A single length of unstitched cloth, typically five to nine yards, draped rather than sewn — among the oldest and most widely recognized garments still worn daily across the subcontinent.
धारण · Dharan
A saree is worn over a fitted blouse (choli) and underskirt (petticoat), with the draping style, and the garment's weight, weave, and border design, varying enormously by region: the Nivi drape common in much of the north, the distinct Nauvari style tucked between the legs in Maharashtra, and the Kanjivaram silk of Tamil Nadu among dozens of regional variants.
Specific weaves carry their own reputations and, often, geographical indication status today, Banarasi silk from Varanasi, already covered in this site's Tirtha & Devalaya chapter, and Kanjivaram silk among the most recognized, each tied to a specific weaving tradition passed down through generations of artisan families.