Legend has it that when the beauteous Draupadi - wife of the Pandavas -was lost to the enemy clan in a gambling duel, the Lord Krishna promised to protect her virtue. The lecherous victors, intent on "bagging" their prize, caught one end of the diaphanous material that draped her so demurely, yet seductively. They continued to pull and unravel, but could reach no end. Virtue triumphed yet again in this 5,000 year old Indian epic, the Mahabharat. Legend, fantasy, history or fact, it is the first recorded reference to the enduringly attractive SARI - the longest, most popular style in the history of women's fashion.

Over the centuries, there have been changes. The diversity of the Indian people is reflected in a variety of materials used for a Sari and the way it is draped in different parts of the country. In the South of India, the nine-yard length is draped between the legs to fashion flowing pants. The Coorgi's from central and South India wear it to look like a modern western full-length gown and some tribes use it to cover the topless. 

The traditional six-yard sari, however, is a classic and allows for generous pleating and draping around the body and over the shoulder - almost Grecian in its elegance. The basic draping of a Sari, the folding, tucking and pleating, is shown in diagrams here. Beyond that, the Sari is an Indian woman's statement to the world. It could be of shimmering silk or the finest gauzy cotton. Perhaps a pastel-hued solid color or a riot of woven flowers. It may even be embroidered with golden threads, or finished with a richly 
tasseled border. It speaks of romance or riches, of sobriety or gaiety, of sophistication or innocence.

Men are intrigued by the demure floor-length attire and tantalizing display of a bare midriff in the back. It is said that a Sari rarely fails to flatter a woman, making her feel fragile and feminine. It is an instant fashion, created by the hands of the wearer and subject to none of the vagaries and changes that plague the fashions of the western world. For these reasons,an increasing number of American women have begun enjoying the  simplicity, yet flowing grace of the Sari. The hostesses on India's national carrier, AIR-INDIA,wear the traditional six-yard Sari instead of a more conventional in-flight uniform. 

The success of the Sari through all the centuries is attributed to its total simplicity and practical comfort, combined with the sense of luxury a woman experiences. The Sari is mentioned in Hindu literature and depicted in Hindu painting as far back as 3,000 B.C. A charming folktale explains... 

"The Sari, it is said, was born on the loom of a fanciful weaver. He dreamt of Woman. The shimmer of her tears. The drape of her tumbling hair. The colors of her many moods. The softness of her touch. All these he wove together. He couldn't stop. He wove for many yards. And when he was done, the story goes, he sat back and smiled and smiled and smiled."