Blouse
The fitted, short upper garment worn with a saree, leaving the midriff bare.
Also: choli, ravike, ravika, jacket
The blouse is the stitched top worn under the saree. It is fitted, usually ends above the waist and has short or elbow-length sleeves. A choli is the older word for a similar garment. The blouse as now worn, with a petticoat and a saree, became common in the nineteenth century. Blouse designs change quickly: necklines, sleeves, backs and fabrics all follow fashion, and a plain saree is often made special by its blouse. The word is ravike in Kannada and ravika in Telugu. Tailors stitch blouses to measure, which is why sarees are sold with an unstitched blouse piece.