VADODARA: The humble six yards was 'Islamised' by Pakistan much like what is happening to Urdu in India. Noted textile researcher and sari expert Rta Kapur Chishti said this here on Friday.
Author of 'Saris-Tradition and Beyond', Chishti said that women in Pakistan used to wear sarees in the post partition era till 1970s.
"But after 1970s, sarees were Islamised and women stopped wearing it in Pakistan. It is similar to what we are doing with Urdu in India without understanding its importance. In contrast, women in Bangladesh still wear sarees," said Chishti, stressing that there are around five lakh people across India involved in hand-made sarees but each design belongs to the region and not a particular community.
Interestingly, till 1860s blouse and petticoat were never part of the attire for donning sarees.
"Women in Bengal or elsewhere wore no blouses at all and tucked their sarees in broad box pleats to cover their lower limbs and wrapped the rest around their torsoes so that only their arms remained visible. But a single lady changed it all," she said.
According to Chishti, Jnanadanandini Tagore, wife of India's first Indian Civil Service officer Satyendranath Tagore (elder brother of Rabindranath Tagore) was the one who changed the way sarees were worn.
"She (Jnanadanandini) started a school - For Ladies Who Wanted to Go Out in late 1860s. It was there was blouse and petticoats made entry into the style of wearing sarees and completely changed the way it was traditionally worn," said Chishti.
Pakistan 'Islamised' sarees, like its happening to Urdu: Chishti
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Pakistan 'Islamised' sarees, like its happening to Urdu: Chishti
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Pakistan 'Islamised' sarees, like its happening to Urdu: Chishti
