Sari

If Indian women can be said to have a national costume, it is probably the sari - an untailored body wrap usually worn over a petticoat and a tight fitting blouse. There are many ways to drape a sari, some based on regional tradition, others on the latest Bollywood movie. For women accustomed to wearing veils, several draping styles allow one end of the sari to hang free over a shoulder, ready to serve as a head covering. This particular sari revives an archaic design once popular with the nineteenth century rulers of the south Indian kingdom of Tanjavur. For its superb weaving and block printing, the sari received in 2002 the highest award of excellence from the Indian central government, as part of an annual competition that selects the year's most notable achievements in Indian textile arts. Photograph Caption: A popular North Indian Sari drape