Community drapes
The Brahmin kashta
The nine yard saree as worn by Marathi Brahmin women, with back pleats and a plain, formal arrangement of the pallu.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for wearers, makers and the curious.
The kashta is the nine yard saree as worn by Marathi Brahmin women. The pleats pass between the legs and are tucked at the back, and the pallu is drawn over the shoulder. Its older form was often worn without a blouse, and it is still the dress for rites and weddings in many families.
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 end into the waist at the right hip. Step 2 Wrap the cloth once round the waist. Step 3 Make a row of narrow pleats at the front. Step 4 Pass the pleats between the legs. Step 5 Tuck them at the back of the waist. Step 6 Draw the pallu across the chest and over the left shoulder. Step 7 Tuck the end at the waist so it does not swing. Finished The Brahmin kashta, seen from the front.
Where it comes from
The word kashta refers to the back-tucked drape, which is known by several other names across the Deccan. In the Brahmin communities of Maharashtra and the Konkan, including Goa, it became a mark of ritual dress, as the Madisar did in the Tamil country. The cloth was usually cotton or silk, and the colours were chosen by occasion.
How it looks
It is draped in a way close to the nauvari. The cloth goes round the waist, the pleats are made at the front and passed between the legs, and they are tucked at the back. The pallu goes over the left shoulder and is tucked in. The result is a smart drape that lets the wearer walk, sit on the floor and work in the kitchen.
Who wears it and when
It is worn by Brahmin brides in some families and by women at thread ceremonies, at pujas and at Ganesh Chaturthi. Some women wear the six yard Nivi in daily life and keep the nine yard for the festival. A ready-stitched form now sells widely.
Sarees worn this way
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.
- Paithani: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Kashta sari: Dakutaa at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source