(ByDuring a Ganeshotsav event at Landmark Garden in Kalya ninagar on September 2, 19 women in saris, walking the `ramp' to music ranging from a bhajan to a Game of Thrones theme, stole the show.Each one had draped the unstitched fabric in a different style, using knots and pleats without the petticoats, saying a lot for the sari that is often downplayed in urban areas as a leftover from grandma's time, dismissed as staid, too traditional, unwearable for work and stashed away for religious events."The sari's design is limitless. It can be a global outfit. It can be worn like a toga or a gown, with every drape staying true to its region," says Niketa Malhotra, who put the show together.Niketa is deep into saris, incorporating the different drape styles in her daily life. She wears it for almost every occasion -visits to her mother, family outings, birthdays, trips to the mall, shopping, even to the workplace where she's a consultant for startups."I love saris. As a child, I would wear my mom's sari and pretend to be a librarian. I look at the traditional draping styles in the modern context and am inspired by Rta Kapur Chishti's energy and dedication to the unstitched fabric," she added.Seven months ago, Niketa attended a draping workshop conducted by Chishti, a renowned sari and textile historian and author of Saris; Tradition and Beyond, in Delhi and there has been no looking back."Meeting Rta changed the way I looked at saris. What most women understand and drape is the six-yard nivi style with the pleats in the front and the pallu tossed over the left shoulder. But the long piece of fabric can be draped in more than 100 ways, depending on the occasion. All this using only knots, without the petticoat," she added.A few months ago, she participated in a global sari meet conducted online for a closed group on Facebook with participants from 13 cities. It gave her the confidence to conduct workshops for other like-minded people.Social activist Purnima Joshi, who participated in the Landmark event, said she saw Niketa in a rural Karnataki sari one morning when she was off to work."It was a simple nine-yard sari with a traditional border and pallu. I was surprised. Niketa then told me that she was committed to making the sari an everyday garment and I was fascinated."Purnima loves the idea that the sari is a fashion statement, builds pride in one's tradition, highlights a sense of nationality and pride in culture, and that it helps connect people.The different drapes that Niketa slips into comfortably draw curiosity and wonder. "I cherish the thought that somebody somewhere in India is wearing it the way I am. For me, the sari is a way to inclusivity," she said, adding that the Ganeshotsav show gave her the opportunity to open minds.For the show, Niketa taught the participants to drape the Boggili Posi Kattukodam , the pocket sari, that rocks with women of all age groups. She also dipped into drapes borrowed from the Santhal and Khond tribes since their hands-free approach looks comfortable. The sari is a flexible garment and it suits all body types. It does not need any elaborate stitching, and given the variety of drapes, each one could be worn to suit your mood or convenience, or the kind of work you intended to do, Purnima said."The group was more excited to discover, learn and master a drape best suited for their body. We decided to accord each woman a drape according to her personality. Anjana, an outgoing teacher, chose the Pagdi Palla style from Uttar Pradesh while Purnima, a dance enthusiast, carried off the chic and formal versions of Mohiniattam from Kerala. Sheetal Kulkarni picked a central Chhattisgarh drape that focused on the pallu," Niketa said. The women worked hard for about two weeks for the show.But a determined Niketa is looking forward to more workshops. She has one coming up in Goa in two weeks and in Pune, she is convinced that the drapes will go a long way.

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