According to the BBC© India's caste system is among the world's oldest forms of surviving social stratification. Here are a few historical complexities.

The system which divides Hindus (at nearly 1.094 billion counting in India only, comprising a full 78.9% of the country's massive population.) into rigid hierarchical groups based on their karma (in Indian religion and philosophy, the universal causal law by which good or bad actions determine the future modes of an individual’s existence) and dharma (the religious and moral law governing individual conduct and is one of the four ends of life) is generally accepted to be more than 3,000 years old.

Manusmriti, widely regarded to be the most important and authoritative book on Hindu law and dating back to at least 1,000 years before Christ was born, "acknowledges and justifies the caste system as the basis of order and regularity of society".

The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. Many believe that the groups originated from Brahma, the Hindu God of creation. At the top of the hierarchy were the Brahmins who were mainly teachers and intellectuals and are believed to have come from Brahma's head. Then came the Kshatriyas, or the warriors and rulers, supposedly from his arms. The third slot went to the Vaishyas, or the traders, who were created from his thighs. At the bottom of the heap were the Shudras, who came from Brahma's feet and did all the menial jobs.

The main castes were further divided into about 3,000 castes and 25,000 sub-castes, each based on their specific occupation. Outside of this Hindu caste system were the achhoots - the Dalits or the untouchables.

For centuries, caste has dictated almost every aspect of Hindu religious and social life, with each group occupying a specific place in this complex hierarchy. Rural communities have long been arranged on the basis of castes - the upper and lower castes almost always lived in segregated colonies, the water wells were not shared, Brahmins would not accept food or drink from the Shudras, and one could marry only within one's caste.

The system bestowed many privileges on the upper castes while sanctioning repression of the lower castes by privileged groups. Often criticised for being unjust and regressive, it remained virtually unchanged for centuries, trapping people into fixed social orders from which it was impossible to escape. Despite the obstacles, however, some Dalits and other low-caste Indians, such as BR Ambedkar who authored the Indian constitution, and KR Narayanan who became the nation's first Dalit president, have risen to hold prestigious positions in the country. Historians, though, say that until the 18th Century, the formal distinctions of caste were of limited importance to Indians, social identities were much more flexible and people could move easily from one caste to another. New research shows that hard boundaries were set by British colonial rulers who made caste India's defining social feature when they used censuses to simplify the system, primarily to create a single society with a common law that could be easily governed.

So that was a bit of deep dive into the history of this discriminative system which is now illegal since approximatively ten years, but just go onto the web and right "Dalits manifestation" or other wordings around the inequalities of the system and you will come to see that lots of very recent articles will pop up. Even though "castism" has reduced drastically it is still present in different forms and it is an issue born from religion and tradition that I would like to adress. To resume the caste system as described above there is a structure to this system that goes as follows in order of prominence :

⚫ Brahmins: The intellectual and spiritual leaders in the past more known as the religious clergy & priests.
⚫ Kshatriyas: The protectors and public servants of society in the past known as warriors.
⚫ Vaisyas: The skillful producers in the past known as merchants.
⚫ Shudras: The unskilled laborers in the past known as farmers.
⚫ “Untouchables” today known as Dalits: This category was and is never was included in the caste system so a fight for equality was never even a question as not acknowledged. They are often considered dirty, sad and have the worst jobs like cleaning others dirt and working in the sewers often deprived from education.

My mixed cultural heritage, half Italian and half Indian, has given me a double perspective. On one side, having spent much of my childhood in India and being raised in a predominantly matriarchal Indian household, I was quickly introduced to the beauty of Indian culture. At the same time, from my European positioning and reading about India's history, I'm able to stand back and observe issues of discrimination from a more objective viewpoint. More precisely, the discrimination engendered by the caste system. This is a system which has been abolished and is illegal according to the country's constitution, but has been so deeply engrained in people's minds and conditionings that it seems to still face many hurdles before it is fully broken free of. For example, on the whole people from different castes still don't mingle and intermarry, and there is still violence often toward Dalits. Even the fact that we still have names to classify people shows that the system is far from abolished.

The government has tried to put in place an affirmative action policy to benefit the Dalits, including announced quotas in government and educational institutions; for example, requiring mostly government establishments to employ 35% of Dalits in their company. Therefore, for castes to be recognised, the government has issued caste certificates for equality: although this is done with good intentions, it nevertheless perpetuates the issue. Even without these certificates, a person's caste is easily recognisable through their surname, and if there is any doubt a quick internet search will usually provide the answer, reducing the person to typically one of the castes.

The concept of the project is to acknowledge the problem and through the format of the sari communicate a message of equality and equal rights to humanity. Currently this system dictates the lives of people: from the day they are born in a certain caste there is usually no way up, they are trapped in the system unless they are strong enough to break through. Some do; the majority doesn't. And those who make it generate a lot of jealousy from the other « upper » castes.

So as there are four castes plus the fifth class of Dalits I had firstly decided to create a collection of five saris. This is not be construed as one sari per caste, which I feel would be an acknowledgement of the system, but rather this figure suggested the number of sari designs I wanted to create, as there is otherwise the potential for infinite variety. So to avoid this confusion and to free my creativity once a visual structure and system was in place I decided to make 8 sarees.

The goal is to have activists wear these saris to perpetuate this utopian ideal of equality and abolish the caste system which is legally already done but annihilate the caste system from the conditionings that are still very present in the minds of people following this tradition. It is a very dehumanizing attitude and my goal is to address the issue and raise awareness that these problems have a solution. This project proposes an activist solution which requires a proactive attitude towards the issue. No matter your caste, class or religion, if the issue concerns you or affects you directly or indirectly, the sarees are for you to wear!

As previously mentioned, growing up with my mother, who has been the main inspiration for this project, I have had the chance to see many saris throughout my life and I have come to greatly admire their aesthetic, and practical qualities. The word 'sari' means 'piece of cloth' which is worn as a garment for women either for daily use or for special occasions; so firstly, I can print long strips of cloth with no stitching as only folding is required, making it easy to produce with minimal waste of tissue. Secondly, the sari is already rich in cultural meaning, heritage and tradition and its generous proportions make it the perfect canvas to convey a statement. Finally, and most importantly, the sari transcends all socio-economic classes, being a form of clothing worn by everyone, and hence seemed the best vehicle to convey my message.

Although the caste system affects both men and women, as a designer I had to make a choice as to which of these to represent. Choosing the sari is my way of bringing the message to the people, and considering India is a male-dominated society in which gender bias is very present, empowering victims or survivors of the caste system and empowering women at the same time seemed like the right way to tackle the problem, in which the patriarchy plays a major part. In such a multilayered society women are at this vulnerable crossover point of both categories that are gender and caste, and although they are considered untouchable are still victims of rape. So empowering them through this piece of cloth felt like the right direction.

However, this is only the beginning of a larger project, and the designs and concept can be used as a blueprint to express the message on other forms of clothing in the future.

A sari is normally made from silk, cotton, or synthetic material with embroidery, silk screen prints or digital prints. Its length varies from 5 meters to 9 meters depending on the Indian state or type of sari you wear. On the sari, you will have three important sections on which to put the designs which are printed on one side only: the top and bottom borders (both being a full line going from one end to the other), to modernise the design; and the pallu at the end of the sari, which is the most expressive part and showcases most of the design. It covers approximately 30-40% of the sari so once wrapped around the person it shows on the front and back chest level. Under this piece of cloth woman wear a blouse similar to a crop top, and a petticoat which is like a long skirt covering the legs.

For this project, the idea is to produce digitally printed saris on light cotton for budgetary purposes, both for me as a student to produce, but also if I want the project to exist then this is a production method that will permit me to sell the pieces at a lower price to people who have lower incomes, so they become accessible to all. And for the blouse women can use t-shirts or crop tops as it is also for the newer generation, for them to wear a sari more comfortably.

The sari (often spelled ‘saree’), is a garment traditionally worn in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. It can be an heirloom passed down through generations, or a purely functional garment worn everyday. It’s seen on streets and runways, and has influenced fashion designers across the world. Much loved and yet often misunderstood, here are nine facts you might not know about the sari, as seen from India.

1. ❶ A sari is more than just ‘an uncut piece of handwoven cloth’
   

   Traditionally, the sari has been defined as a single piece of unstitched fabric, often with heavier sections to allow it to drape correctly. Its border (akin to a hem) would be woven with a heavier density, as would its ‘pallu’ (the often decorative end piece).

   But today, its definition extends to include textiles woven by mill or by hand, often with one consistent density. The term ‘sari’ has also evolved to become inclusive of contemporary materials, including cotton, silk, synthetic fiber and others. This latter point is contentious to sari ‘purists’; but the reality is that millions of women wear 100% polyester saris, most purchased for less than $10USD.



2. ❷ A sari can be draped over 100 ways.
   

   If you were to Google ‘how to wear a sari’, hundreds of videos would offer tips on how to perfectly drape your sari. Often people think there’s only one way to wear a sari – i.e the ‘Nivi’ drape.

   But the truth is that there are hundreds of different ways to drape a sari. Most of the drape styles are regionally specific and – just like food and language in India – the drapes are a result of context, geography and function.



3. ❸ A sari ranges from 3.5 yards to 9 yards in length.
   

   The sari is most commonly thought to be 9 yards in length. But given the various draping styles, saris often require different lengths for different drapes.



4. ❹ Wearing a sari requires precisely *zero* safety pins.
   

   people think a sari is at risk of ‘falling off’ and use dozens of safety pins to secure it.

   Indeed, safety pins can be used to feel more secure, but they are not actually needed.

   In fact, when overused, safety pins often make the garment more rigid, which is not how it's supposed to be worn.



5. ❺ The sari is easy to wear – and can be worn by anyone.
   

   Wearing a sari is more akin to making a sandwich or sending an email than making a soufflé or launching a rocket. It has the appearance and reputation of being difficult to wear, but ask any one of the millions of women who wear one every day – it’s not. sari transcends socio-economic divisions and is seen as an egalitarian garment.

   For those with no ties to the sari, the question of cultural appropriation often arises. It can't speak on behalf of all of India, but 95% of respondents in our survey suggested that Indians are open to anyone wearing the sari. Of course, with the proviso that it’s not in the context of a costume, and is worn with respect.



6. ❻ You can actually wear a sari without a blouse and a petticoat.
   

   The sari was worn without a blouse and petticoat before the British Raj. During the prudish Victorian era, baring one’s chest or being blouseless was seen as improper, so the Raj promoted the wearing of blouses and petticoats with ruffled hems. The result? Even today, most people wear the sari with a blouse and petticoat. But none of the regional sari drapes actually require a petticoat, and many can be worn without a blouse.



7. ❼ The sari supports millions of handloom weavers in India.
   

   Although current records in India don’t provide exact numbers, textile scholars and craft advocates are in agreement that sari-weaving comprises a sizeable portion of the handloom and embroidery sector in India. According to the Textile Ministry Annual Report 2016, current estimates put the number of craftspeople employed by the industry at 11 million.



8. ❽ The sari and its place in society is actively being discussed and questioned.
   

   For several years now, Western culture has been seen as aspirational, and this has had a huge effect on India’s sartorial choices. Especially in cities, more and more people are moving towards garments that are perceived to be easier to wear, including pants, shirts and the salwar kameez, with the sari reserved for special occasions.

   However, many contemporary designers in India are experimenting with the sari. It remains a point of keen interest for many young designers – with new iterations and fabrications including steel, parachute nylon and ‘sari-dresses’.

   India’s design community feels that this debate around tradition vs. change has been had ad nauseam, but most are also aware of how important it is to recognize this important shift in textiles and garment aesthetics.



9. ❾ Saris are sentimental.
   
   Saris often evoke a feeling of nostalgia and memory, associating certain saris with particular moments or events, or with the memory of your grandmother, for example. Saris are often passed down from one generation to the next, as part of a wedding trousseau or given as gifts for milestone moments.

   As well as being purely functional garments, like many aspects of our clothes, saris are deeply connected to our memory and identity.

Due to the diversity of its population, South Asia has a multitude of representations and interpretations of color. These denote the sentiments of the region’s residents. Each saree color symbolizes divergent qualities, themes, and virtues.

While one color may occupy a significant spot in a specific location, it doesn’t enjoy the same status in another. Some nationally acclaimed colors originate from the spices indigenous to their regions.

Colors designate social, political, and economic status. Since the Vedic period (approximately between 1500 and 700 BC), the saree’s colors, patterns, and designs have represented the wearer’s merits, beliefs, geographic origin, and caste.

The Sanskrit term for caste is “varna,” meaning color. Each caste has its own traditional color, which denotes its level of importance. Indians still adhere to this caste-color association.

In a continent imbued with religious beliefs, colors have deep significance. Religious undertones coexist with life stages in the South Asian psyche, and a color represents each level. For instance, Hindu clergy cover themselves with white ashes to commemorate their spiritual rebirth.

Most colors trace their origins in deities’ mythical lives and powers. The attire of Lords Krishna, Vishnu, and Ganesha is yellow, symbolic of their wisdom. Lord Shani, the god of justice, divine retribution, and karma, is often depicted with black skin. Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, is portrayed atop a white lotus, donning a white dress.

That’s why many South Asians believe that colors have the power to affect their physical, psychological, and mental states—rendering color definitions more profound. Hindu artists color their deities’ attire to glorify their qualities. They color their environment to spread cheer.

In Hinduism, color transcends purely decorative sentiment. For Hindus, the most sacred color is saffron because it burns impurities. For Muslims, it is green because it is associated with the Prophet Muhammad.

In South Asia and many parts of the globe, people let astrology and numerology rule their lives. Each morning, one picks her saree color according to the astrological calculations for that day. For instance, red on Tuesdays, green on Wednesdays, yellow on Thursdays, and black on Saturdays. Since estimates change, colors are not permanently attached to specific days.

The disparity in color perception between people in the western and eastern hemispheres is mired in history, culture, and religion. For instance, Christians and westerners acknowledge purple as the color of royalty. For Indians, it is red, and ochre denotes their nobility’s grandeur and wealth.

The colors in our environment affect us, but most of us are not aware of this. The symbolic meanings of colors vary with each nation and its culture. In South Asia, colors influence people’s thoughts and decisions, such as deciding what to wear for the day, including sarees. Women choose saree colors based on their moods.

South Asia is a region steeped in tradition, culture, and a wealth of history. Their artisans, laborers, saints, warriors, revolutionaries, nobility, politicians, socialites, and even ordinary folk who have journeyed through its illustrious past have all played significant roles in establishing how we perceive colors today, including those gracing sarees.

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, according to many scholars, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. Today, with about 900 million followers, Hinduism is the third-largest religion behind Christianity and Islam. Roughly 95 percent of the world’s Hindus live in India. Because the religion has no specific founder, it’s difficult to trace its origins and history. Hinduism is unique in that it’s not a single religion but a compilation of many traditions and philosophies.