New York Times carried an article that concludes that in India, fashion has become a nationalist cause alluding to the saree. And that along with India\u2019s protectionist policies, the rise of Hindu nationalist politics has become a major obstacle to realizing the country\u2019s promise of growth for luxury brands from all over the world, in main, fashion.
\nThe construct that the saree has political leanings and that a government is forcing it on Indian women, ever so subtly, is hilarious to me, and reeks of lazy journalism.
\nSensational journalism too. Lynching of minorities who have been disrespectful to the \u2018sacred\u2019 cows of the land and Indianizing fashion by way of traditional wear…the writer sees these as connections. Traditional wear as a clamping down of fashion ideas matches with the government\u2019s aim of a broader political program of Hindu nationalism, writes the writer, making me suspect an agenda on his part also.
\nThe saree has been here long, long before the BJP, Modi and Smriti Irani and will remain long after they\u2019re gone.
\nLeave my saree alone, New York Times. I love it, and I wear it with pride and with no political leanings. Seeing fashion as traditional versus modern – old fashioned versus changing with the times is myopic vis a vis a saree…there is no other garment I know of, that has stood the test of time, reinvented itself again and again in design, texture, style, motif, colour, cloth and become relevant to the wearer.
\nIt\u2019s not about popularizing a fashion aesthetic, the Saree IS our identity and weavers must get their due for being custodians of our collective history.
\nProudly wearing my Banarasi saree in Chennai with friends who are wearing sarees from different regions of India.
\nWe are not nationalist chest thumping Hindus in a multi faith India. In fact, we
\nhonor our multi cultural past every time we drape a saree for it is the saree that holds in its folds the influences of many cultures.
\nAnd you cannot define us by what we wear. Independent thinking, empowered thinking, free thinking, it can all happen in a saree as much as it does in a hijab, a dress, trousers or a kurta.
\nWe aren\u2019t making a political statement with our sarees, we\u2019re standing tall and acknowledging our shared past.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New York Times carried an article that concludes that in India, fashion has become a nationalist cause alluding to the saree. And that along with India\u2019s protectionist policies, the rise of Hindu nationalist politics has become a major obstacle to realizing the country\u2019s promise of growth for luxury brands from all over the world, in…<\/p>\n