Regional drapes
The Gujarati seedha pallu
The pallu is brought from the back over the right shoulder to the front, spread across the chest to show its design.
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In the seedha pallu, seedha meaning straight or right-way, the pallu comes from behind over the right shoulder and falls across the front, instead of hanging behind. It shows the woven or printed pallu at the front, which is the part of the saree that the weaver and the printer put most effort into. It is the typical Gujarati drape and is also used in other western regions.
Wrapped step by step
Each drawing shows the cloth so far, with the newest step outlined in gold. The figure is a front view; the wearer's left is on your right.
Step 1 Tuck the plain end into the petticoat at the right hip. Step 2 Wrap the cloth once round the waist. Step 3 Gather the front into even pleats. Step 4 Tuck the pleats in at the navel. Step 5 Take the free end round the back and bring it up over the right shoulder to the front. Step 6 Spread the pallu across the chest so that the design shows, and pin it at the shoulder. Step 7 Tuck the end at the left of the waist, or let it hang, and straighten the border. Finished The Gujarati seedha pallu, seen from the front.
Where it comes from
Gujarat is a land of patola, bandhani, ajrakh and brocades, and the drape suits cloth where the pallu is the showpiece. The word ulta pallu, the other way round, is used for the Nivi style, and some Gujarati women still use the term. The seedha pallu is also found in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and among Parsis in a related form.
How it looks
The pleats are tucked at the navel as in the Nivi, but the pallu travels round the waist to the back and up over the right shoulder. It is brought to the front, spread across the chest, and held at the left waist or pinned. The border and the pallu design are on show at the front, which suits a saree such as a Gharchola or a Patan patola.
Who wears it and when
It is worn at weddings, Navratri celebrations, temple visits and family functions, by married women especially. A bride may carry a ghunghat, the part of the pallu drawn over the head, as a sign of respect in the family. Gujarati women also wear the Nivi in cities and for work.
Good to know
- In many families a married woman draws the pallu over her head in the presence of elders.
Sarees worn this way
BandhaniTie-dyed cloth, a favourite for Gujarati weddings and festivals.
Banarasi sariBrocade, often worn by Gujarati women in this style.Also part of it, and being written: Patola (A double ikat silk of Patan, with a pallu that shows well at the front.).
More on EveryPallu
Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryPallu desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The drawings are simplified diagrams of the order of wrapping, not a lesson: how a drape is worn differs from family to family. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Bandhani: RubyGoes, CC BY 2.0, source
- Sari: Suyash.dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Banarasi sari: Ekabhishek, CC BY-SA 3.0, source