Bandhani Sarees: The representation of Indian Culture

Indian dresses are the quintessence of Indian culture and tradition. They are the representation of grandiose Indian heritage. The painstaking and intricate designs either on an Indian saree or an Indian lehenga portrayed the grace and beauty of Indian traditional art. No wonder because of these reasons, Indian attire has marked its great presence all across the world.

Contemporary Indian fashion is a concoction of East and West. Influenced by the western style, the Indian fashion industry has presented a unique Indo-western culture on the international platform. Many designer lehengas and designer sarees are an assortment of tradition and modernity. But there are a few Indian sarees that remain completely associated with the Indian tradition that is pure and raw, without letting a tinge of modernity trespass them. Bandhani saree is one of them.

An Indian woman either in an Indian saree or in a lehenga choli looks resplendent. Especially in a saree, a woman looks no less than a Goddess. India is a land of rich culture and heritage. Bandhani saree illustrates this auspicious culture of India. Worn for ages by Indian women, the bandhani saree never goes out of trend. It is contemporary as well as traditional. It is the epitome of grace and elegance. It is the flag bearer of Indian fashion etiquette.

About Bandhani Saree

Bandhani saree or bandhej captures the great enthusiasm and energy of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Bandhani is derived from the word boond which means a drop or a dot. It is handcrafted. It is mostly known for its bright colours, handcrafted designs and exquisite patterns. Its motifs are always in contrasting colours of white and bright. It is the representation of the tradition and culture of Gujarat and Rajasthan. It can be easily handled and maintained. Unlike other sarees, bandhani sarees are lightweight and flowy.

History of Bandhani Saree

Bandhani saree is one of those Indian dresses that has been on trend for 5000 years. The earliest traces date back to the Indus valley civilisation. The bandhani saree during that time was made through the tie-dye technique. Ajanta caves also depict the traces of bandhani sarees. It was there during the time of Buddha as well. The Khatri community of Gujarat started the tradition of Bandhani clothes like turbans and dupattas. Later, they scattered to different parts of Rajasthan. Hence today, bandhani clothes are common in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The Making of Bandhani Saree

The tie-dye method is used to make a bandhani saree. The method is laborious but interesting. The craftsman selects the suitable fabric. Then he ties knots on the fabric. After that patterns like flowers, trees and leaves are designed. Then the craftsman prepares the suitable dye colour for the fabric. Then he dips the designed fabric in it and lets it soak the colour. The final step consists of drying the fabric which takes around 2 days in Monsoon and 4-5 hours in Summer. After untying the knots, the contrasting patterns of white and bright colours can be seen. In the contemporary era, chemical dyes are used instead of natural dyes.

Types of Bandhani Sarees

#1 Jhankaar Bandhani Saree - Jhankaar bandhani is brilliant and striking in colours and style. It doesn’t follow the trend of having white motifs on the fabric. Rather, the fabric is bold in colour and the colourful dots are designed on it in contrast. This contrast of bright colours makes this saree unique and attractive. A woman looks alluring in this saree.

#2 Bor Jaal Bandhani Saree - This style represents the cultural heritage of Rajasthan. The name is derived from the word jaal which means web. Web like patterns are designed on the fabric with a splash of colours on it. It is a highly embellished bandhani saree with intricate designs.

#3 Colour Discharge Bandhani Saree - This saree is unique among all the bandhani sarees. This eccentric saree does not fit under the convention of the designs and patterns of a bandhani. This bandhani saree has contrasting colours of bright and light such as yellow and red dots as its motifs.

#4 Banarasi Bandhani Saree - This saree is a combination of bandhani designs and the designs of Banarasi silk. This saree consists of conventional bandhani designs with gold zari work just like the Banarasi silk saree.

Cultural Representation

Bandhani saree represents the culture of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Women in Rajasthan and Gujarat wear bandhani saree both casually and for special occasions. In Gujarat, if a woman wears a Bandhani saree, she is considered to be auspicious and is believed to bring good luck to the family. Therefore women wear this saree on various special occasions.

Brides wear the red colour bandhani saree or lehenga choli at their weddings.

New mothers wear yellow colour bandhani saree as it is considered to be auspicious.

The green colour bandhani is preferred to indicate fertility.

Summing Up

Indian saree is the representation of culture and tradition. It makes a woman look alluring and graceful. Though it is a traditional Indian dress, it is the epitome of modernity and grace. Bandhani saree is a kind of saree that proves the beauty and elegance that a saree carries. Today apart from these traditional sarees, there are many contemporary designer sarees that enhance the beauty of a woman. Whether it is a designer or a traditional saree, it always remains the first choice of an Indian woman for all occasions.