Adopted by Persian refugees

The distinct feature of a Parsi gara is the intricate embroidery on the fabric that lends it elegance and uniqueness. Zoroastrian Parsi and Irani women wear the gara on special occasions and is a family legacy passed down to generations

India has one of the most complex, diverse and vibrant migration histories in the world. Indians have travelled far and wide and, concurrently, millions of immigrants from other parts of the world have come to India and assimilated peacefully in the social fabric of the country. 

When it comes to immigrants coming to India, one of the most important migrant destinations, there are five million immigrants in the country, as per the 2011 Census. 

The United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNHCR) estimates as per the January 2020 India Factsheet suggest that the number of refugees and asylum seekers in 2020 was 2,10,201.

India has been a safe and desired destination for immigrants for centuries. Today, the majority of India’s immigrants are from neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh (3.2 million), Pakistan (1.1 million), Nepal (5,40,000) and Sri Lanka (1,60,000). But there are also the Afghans, Jews and the Parsis and Iranis.

The gara

One of the most significant immigrant groups that came to India was the Parsis or Zoroastrians who, at the time, fled Persia, present-day Iran, to escape Islamic religious persecution and were given refuge off the coast in Gujarat in India. 

The refugees adopted the local language, which is Gujarati, and embraced local habits, cuisine and the Gujarati attire for women, the saree, which they call the Parsi Gara.

The word ‘gara’ comes from the Gujarati word ‘garo’ which means ‘width’ and is the Gujarati word for a saree. Today, the word ‘gara’ has come to mean the traditional saree worn by Indian Zoroastrian Parsi and Irani women. The women wear the gara on special occasions, weddings and festivals. 

The distinct feature of a Parsi gara is the intricate embroidery on the fabric that lends it elegance and uniqueness. The embroidery work is known as Parsi embroidery. 

The base fabric of the gara saree is a rich and thick silk, heavily and directly embellished with embroidery. The embroidered work on the gara can be found either through the entire width of the fabric or just along the borders.

The embroidery work can be hand-made or machine-made. Several designers are making efforts revive the traditional hand embroidery work in the gara. 

The Chinese influence

During the 18th and 19th century, the Parsis were at the forefront of all major kinds of trade activities in India, especially with China. The Chinese province of Canton, now named Guangzhou, was a major hub of opium trade in China and had a significant presence of Parsis along with Europeans and Americans.

The opium produced in India was exported to China in large quantities and the Parsis had established a lucrative and profitable trade with China which played an important role in making wealthy merchants out of the Parsis. Renowned Parsi businessman Jamshetji Jeejeebhoy also made his fortune with the opium trade in China.  

It was during this trade, the shipping vessels would return to India with all kinds of goods and antiques from China including tea, ceramics and embroidered silk textiles. 

The Chinese silk fabric, woven on narrow looms, was not too wide and two separate pieces were stitched together to make the gara with the appropriate width. These were called the ‘dor-pat’ or ‘do-patti’ gara sarees.

Reviving the tradition

Today, the Parsi gara fabric is made of a variety of silk, crepe, lace, georgette, etc. The traditional gara motifs include ‘kaanda papeta’ meaning onion and potatoes, ‘margha marghi’ meaning rooster and hen, ‘chakla chakli’ meaning male and female sparrow, ‘karoliya’ meaning spider, etc. Among the Indian embroidery patterns, there are mango, peacock, etc.

The hand embroidery is done using satin, crewel, aari, stem stitches and specialised stitches such as the jaali technique and khakha. The threads used for the embroidery are mostly of violet and pink colour combinations. But, many variations can be seen now.

There are basically three patterns in a Parsi gara – The jaal work embroidery that is done all over the fabric; the motifs pattern also known as butis and border done on saree; and, a Parsi embroidered border which can be put in any saree. The motifs carry significance – for example, hundred-petalled rose is for spirituality and lily symbolises health.

Parsi designer Ashdeen Lilaowala has been working on reviving the Parsi gara and the hand embroidery. Among the Parsis, the gara is now mostly worn for navjotes which is the initiation ceremony of the Zoroastrians, for weddings and special occasions or celebrations. He feels there’s a need to keep the essence of the gara, which is the embroidery tradition, alive and innovate keeping modern needs and trends in mind.

More than a garment

For the Parsis, the Parsi Gara is a family legacy that is passed down to generations. Parsi women take pride in their gara that also signifies the beginning of a new phase in their lives. So the gara is an heirloom, an intricate embroidered pattern, famously known as ‘Painting in thread’.

For the Parsis, buying a gara is akin to buying a piece of jewellery – because of its value, in money and tradition. It is something a woman will buy not just for herself but for someone who will inherit her belongings.

The authentic hand-embroidered Parsi gara, with the jaal work, beautiful pallu work in traditional motifs – inspired from Oriental, Indian and Persian cultures, is struggling for survival. At one time, a Parsi bride invariably had a gara in her trousseau; so much was its significance. 

Wearing the gara

The gara is worn like the Gujarati saree – the saree or the cloth is draped around the body, first around the waist where it is tucked and finally over the shoulder. After the first drape around the body, the saree is taken from under the left arm, over the right shoulder like a Gujarati saree.

The leaf called ‘pallav’ or pallu is that part of the saree that is draped over the shoulder and the chest and the part that goes over the head is called the ‘saur’. 

After adjusting the drape of the pallu, the rest of the saree is pleated where one end of the saree is held between the index and middle fingers and other end by the thumb, pinky finger and ring finger. The pleats are then tucked into the center of the waist and pinned properly.

After the tucking of pleats and bringing the pallu in the front from behind the right shoulder, some women also tuck the corner of the pallu in the side on the waist.

The traditional Parsi gara embroidery is done by hands and can take days even weeks depending on the intricacy of the pattern. Recently, the patterns are being imitated using machines that makes the garment easier and quicker to make and cheaper as well. 

New-age designers are innovating in fabric and design. So, in some Parsi gara, the embroideries are layered with various other heritage embroidery traditions and there’s fusion, in others there’s use of versatile cuts to create unique looks – to create something for every occasion.