(Image:Raja Ravi Verma’s painting- Shakuntala stops to look back) (source-wikipedia)

Six yards of intricately woven design

The epitome of Indian woman define

A bewitching piece of fabric like no other

A saree is more than an attire for cover-

Woven into its unique aesthetic pattern

Is a stupendous wealth of information

The thread, the weave, the motifs, all narrate

The story of its origin, they communicate

To the observer the geographic location

With which the fabric has its association

Myths, faiths, symbols and imagination

Are into the delicate threads of a saree woven 

By weavers who over endless generations

Have mastered this craft to near perfection

Using threads in rainbow colors, gold and silver

The intricacies of design leave one bewildered

Embroidery, block printing, tying and dyeing

Embellish them further, each form of craft vying

With each other for the Indian woman’s attention

There are numerous choices to suit every occasion,

Every season, every age, every financial situation-

The fabric, however, is only one piece of the pie

When draped, its diversity can be extolled to the sky

Each style of draping is a cultural statement

A different Indian state and culture it may represent

No other form of clothing gives as much freedom to its wearer

To project the image of the woman that is uniquely her

With a saree, the personality of the wearer shines through

Her beauty, ideology and moods may be projected too

A woman in a saree is the ultimate personification

Of grace, elegance and splendid sophistication.