Friday, November 04, 2005

Anthropology report

I got this as part of an email, and thought that it was interesting.

Pallu, or the portion of the sari that falls over the left
shoulder, is usually its most decorated region, often picking up
and elaborating on the small motifs on the border or main body of
the drape. Much of the beauty of the garment thus lies in the
pallu, and it is the part that designers agonize over and which
shopkeepers use to clinch the sale.

Further, touching of the pallu by another is no small act, but a
most personal piece of interaction. It signifies an intimacy
which has been described thus: "as if by caressing a leaf one is
able to touch the tree." If someone gets too attached to a
person, they are likely to be teased by having it said that they
have 'attached themselves to the others pallu' (as a television
presenter of a live show said to a fan who kept phoning her
during the performance). In fact, signifying the eternal nature
of their union, the Indian groom during the wedding needs to tie
one end of his attire to the pallu of his bride. Thus yoked, they
then proceed to circumambulate the sacred fire seven times.

Thus the importance placed in Indian cinema on kissing becomes a little clearer.
Intimacy in such a crowded place seems quite prescribed.

3 comments:

(S)wine said...

Lay off the Bollywood--it's shite.

slyboots2 said...

Ah. But I loved Lagaan, and Monsoon Wedding, and Bend it like Beckham...

And I love a culture where middle-aged, rather cylindrical women bare their midriffs every bloody day. It is good to have that existing somewhere in the world.

And Naan is good...and Alu Gobi is good...

(S)wine said...

I wouldn't consider Bend It part of Bollywood, though. Great little film. I have it. As well as its soundtrack.