No. 22 Dhangad Drape - Goa, India

This is a short knee-length shepherd’s drape worn in north Goa. It is appropriate for herding in the forest though it can be more formally draped with the two sides let down to calf length.

How-to Drape Instructions

1. Using waist length as a measure, fold inner end of sari into two.
2. Drape folded piece anticlockwise and double knot at right waist.
3. Make about 6 pleats with outer end and tuck in at center front waist.
4. Bring outer end anticlockwise and drape over left shoulder.
5. Bring center pleat between legs and tuck in at center back waist.
6. Bring pallu to front and tuck in at left waist. Adjust legs accordingly. As a second variation, this drape can be worn shorter.
7. Tuck innermost drape in at left waist.
8. Tuck right drape in at right waist.
9. Bring center pleat between legs and tuck in at center back waist. Adjust borders accordingly.
10. Bring pallu to front and tuck in at center back waist.

The sari's design is universal and limitless, referenced around the world for its drape, textile and history. It is versatile and adaptable to context, environment and culture, with its making directly tied to the livelihoods of millions of karigars (craftspeople).

Traditionally, it is a single piece of unstitched fabric with variable densities in its parts - with heavier weights allowing for it to drape correctly. Today, its definition includes textiles woven by mill or by hand, often with one density.

Border&Fall’s project is a non-profit cultural documentation of an incredible textile and garment contribution from India, intended to address a perception shift of the sari, which is often seen as staid, traditional and increasingly worn only on formal occasions, particularly in urban India. Each of these films features a drape from a particular region in India, represented through fifteen states. Every drape stays true to its region, whereas the textiles and blouse pairings have been styled to represent a vision of the sari's changing presence.

This project was created by Border&Fall and its team includes Malika Verma Kashyap, Rta Kapur Chishti, Deep Kailey, Rashmi Varma, Sanjay Garg, Sunitha Kumar Emmart, Julia FG Smith, Suniti Rao, Rhea Subramanian, Pallavi Verma, Sharanya Aggarwal, Mehak Kapur Chishti, Carol Humtsoe and TJ Bhanu.