No. 74 Madisaru Drape - Tamil Nadu, India

This drape is worn by the Iyengar Brahmin women of central Tamil Nadu. This sari is, in fact, two five-yard saris stitched together.

How-to Drape Instructions

1. Double knot sari at right waist with inner end in front.
2. Fold inner end in half and tuck edge in at center front waist.
3. Make up to 3 small pleats with outer end and tuck in at center front waist.
4. Make up to 3 small pleats with outer end and tuck in at left waist.
5. Make up to 3 small pleats with outer end and tuck in at back waist.
6. Bring outer end anticlockwise and tuck in at left waist.
7. Bring remaining outer end between legs and tuck in at center back waist.
8. Make up to 3 small pleats with outer end and tuck in at right waist.
9. Make up to 3 small pleats with outer end and tuck in at center front waist.
10. Make up to 3 small pleats with outer end and tuck in at left waist.
11. Drape pallu front to back over left shoulder. Tuck pallu in at right waist.
12. Bring pallu from back to front and folding lengthwise, tuck in at left 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.