The sarees of India, symbolic of tradition and culture, have historically been associated with caste identity, where materials used in draping them, coupled with the styles of wearing them, really spoke of the social and caste status of the women concerned. The shape, fabric, and ways of draping sarees have been markers of identity and caste hierarchy. The article attempts to comprehensively analyze the link between saree draping styles and materials and how they were used to continue the caste distinctions, exemplified through luxurious silks reserved for upper-caste women and the simple cottons worn by lower-caste groups, demonstrating how this practice evolved.
Saree Draping Styles and Materials Concerning Casteism
Within Indian tradition, the saree has long been a symbol of culture, worn by women of all classes and creeds. It has been praised for its elegance, adaptability, and the ability to be worn to reflect the identity of the wearer. Yet this seemingly simple garment has a murky history, braided into the caste dynamics of India, where saree materials and draping styles as markers and reinforces of caste have been used for ages, even when this practice continues today in sometimes subtle but consistently perverse ways that reflect the casteism on which it relies. While the simple garment is common enough attire in India for women, it remains a visible expression of social stratification as linking to caste.
The Role of Material in Caste Identity: In earlier and present traditional Indian society, clothing and/or other forms of dressing were not just a matter of choice but were judgeable on the scale of caste backgrounds. The material of a saree—whether it's silk, cotton, khadi, or kachchi—stood out as one of the strong indicators of the social standing of an individual. Distinctions based upon the sewing styles being caste-related are presented as differentiating norms sometimes, if not explicitly, between upper and lower castes and are sometimes thrust through discriminations.
1. Silk sarees – Identify Upper Castes
Silk, particularly fine Kanchipuram and Banarasi silks, has historically been associated with higher castes. Women from Brahmin, Rajput, or Vaishya backgrounds were often depicted wearing elaborately designed silk sarees, indicating wealth and status in society. The luxury that silk presents in rich textures and costly production could only be afforded by the higher strata of society. Next to purity, wealth, and high social rank, special occasions like marriages and religious rites considered silk an idyllic fabric.
2. Cotton sarees – Mark of Modesty for Lower Castes
Uniformly, a woman of lower castes, particularly among Dalit communities, was to wear cotton sarees, which were recognized as more humble and modest. Made from handloom fabrics, these cotton sarees were simple and comparatively cheap. Necessity was tied to the lower socio-economic conditions under which the cotton saree began functioning; while the cotton saree was practical and comfortable, it also became an icon of caste oppression, imposed in the past on women of Dalit and backward communities to denigrate them based on caste and status.
In many cases, she was prohibited from wearing the same fine fabrics as upper-caste women. The supposed uncleanliness and impurity of women of lower castes provided the rationale for the denial of their right to clothing, in addition to cheaper and rougher materials. Hence, certain fabric was used as a marker of the discrimination of castes.
3. Khadi sarees – The Symbol of Nationalism and the Empowerment Against British Rule
During the Indian struggle for independence, Khadi became a prominent symbol of defiance against British colonial rule and the rallying cry for self-sufficiency and independence. To spin and wear Khadi was nothing short of a political act that stood for defiance and empowerment. Khadi saris, often made from handspun cotton, became a symbol of Indian nationalism and a complete rejection of British-made products.
Khadi strangely also blurred out the lines of caste divisions that otherwise confined the Garhwalis and Khashas. The upper castes began to wear Khadi in a bid for national pride and solidarity with the lower castes. Mahatma Gandhi's efforts to uphold Khadi as a garment for all classes and castes erased some of the differences in caste such that there was some lessening of caste differences in dress. In any case, however, there were social and caste implications in cotton and Khadi.
4. Wool and Other Woven Fabrics – Regional Peculiarities
In certain parts of the Himalayan and Kashmir regions, woolen sarees or woolen shawls have been worn as a part of the regional identity. The woolen garments were worn exclusively by women of certain communities, often serving to distinguish between die castes or ethnic groups. In many of the tribal communities, the fabrics that were typically used were found hand-spun, woven with local materials, and of tribal status or community affiliation.
The Drape: A Social Marker
In unison with the fabric, the drape of a saree has historically played a pivotal role in the representation of a woman’s caste and social standing. In certain regions of Maharashtra, Bengal, or South India, the method of draping the saree can denote the caste hierarchy.
1. The Nivi Drape – Upper-Caste Formality
Nivi drape, the most prevalent and refined, where the saree is draped across the waist with one end falling over the shoulder, was distinctly an upper caste draping style. It was, therefore, reserved for the women of the caste and is still a popular way of wearing sarees in urban settings. This is the way that constitutes the "norm" or the most acceptable way of wearing a saree in contemporary India.
2. The Mundum Neriyathum – A Traditional South Indian Drape
The drape, Mundum Neriyathum, is widely spread in South India, especially among women of the state of Kerala, while Tamil women also wear it. In this style, the saree is draped with a separate cloth around the chest and is worn loosely over the shoulder. Traditionally, women from particular castes have worn this style, including the Nairs in Kerala. This style is quite sophisticated, though closely tied to particular groups of caste and class. Saree styles still convey untold nuances of caste, and various groups and regions seem to have particular styles of putting on the saree.
3. The Nauvari Saree – Symbol of Warrior Women and Marathas
The Nauvari sarees are worn especially in Maharashtra and can, at present, be worn in styles resembling trousers or dhotis. This method of draping, belonging to the Marathas, a warrior caste of Maharashtra, has been considered a symbol of power and resistance. It was the style of upper-class women in ancient times, but presently, it is open to women irrespective of caste. However, the caste and class distinctions historically associated with it remain; certain low-caste women would often be denied this manner of dress.
4. The Tussar and Ikkat Weaves – Caste and Regional Implications
Materials and fabrics, such as tussar silk or the Ikkat weaves, often had caste connotations to their historical use. For instance, tussar silk used to be mainly worn by women from the land-owning castes of Bihar and Orissa, while ikat fabrics, as they are woven, often came to be worn, at least in parts, by women within certain weaving or textile-producing communities.
Reclaiming the Saree: A Challenge to Casteism
For years, the caste divide in saree materials and draping style had to grow old. It refused to remain the same after the Dalit rights movement that perhaps went hand-in-hand with Indian feminism. Women belonging to marginal communities are now increasingly reclaiming the saree, once an emblem of caste oppression.
Through movements and individual actions, Dalit women would challenge the entrenched idea that certain sarees or draping styles are exclusively for upper-caste women. By draping their sarees in diverse ways, they claim their right to dignity, self-expression, and freedom from caste-related restrictions. The saree is recast as a garment of empowerment rather than oppression, a testimony to the ongoing battle against casteism in India.
Sarees as Symbols of Both Tradition and Resistance
In conclusion, the saree has held such a close association with caste in India that it has served as a simultaneous symbol of caste-based inequality and tradition. In earlier epochs, and even unmixed with its contemporary connotations, the fabric and draping styles were employed to reflect one's caste and reinforce social distinctions. However, amid the impassioned works awakening social consciousness about caste repression and discrimination, the saree is evolving. Women, all across caste sects, are reclaiming the saree as a lasting denial of tradition in attempting to express their individuality and carve a path for social mobility. What once served as a socially divisive element has become a fabric of empowerment and pride for many.
Ritika is pursuing Political science at Jamia Millia Islamia.
Edited by Sana Faiz
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.
