Sari Facts for Kids

This article is about Iranian city. For the woman's clothing, see Sari (clothing).

Girl and woman dressed in traditional Mahārāshtrian sāri.

A sari (also spelled saree or shari) is a beautiful and traditional piece of clothing for women. It comes from the Indian subcontinent, which includes countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. A sari is a long piece of fabric, like a big scarf, that is usually wrapped around the waist. One end is then draped over the shoulder. This often leaves the middle part of the body (the midriff) uncovered.

Saris are very long, usually between 4.5 and 8 meters (about 15 to 26 feet) in length. They are also quite wide, from 60 to 120 centimeters (about 2 to 4 feet). Women wear a fitted top called a choli and a skirt underneath called a petticoat with their sari. The sari is a very important symbol of culture in the Indian subcontinent today.

What is a Sari?
- How a Sari is Worn
- Different Sari Styles
The Sari in Culture
Images for kids
See also

What is a Sari?

The sari is a special type of garment that has been worn for many centuries. It is not sewn into a specific shape like a dress. Instead, it is a single, long piece of cloth. This cloth is skillfully wrapped around the body in different ways.

How a Sari is Worn

The most common way to wear a sari is called the Nivi style. This style first came from the Deccan region in India. To wear a sari in the Nivi style:

First, a woman puts on a short, fitted top called a choli. This top is like a blouse.
Next, she wears a simple skirt called a petticoat (also known as parkar or ul-pavadai).
Then, the long sari fabric is wrapped around her waist.
Finally, one end of the sari is draped over her shoulder. This creates a graceful and elegant look.

Different Sari Styles

There are many ways to drape a sari. Each style can show where a person is from or what occasion they are dressing for. Some styles are simple for everyday wear. Others are very fancy for weddings or festivals. The way a sari is draped can also depend on local traditions.

The Sari in Culture

The sari is more than just clothing. It is a strong symbol of culture and tradition in the Indian subcontinent. It is worn by women of all ages. You can see saris at family gatherings, religious ceremonies, and national events.

Sari as a Cultural Icon

In modern times, the sari is still very popular. It shows the rich history and art of the region. Many famous people, like Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, wear saris. This shows how important the sari is in their culture.

Sari for Special Occasions

Saris are often worn for special events. For example, during the festival of Teej in Nepal, women wear colorful saris. Brides in Bangladesh often wear beautiful, traditional saris for their weddings. These special saris can have detailed designs and embroidery.

Sari in Daily Life

While some saris are for special events, many are worn every day. For example, the Tant sari from Bangladesh is often worn daily. Hotel staff in India might wear saris as part of their uniform. This shows how versatile and common the sari is.

Images for kids

Sari in modern India
1928 illustration of different styles of sari, gagra choli & shalwar kameez worn by women in India.
Women dressed in nivi sari entertaining couple, Deccan, 1591 CE
Maharani Ourmilla Devi of Jubbal in modern style of Nivi sari, 1935.
A female hotel staff member wearing a sari as a uniform
Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina in an Ivory gold Jamdani sari
Sari on display in Bangladesh, Jamdani is popular handloom in Bengal region.
Nepal women in sari during festival of Teej
Display of traditional saris with gota patti embroidery for festive occasions at clothing store.
Vaddanam or Kamarband is type of sari belt used to keep complex drapes in place.
Aishwarya Rai in a sari at the London premiere of her film Raavan.
Banarasi sari
Tant sari for daily wear in Bangladesh
Sambalpuri sari
Jamdani sari of Bangladesh.
Bomkai Silk sari of Odisha.
Kota sari.
Bandhani saris of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Mysore silk sari with golden zari.
19th century example of weft-resist dye (patola) or double Ikat
A silk sari loom in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
Galaxy of Musicians by Raja Ravi Varma depicting women in various styles of sari.
Silk weaving at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Wooden printing-blocks used for block-print saris.
Dyed silk yarns for sari.
Handloom Kanchivaram silk sari.
Handloom in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Handloom in Varanasi
Weaving at work in Kanchipuram
Dyed silk yarns for weaving saris.
Double-Ikat handloom for Patola sari in Gujarat.
Double ikat (Patola) weaving
Weaving Jamdani sari in handloom, Bangladesh.
Weavers at work in Bangladesh.
Child wearing sari in Bangladesh.
Style of sari worn in Coorg.
Handloom weaver at work.
Devadasis from Goa.
Sinhalese woman wearing a traditional Kandyan sari (osaria).
Weaving saris in Kancipuram.
Display of handloom saris.
Bangladeshi bridal handloom sari.
Picture shows sari draping style of North Karnataka by Raja Ravi Varma.
Bride in traditional Bengali sari
Woman in Karnataka kacche drape by Raja Ravi Varma.
Education Minister of Bangladesh Dr.Dipu Moni wearing sari with Hillary Clinton
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a Rajshahi silk sari at the Moscow Kremlin in 2013

Sari facts for kids

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