The Paavadai Dhaavani/Langa Voni is a traditional south Indian attire. It is also often called the "half saree" as the drape is much shorter than the original saree.
What it contains:
(1) A blouse
(2) A skirt
(3) A drape/dupatta that comes over your shoulder, around your waist and is finally tucked into the skirt.
I've always been fond of this because of the ease with which you can wear it. Sarees are usually heavier, have a lot of material that gets draped around your body and there's always this fear that something, somewhere might loosen up - resulting in the material falling to the ground exposing you to the outside world and causing immense shame. (The in-skirt only adds to the layers and doesn't count as something you can show to the outside world. So, If the saree falls, you're pretty much in your in-skirt and that's not a happy place to be in.)
The langa voni isn't like that. The skirt has specific designs and this is publicly wearable. There's a smaller drape which is easier to manage - a couple of pleats here and there, and you're done. It's a happy life.
It is viewed as the attire that acts as a transition between the pattu paavadai (something that pubescent-pre-pubescent girls wear) and the saree (something that married women wear).
Till recently, women stopped wearing it and it had almost become uncool to wear it.
In the recent times, people have moved away the traditional materials used and used sequinned Georgettes or chiffons. They've also started embracing the ghaghra and are wearing it like a half saree.
This year, I got three such dresses made, in cotton and close to the original materials used to make the paavadai dhavani. I wore them to work and social gatherings - to everyone's surprise. There were a lot of people who're so urban that didn't even know what it was, they thought it was a saree. I had to explain what it was.
The traditionalists found the idea appealing. My grandmother loved how I was wearing traditional wear on a normal day. People had given me compliments on what I was wearing.
I'm sad now that I'm leaving the country - I won't be able to wear them any time soon.
I'll urge all the women reading this to get a couple done and try wearing them. They're extremely comfortable, great for the hot and humid weather and so easily manageable.
 |
| Girl on the left is wearing a langa voni |
(1) A blouse
(2) A skirt
(3) A drape/dupatta that comes over your shoulder, around your waist and is finally tucked into the skirt.
I've always been fond of this because of the ease with which you can wear it. Sarees are usually heavier, have a lot of material that gets draped around your body and there's always this fear that something, somewhere might loosen up - resulting in the material falling to the ground exposing you to the outside world and causing immense shame. (The in-skirt only adds to the layers and doesn't count as something you can show to the outside world. So, If the saree falls, you're pretty much in your in-skirt and that's not a happy place to be in.)
The langa voni isn't like that. The skirt has specific designs and this is publicly wearable. There's a smaller drape which is easier to manage - a couple of pleats here and there, and you're done. It's a happy life.
It is viewed as the attire that acts as a transition between the pattu paavadai (something that pubescent-pre-pubescent girls wear) and the saree (something that married women wear).
Till recently, women stopped wearing it and it had almost become uncool to wear it.
In the recent times, people have moved away the traditional materials used and used sequinned Georgettes or chiffons. They've also started embracing the ghaghra and are wearing it like a half saree.
This year, I got three such dresses made, in cotton and close to the original materials used to make the paavadai dhavani. I wore them to work and social gatherings - to everyone's surprise. There were a lot of people who're so urban that didn't even know what it was, they thought it was a saree. I had to explain what it was.
The traditionalists found the idea appealing. My grandmother loved how I was wearing traditional wear on a normal day. People had given me compliments on what I was wearing.
I'm sad now that I'm leaving the country - I won't be able to wear them any time soon.
I'll urge all the women reading this to get a couple done and try wearing them. They're extremely comfortable, great for the hot and humid weather and so easily manageable.
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