Six-yard wonder: Designer authors book about the sari

New Delhi, Nov 11 : Did you know there are over 1,000 forms of saris in India? Bringing to the fore such facts while shedding light on the sari's traditional significance and styles of weaving, a book on the ancient yet elegant Indian attire was released in the capital Wednesday.

Titled "Indian Saris: Traditions - Perspective - Design", it was written over a period of four-and-half years by Vijay Singh Katiyar with a focus on "the holistic understanding of the sari as a product and its tacit relationship with the user".

"The motive behind the book is to bring to light the age-old modernity and the complex contemporary art of a sari. But more than anything else, it is a great tribute to the deft hands of the Indian master weavers," Katiyar told IANS.

Already launched in London in April this year, the book was released in India by Wisdom Tree and the National Institute of Design (NID) at an event co-hosted by Craft House and Chivas.

Unveiled by Lok Sabha member Maharani Chandresh Kumari, the volume boasts of over 892 visuals of a wide range of saris from the past to the contemporary.

Available in hardback edition for Rs.3,495, it throws light on the "sari's traditional significance, styles of weaving, design vocabulary and styles of draping".

"My association in the handloom industry as a designer and the first-hand insights from my experience there necessitated me to write this book. I have tried to present the sari and its nuances afresh from a designer's perspective, as designs from even traditional saris can contribute manifold to the growth of our creative industries," Katiyar said.

"The sari and its traditions have been studied from a more socio-cultural boundary but what is to be kept in mind is that the design and comprehensiveness also play a vital role in the growth and development of the handloom sector," he added.

Also the author of "Design Education: Tradition and Modernity", Katiyar is now contemplating to write a book on "different draping styles of the sari keeping its cultural history and association in mind".