Spinning a yarn about the sari
Avid sari collectors to give talk about traditional Indian garment at National Museum of Singapore
Together, these two women own an impressive sari collection - more than 100 in all.
Most of their saris were collected over the last two decades during their travels to different parts of India.
The two women, Madam Sudha Kanago and Madam Sarita Alurkar-Sriram, will be sharing their extensive knowledge of saris at a talk about the appeal of the traditional Indian garment for an upcoming public history programme, A Lighter Side of History, at the National Museum of Singapore. (See report above.)
Madam Sudha, 47, the vice-president of a healthcare and clinical research company, said the sari's sheer variety of weaves and designs are what fascinates her.
"The history of the sari is linked to the location it was woven in. Each sari also has a personal story associated with it, (that) of the wearer. It encompasses so many spaces, socially and culturally," she said.
"It is a piece of unstitched cloth and you can drape it any way you want. It depends on your own creativity."
Madam Sudha, who was born in the Indian state of Karnataka and grew up in Hyderabad, owned her first sari when she was 19. The golden yellow sari with a green border was a gift from her parents to wear for the family's house-warming ceremony.
When she was 22, she started working at an automobile company in New Delhi and would wear her mother's saris to work.
"When I started wearing them, I realised (there was so much) variety. I was travelling around India for work and each region (I visited) had local weaves and specialities.
"I found that the sari told the history of the land and its people. As I travelled more, the collection grew," said Madam Sudha.
She has lived in Singapore for the past seven years. Her husband is the co-founder of Dealstreetasia, a news and intelligence platform about doing business in South-East Asia that is based in Singapore.
TRAVEL
Madam Sarita, 49, a global brand director at a French company based in Singapore, also has a keen interest in handmade saris.
When she worked in India in the early 1990s, her job also required her to travel around the country and wherever she went, she would make it a point to visit a textile-weaving centre or store which sold the weaves of that particular place.
Madam Sarita: "The sari can be worn for anything - work, parties or other events. That is what prompted me...to start my collection...
"I believe (the sari) is a part of our heritage and should not be thrown away."
Madam Sarita, a Singapore permanent resident who came here 16 years ago, has given several talks about saris at public libraries. She believes that the sari is an important part of Singapore's culture.
She said most Singaporeans wear the Nivi style of sari, which originated in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, and even though it is one of the simplest to drape, it is known for its elegance.
She said Singaporeans wear saris only for festivals or weddings and not to work.
She added: "They do not want to wear something to work which will make them stand out.
"However, saris are still popular in Singapore and the sheer number of sari shops in Little India are a testament to that."
"It is a piece of unstitched cloth and you can drape it any way you want. It depends on your own creativity."
- Madam Sudha Kanago on the appeal of the sari
About the event
WHAT
A Lighter Side of History: The Timeless Appeal of the Indian Sari
WHEN
Oct 29, 2.30pm to 4pm
WHERE
National Museum of Singapore, The Salon, Level 1
HOW
Register for free at nationalmuseum.sg. Walk-ins are allowed, provided there are seats available.
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