My six yards story started some 3 years back when I got admission in a B school in Pune. My college brochure mentioned that there would be an induction for 7 days whereby we have to wear Saree, the six yards cloth. What more, we have uniform as saree (though you don’t have to wear it every day).So, my mom started giving me lessons on how to drape a saree (which I as usual keep on avoiding till the day I have to leave for Pune). I stayed up at my aunt’s place during induction and really, I am proud of my decision as my other roommates have to get up at some 5 in the morning so that they have one full hour to drape that six yard cloth(as we had induction starting from early morning 7). Thankfully for me my aunt would drape it in few minutes and I could catch some last minutes sleep ;). After I shifted with my friends, it really becomes troublesome for me to drape it myself. Thanks to all my roomies, they would help me in this cumbersome task but still our draping time didn’t reduce from 1 hr.(Thanks to my college which have a “ special way “ of draping saree which was no different than air hostesses. Full pleated, perfectly pallued and too much pinned).The worst part was walking in a saree. Guys would think that we are walking in full poise and elegance when the reality was that we would feel like an Egyptian mummy fully draped, toiling hard to move. The day we used to wear saree, we used to swear that after finishing college we won’t ever touch this six yard cloth. In the meantime I also learned to wear saree( thanks again to my college , we all roomies shifted to different sections with different class timings and I couldn’t ask my maid to help me in draping it every day). Then Came the summer internship time, whereby companies will visit everyday meaning that you have to wear it every day. Our draping time reduced drastically to half (since we have to wear it every day , I think we become accustomed to drape it) and we become more skillful in wearing and managing it(yeah, finally we were able to walk with poise and elegance in it, though by now guys stopped finding it elegant) . Then came placement time whereby we used to almost eat sleep and wake up in that , draping time of course reduced to 10 mins and we used to joke that if someone will ask us to take part in relay wearing this we will surly win.
The saree survived for complete two years with us and by the time we finished college we were so accustomed to it that we really miss not wearing it now. After placements when I went home, I helped my mom in draping her saree once. My mother was both surprised and happy that I can actually drape it so nicely. That six yard of Navy blue silk with copper border has actually taught me so many things apart from draping. I have actually become acquainted to so many cultures through it. You can easily recognize a Maharastrian, Guajarati, Bengali, Keralite, Tamilian and Coorgi simply by looking at the saree. This garment is the most adaptable one. It is suitable for any occasion and the best part is it never goes out of fashion. So, better to include at least one in your wardrobe and take my words, you will never regret it.
Surviving 2024
6 months ago
Kwel intresting Story dear and yupeeeeeeeeee nw ur a saree expert....by d way hw many pleats r der in a normal saree....
ReplyDeletehey, nice blog!!
ReplyDeletedraping a saree right way is a big task and now that you have perfected it, i am sure you will bring appreciating looks whenever you wear one..:))
you just won an award..take it from my place..:))
ReplyDelete