Different region people wear a saree in different styles and some styles
require a sari of a particular length. It is worn in 10 to 15 styles throughout
India. The most common style is wrapped around the waist in which one end is
draped over the shoulder. It is five to six yards of unstitched cloth worn over
a Blouse and a Petticoat. In North Karnataka and Maharashtra, women wear a nine
yard saree without a petticoat. Kannadiga, Mangalorean, Kodava, Bengali,
Malayali, Gujarati and Tamilian women wear sarees of different styles. In this
globalized world, the dress of Indians is also getting westernized. Being most
utilitarian in different occasions, it is still reigning in rural India.
Different unique draping styles:
1.Nivi: This style is worn in Andhra Pradesh. It is held in place by the tucks
into the petticoat waistband and the pallu is hanging over the shoulder. In
case of 'Kaccha nivi' , the pleats are passed through the legs and tucked into
the waist at the back allowing free movement.
2.Maharashtrian: In this type of draping a sari, the centre of the sari is
placed at the centre of the back. The ends are brought forward and tied neatly.
Again the two ends are wrapped around the legs. An extra-long cloth is used and
the ends are then passed up over the shoulder. The difference between this type
of sari and the male maharashtrian dhoti is this long cloth only. The
traditional type of nine yards sari is worn by the Brahmin women of different
Southern states of India.
3. Bengali: This style of draping a sari has no pleats. The pallu has a bunch
of keys that falls over the shoulder.
4.Dravidian: In this style, it is pleated rosette, at the waist. It is worn by
Tamil nadu women.
5.Gujarati: In this style of draping, sari is draped over the right shoulder in
the front rather than over the left shoulder. The modern non-Gujarati women
wear this type in social occations with the eye-catching magnificent pallus.
6.Coorgi: In this style, it involves tying the pleats in the rear and a small
portion of the pallu is placed over the shoulder
7.Mundum Neryathum: This style is worn in Kerala. It made of unbleached cotton
and decorated with gold or colored stripes and borders. It is also called as
the two-piece sari.
8.Gond: In this style, the cloth of the sari is first draped over the left
shoulder and then it arranged to cover the body.
9.Tribal Styles: In tribal styles, sari is tied firmly across the chest
covering the breasts.