View source for Madisar

{{short description|Style of draping Sari}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
[[Image:Tamil brahmin couple circa 1945.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Tamil people|Tamil]] couple ''c. 1945''; the wife is wearing a madisar [[sari]].]] 
The '''Madisar''' or Koshavam ({{Lang-ta|மடிசார்}}) is a typical way in which the [[sari]] is worn by Tamil  Brahmin women. The sari and the tying style dates back to ancient [[India]], at least as far back as the period between 2nd century BC to 1st century AD when the antariya and uttariya garments were merged to make a single garment. This style of tying the saree is the "koshavam" style (that is going between the legs, in the typical style used by men). Tamil Brahmin women are required to use this style after their marriage{{fact|date=November 2017}}. Different communities have evolved different sari styles from the original koshavam style, that requires more material - nine yards. Extant nine-yard sari styles include the nauvari of Maharashtra, the Kannada drape, the Telugu Brahmin style. The name Madisari is however typically associated with [[Tamil Brahmins]], with two sub-styles: the Iyer kattu (tie) and the Iyengar kattu (tie). Today, madisar is hardly worn as daily wear, although women do drape the madisar style on select festive occasions and religious ceremonies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=6362 |title=The Whole Nine Yards 
 |author= Usha Raman}}</ref> The madisar requires a nine-yard sari to wear it, unlike the current modern version of sari wearing style which needs 6 yards. Both [[Iyer]] and [[Iyengar]] Brahmins are supposed to wear madisars at ceremonial/ religious occasions, such as the wedding ceremony, the [[Seemantham]] (a religious ceremony conducted for a first pregnancy), all religious ceremonies, [[Puja (Hinduism)|Puja]], and death ceremonies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tamilnadu.com/fashion/madisar-pudavai.html |title=Madisar Pudavai|publisher=Tamilnadu.com|date=5 February 2013}}</ref>

Iyers and Iyengars wear Madisars differently. Iyers drape the Pallu (the layer of sari which comes over one's shoulder) over the right shoulder while Iyengars wear it over the left shoulder. Conventionally, the first Madisar a woman wears is maroon or red in colour, nowadays Madisar is being worn in other colours according to people's wishes.

Madisars are available in a variety of materials such as [[silk]], [[cotton]], cotton-silk blends, [[polyester]]-cotton blends, etc. These days a version of the madisar is also tied using the 6-yard sari. Though not as traditional, it is easier and more convenient to wear.

== References ==
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[[Category:Indian clothing]]
[[Category:Hindu religious clothing]]
[[Category:Tamil clothing]]


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