How to Drape Banarasi Saree: 6 Elegant Styles

How to drape Banarasi saree: before you begin

A few things make every drape easier.

• Wear the right petticoat. Fit it snugly at the waist, with the hem at the height of the footwear you will wear.
• Wear your footwear. The length of the saree depends on it. Always drape in the shoes you plan to wear.
• Choose a firm blouse that will not shift as you move.
• Have pins ready. Small, smooth safety pins work best. Pin from the inside, and use as few as you can.
• Keep a mirror and a few minutes. Heavy sarees reward patience.

If you are new to draping, practise with the saree a few days before the occasion. A heavy katan behaves very differently from the practice cotton you may have used.

1. The classic Nivi drape

The most widely known style, and the best place to start.

• 1. Tuck the plain end of the saree into the petticoat at the waist, starting at the right and wrapping once around the body.
• 2. Bring the saree around until the lower edge just brushes the floor.
• 3. Gather about five to seven pleats, each as wide as your palm. Align the folds and press them flat.
• 4. Tuck the pleats at the centre front, facing left.
• 5. Take the remaining fabric around the back, then over the left shoulder, and let the pallu fall.
• 6. Pin the pallu at the shoulder, and adjust the length.

Best for: katan, tissue, organza, georgette. Almost every fabric, almost every occasion.

Tip for heavy katan: use narrower pleats, so the weight sits closer to the body, and pin the pallu with two pins instead of one.

2. Gujarati (seedha pallu) drape

In this style, the pallu comes over the right shoulder to the front, so that the motifs are on show.

• 1. Start as for Nivi, tucking and wrapping once.
• 2. Make your pleats and tuck them at the front.
• 3. Bring the pallu from the back, under the left arm, across the chest and over the right shoulder.
• 4. Spread the pallu so that the design is visible in front.
• 5. Pin it at the shoulder and again at the waist if needed.

Best for: sarees with a beautiful pallu, such as Meenakari, Jangla and Rangkat. It is a showcase drape.

3. Bengali (aatpoure) drape

A graceful style with no pleats at the front. The pallu is draped across the body and over the left shoulder, often with the end brought to the front.

• 1. Wrap the saree around the waist without front pleats.
• 2. Bring the end around, forming a broad pleat that is tucked at the left.
• 3. Place the pallu over the left shoulder, then bring a portion across the right side.
• 4. Adjust so the borders frame the body.

Best for: lighter Banarasi fabrics such as georgette, tussar and organza, and for wearers who find front pleats bulky.

4. The belted drape

A modern take. Draped as Nivi, then fastened with a belt or kamarbandh at the waist.

• 1. Drape in your preferred style.
• 2. Slip a narrow belt over the pleats and pallu at the waist, and fasten.
• 3. Adjust the saree so the pleats sit evenly.

Best for: tissue, organza and lighter silks. The belt keeps pleats in place, helps those who worry about slipping and adds a contemporary line.

5. The lehenga-style drape

This style turns the saree into a flowing skirt with the pallu worn like a dupatta.

• 1. Use the pleats all the way round, tucking them evenly at the waist so the saree forms a skirt shape.
• 2. Bring the pallu from the back, over the shoulder, as you would a dupatta.
• 3. Pin the pallu and allow the end to fall freely.

Best for: sarees with a generous width, such as katan and Jamawar, at weddings and sangeet. It also manages heavy weight well.

6. The open pallu drape

A relaxed variation on Nivi in which the pallu is spread open at the front rather than pleated.

• 1. Drape as Nivi, but do not pleat the pallu.
• 2. Let the pallu fall loosely from the left shoulder and pin it at the shoulder only.
• 3. Arrange the pallu to show the most beautiful part of the design.

Best for: receptions and photographs, where you want the pallu to be seen.

Matching the drape to the fabric

Common mistakes

• Draping without your shoes. Length is guesswork otherwise.
• Too many pins. Heavy pins can snag the weave.
• Wide pleats on a heavy saree. They bulk at the waist.
• Leaving the pallu unpinned. Banarasi pallus are heavy and slide.
• Practising on the day. Try the drape beforehand.

Looking after the saree as you drape

• Handle it with clean, dry hands.
• Avoid pulling on the zari.
• Fold the pallu with care when you take it off.
• After the event, air the saree before folding. See our guide on how to store Banarasi sarees.

For ideas on pairing, see our blouse design guide. If you are shopping for your wedding, start with the Banarasi bridal saree guide.

Further reading on how to drape banarasi saree: Banarasi sari on Wikipedia.

Frequently Asked Questions