by Meghan Meredith

Created on: April 18, 2008   Last Updated: September 17, 2009

The Indian sari, or saree, is as ancient and wondrous as the Indus Valley Civilization from which it originated. Sari is derived from the Sanskrit word, sati, meaning cloth. This strip of unstitched cloth is the longest standing fashion statement in history, worn by Indian women since at least 2800 BCE. The sari is unparalleled in its originality and timelessness, making it a true archaeological garment. It is uniquely feminine and graceful, and holds the bountiful secrets and mysteries of Ancient India in its folds and exquisite drapery. The sari's history is as much legend as it is fact. Due to the lack of written records, the precise history of the Indian sari is inconclusive by scholars, but that has not devalued the garment as integral to the rich culture and tradition of India lending itself as the national dress of the sub-continent extending to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

According to the ancient Sanskrit epic, Mahabharata, the sari was essentially a promise by Krishna to protect the virtue of a woman. Legend has it that Draupadi, wife of Pandavas, was won by the enemy in a dual. The victors, in an attempt to spoil Draupadi, began to undrape her. They began unraveling and unraveling the cloth but found no end. Draupadi was said to be protected by the sari and her virtue left uncompromised.

Still other legends speak of a weaver "The sari, it is said, was born on the loom of a fanciful weaver. He dreamt of Woman. The shimmer of her tears. The drape of her tumbling hair. The colors of her many moods. The softness of her touch. All these he wove together. He couldn't stop. He wove for many yards. And when he was done, the story goes; he sat back and smiled and smiled and smiled."

Culturally, the sari may have been developed for the ancient temple dancers to allow for fluid movement of the body, allowing the limbs to float freely in expression, while simultaneously maintaining modesty. Another school of thought describes the sari as a celebration of femininity and fertility. The six to nine yard piece of cloth wraps taught around a woman's body, showcasing a small waist and ample breasts and hips. The deliberate draping of the sari, which varies according to region, flaunts the natural curvature and proportions of a woman, while promoting grace and virtue in its unstitched, unpenetrated cloth.

In the great Tamil epic poem, Shilappadikaram, the sari is described as a garment that covered the lower portion of the female body and formed a veil,

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