In its fifth year, the three-day Saree Festival in Delhi this weekend will focus on the myriad roles of a sari. “The vibe around the sari has grown in the last few years but it is still something we need to talk more about. Usually, whenever we talk of saris, it is in one aspect—the textile, or the design—nothing that speaks about the sari in all its elements,” says arts curator Himanshu Verma, who organizes the Saree Festival.
The festival has been divided into two parts. The saree mela will exhibit and sell different kinds of saris—from the Bengal handloom and Banarasi weaves, to the Kota and Shibori styles. The Saree Ka Gunijan-Khana will feature a collection of events related to the garment, from styling sessions to dance performances.
Style blogger Patricia Dhar will join Nisha Narayanan (chief operating officer, Red FM) and fashion designer David Abraham (from Abraham & Thakore) for a talk on experimenting with draping styles. Three young dancers—Mrinalini Msriin (Kathak), Ranjini Nair (Kuchipudi) and Shreyasi Gopinath (Bharatanatyam)—will recite, enact and perform to poetry and narratives from mythology that use the sari as a leitmotif.
In addition, three documentaries on the sari will be screened—Sundar Sari by Pooja Kaul, which talks about its nostalgic value, Sari Men by Q, which pays homage to the dedication required to make and sell a sari, and an untitled film by Bon Duke, which traces saris worn by iconic women such as Sarla Thakral, India’s first female pilot, and dancer Chandralekha.
The Saree Festival is on from 4-6 May, 11am onwards, at 1AQ, Qutub Minar Complex road, Seth Sarai, Mehrauli. The festival is open to all on a first-come, first-served basis.