The six-yard heritage of saree is weaving an exquisite yarn in political circles

Mona

As the newly elected President of India, Droupadi Murmu addressed the nation in a traditional Odisha handwoven saree with a red stripe on one side and a green stripe on the other, with temple border on the other, she reaffirmed saree as the de facto attire for women politicians. Over the years, the humble handloom has cemented its place even in political circles; sustainable and stylish, a saree checks all the right boxes, including being ‘vocal with local’!

If a political stalwart like Indira Gandhi consulted handloom exponent Pupul Jayakar for her eclectic saree collection, Jayalalithaa and her envious 10,500 collection of sarees is the stuff dreams are made of. Lately, it was Smriti Irani as textile minister who brought visibility to this garment.

Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra loves her six-yard woven beauties too. “Indian handlooms rock — wearing the most beautiful Pochampally cotton saree from Telengana, gifted to me on recent IT committee tour by @KTRTR,” she had tweeted sometime back.

Recently, it had been Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who talked about her love of Sambalpuri and Bomkai sarees: “Silk or cotton, Odisha-handloom sarees are one of my favourites — the colour, the weave, the texture, just so good.”

Pure elegance

Fashion designer and textile revivalist Gaurang Shah has designed sarees for actor and Member of Parliament Kirron Kher on screen, for shows, and on the ramp as the showstopper. “Kirron Kher has been the finest ambassador of an Indian hand-woven saree. She has been an ardent admirer of our weaves, textile heritage and innovation. Inspired by Indian weaves and prints, she always wore our designs, as she believes it strikes the perfect balance between heritage textiles and contemporary attitude,” beams Shah.

“For her, there is nothing more beautiful than a hand-woven saree, and she has always had a ‘Gaurang’ saree in her vast collection. During many interactions, we have had during our presentations and shows, she had said ‘I have always endorsed the saree.’ Nothing matches its elegance and she carries the saree with great elan. Kher is fond of exquisite sarees, ranging from Kanjeevarams, Maheshwaris to Uppadas,” he adds.

In sync with tradition

Designer Narendra Kumar cites the example of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the current President Droupadi Murmu as the women who wear the rich, traditional Indian weaves the best. “It is advantageous to be promoting or seen as promoting Indian textile. The trend isn’t limited to women who have a rich variety of sarees to choose from, but also men who are increasingly opting for bandhgala, bundi and Nehru jacket in khadi,” he says. While politicians today have embraced all kinds of attire, including Western, Kumar insists sarees will always hold a special place. “Being seen in Indian weaves, where each kind represents a certain region, helps in connecting better with masses,” he adds

Designer Siddhartha Bansal admires Union Cabinet Minister Smriti Irani’s vast collection. “Smriti Irani wears her handloom sarees quite elegantly. Hers is a very soothing, calming and yet interesting approach, lending her simplicity and style while being very elegant,” he says. Over the years, Irani has represented the range of Indian weaves rather well. “It only speaks of how she understands the significance of our rich heritage. It’s heartening that she and other political leaders across board not just garner attention for artisans, but also promote their work,” adds Bansal.

Reviving a heritage

Khushi Shah, creative director, Shanti Banaras also talks about Irani’s beautiful Banarasi and Patan Patola collection, “The former textile minister wears exquisite handloom pieces and also urges people to do the same. In 2016, Smriti Irani started the #IWearHandloom campaign to revive India’s textile heritage. She has also been associated with our brand and purchased Banarasi sarees from us during her trip to Varanasi.”

Ritu Kochhar, Founder Director INIFD, calls saree the ‘national dress’. “Handloom has long shed its humble tag. Many designers are now experimenting with handloom, exploring collections in khadi, silk, cotton and cotton silk, and becoming the voice of the voiceless artisans. Now that sustainability has become the buzzword, clients like to know where their cloth comes from.”

Vikas Bhansali from Asopalav India makes a point about Chief Minister of West Bengal and her saree style — a white cotton with a narrow mono-coloured border: “Mamata Banerjee has remained devoted to the Dhaniakhali, a unique style of handwoven saree from Hooghly district. The leader, who is currently the sole woman in charge of an Indian state, has become associated with the Dhaniakhali sarees, which have even earned the moniker “Mamata saree.”