Worship and ritual

When it is worn

A saree is worn for pujas at home and in the temple, for vratas such as Karwa Chauth and Varalakshmi, for the naming ceremony, the sacred thread rite and the housewarming, and for rites of passage such as the seemantham and the baby shower. In many homes a woman bathes first and then puts on a clean saree, often silk or cotton, that is kept for worship. A saree worn outside, to a market or a funeral, may not be worn to the altar in some families. Customs vary, and each family has its own way.

Colours and cloth

Red, yellow, saffron and green are considered auspicious in many Hindu traditions, and many women choose them for worship. Yellow or turmeric is common for Thursday pujas and for Sai and Vishnu worship, red for Devi, and white or pale colours for some Vaishnava and Shaiva rites. In several communities silk is regarded as pure and is worn for the main rite, and some cotton cloths, such as the unstitched white or cream saree with a coloured border, are used for ritual purposes. These associations are not universal, and women choose based on family practice.

Regional customs

In Tamil Nadu, women often wear a silk saree, such as the nine yard madisar among some Brahmin families, for the main rites. In Kerala, the cream and gold kasavu is worn to the temple, and many temples ask for the set mundu or a similar plain dress. In Maharashtra, the Nauvari is worn at Gauri pujan and other festivals, and in Bengal, a red-bordered white saree is worn for many pujas. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, women may wear bandhani or a plain cloth with an odhni for the puja.

Customs and etiquette

For temple visits, wear a clean, modest saree with the shoulders covered, and remove shoes before entering. Some temples have dress codes that ask women to wear a saree or another traditional dress, and a few ask for a particular colour or cloth. Visitors should ask rather than assume, as practices differ even within a state. Many families set aside a saree for worship and wash it separately. It is also common for the saree to be new on the day of an important vrata, and a gift of a saree to a married woman is part of several rites.

Worth knowing

• Madisar: The nine yard saree worn by some Tamil Brahmin women for rites.
• Set mundu: The two-piece cream and gold cloth worn in Kerala.
• Varalakshmi vratam: A festival of worship in the south, observed in a silk saree by many women.
• Karwa Chauth: A north Indian vrata for which women dress in red.
• Gauri pujan: A Marathi rite for which women wear the Nauvari or a silk saree.

Good to know

• Keep a clean saree for worship and wash it separately.
• Fold silk in muslin and air it before and after a puja.
• Avoid oil and incense stains by keeping the saree away from the lamp and ash.

Sources and further reading

• Sari on Wikipedia
• Madisar, Wikipedia