A sari can either be the most conservative or revealing of garments and the Red Lilies, Water Birds — The Saree in Nine Stories is a revelation on this piece of clothing.
The picturesque title of this exhibition, Red Lilies, Water Birds is derived from Muthollayiram (Red Lilies, Frightened Birds), an anthology of Tamil classical poems from the medieval era. Presented by the Registry of Sarees, a Bengaluru-based research and study center helmed by Ahalya Matthan, the 81 saris on display are not being showcased for their aesthetics alone, this native piece of clothing traces the socio-economic course of the nation over the past century.
