Saree power got a whole new meaning on Tuesday evening when around 50 ladies, dressed in their sartorial best, conducted the first-ever saree flashmob at a Delhi mall. The ladies, rocked to the beats of Bollywood chartbusters such as London Thumakda, Sari Ke Fall Sa, Girls Like To Swing, Indiawaale, and Galla Goodiyaan as the audience cheered them on.
The flash mob, conducted to sensitise people from India and all over the world to revive the tradition of draping saris, was indeed a big hit. An initiative by Devditi, an organisation that serves as a platform to rediscover the Indian woman while celebrating India’s glorious culture through interactive and entertaining media, has started a campaign to encourage women to wear sarees.
“We wanted to revive the culture of draping saree in a fun way so that the weaves get the kind of attention they deserve,” says Vandana Gupta, co-founder, Devditi. She adds, “All those who have performed today are mostly homemakers, doctors and lawyers, not a single person is a professional dancer here. We all are doing this for the common love of sarees.”
To foster the cause a Facebook community was set up six months ago called the India Saree Challenge and it has been receiving a tremendous response from women all over.
Also read: Flash mob, the new gimmick in town?
“We don’t want the saree to suffer a common fate like the Japanese Kimono. We want to make sure that we don’t go the Japanese way where they did away with their kimono culture, making it almost obsolete in current times,” says Sapna Khandelwal, co-founder, Devditi. Khandelwal adds, “For every occasion we conduct online contests. We recently concluded one for Karva Chauth.”
“In December 2015, we have planned a grand event called Saree Saga, which will be a culmination of numerous online campaigns and a series of events, all leading to women from diverse cultures celebrating the saree,” informs Gupta and adds, “The event will include a ramp walk showcasing the evolution of the saree through the ages, a talent show, dance performance, quiz sessions and an exhibition of sarees from weavers across the country.”
{{/usCountry}}“In December 2015, we have planned a grand event called Saree Saga, which will be a culmination of numerous online campaigns and a series of events, all leading to women from diverse cultures celebrating the saree,” informs Gupta and adds, “The event will include a ramp walk showcasing the evolution of the saree through the ages, a talent show, dance performance, quiz sessions and an exhibition of sarees from weavers across the country.”
{{/usCountry}}