocks on the palloo. I still have not found an occasion to wear the saree!! This visit I shall buy some pearls since the Maharashtrians wear pearls for all their functions :-). Without daughters, I need credible reasons to justify expensive purchases, to MYSELF!!!!!!
Thanks Anna for kind words. Margin fades and Mytri: I wish my life partner had time to help you out. Just by tagging along with her (and of course – to provide the dough)I have learnt few things about Sari. Save all your money and go for “Paatan Patola”. We visited Paatan, a mere two hors drive from Ahmeabad (Gujarat) some years ago. There is only one family left who makes genuine Patola. They make it after you order – costs around 1 to 1.5 lakh rupees (~ $3000 to $4000). Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi when she was alive – visited this dude to buy one. Come to Ahmedabad next winter and we can show you places where you can easily spend all your AMREEKEN DOLLARS – and buy gorgeous Sari.
Gold works too but pearls would be even better. If you are in Bombay go to Paranjpe motiwale. (pearls==moti in marathi) they have some ready made stuff and could also make one from a design that you have.
Also in Bombay check out the World Trade Center at Cuff Parade, they have many regional state government emporiums under one roof, and have good sales around Diwali, so you (or someone who can shop for you) can buy Paithanis, Patolas, Kanjeevarams and almost anything else you can think of. Also check out Khadi Gramudyog’s main emporium in Colaba, great cottons and silks. Also great for sarees is Kala Niketan, I think they have a couple of stores in Bombay, I know for sure there is one on Queens road (M K Road now)near Marine Lines. I don’t know if you are from Bombay, if you are, probably already know most of this stuff anyway.
Mytri: If you are from Bombay then you already know this info
Sorry for repeating the last line twice. Note to self: proof read before posting.
Thanks Yogi! You will never know how special your name is to me! π But unfortunately I am in Bombay from 11pm – 3am waiting for the NWA/Jet flight to take me to Bangalore π
Dad! Thanks for the update. I went online and am in luuuuuuuuuurve with patolas now. You are from Maryland? Hey, if I get to gawk at Yo Mom’s sarees, you are just a 3 hour drive away π And our Spring Break is just coming up. http://www.patanpatola.com/inside.html I am still drooling over the sarees they are displaying. Also, I had NO idea that ikat spanned from Andhra/Orissa to Gujarat. Do you know that when I worked in the Smithsonian, one of the curators was working with Ikat patterns from Bali, no less.
ashavalli saris from gujarat are also beautiful woven silk saris. if you prefer something a little more lightweight, bandhinis from gujarat and rajasthan, and now gota (a year before, but also now since jodha akbar) saris are really pretty (gota is the silver/gold ribbon border). also lehriya (striped) SARIS, GENERALLY ON GEORGETTE, from rajasthan.
I maintain sareedreams.com, a blog about saree designs and designers and I don’t know how missed this one! :-). Thank god, your friend clicked on the link and not on the “Live Help” icon!
The latest fashion these days among saree designers is to call their saree collection something innovative & strange, doesn’t matter if the collection has anything to do with the term or not. Like the one I saw today from Viraji Bajaj called “Desi Funk” and it was neither desi nor funky!
Re. Moonga Saree, I can tell you with some confidence that Moonga is a type of silk. Trust me, you do not want to know how silk is produced but suffice it to say that it is a silk with characteristic fiber properties.
It is produced in Assam and in MP and in Rajasthan. At times, Assam Moonga silk sarees would be taken to Rajastan for embroidery.
MD @ #35, LOL. Polyester, mmmmm…classy! Reminds me of the stunningly beautiful Pakistani lady who lived next door to us in Tasmania in the 80s – and insisted on wearing huge, baggy salwars to the corner store. This was quite an event in suburban Hobart at the time, I can tell you.
Love this post and keeping a weather eye open for more tips on the best places to buy s saris in India. Any tips for Bangalore? π
Anna, that kanjeevaram is stunning !