Archive · 23 Aug 2026
How Sari Reform Challenged Women’s Hesitation Over Sheer Clothing
Jnanadanandini Devi travelled to Bombay to join her husband, Satyendranath Tagore.
There, she saw Parsi women wearing saris with blouses, petticoats and shoes.
She adapted this way of dressing for Bengali women.
The style became known as the Brahmika sari.
A magazine had previously criticised the sheer sari.
Jnanadanandini used that same magazine to tell women about the new style.
She invited women to her home to learn how to wear it.
She also published instructions for women who could not attend.
Jnanadanandini Devi encountered Parsi women wearing saris with stitched blouses, petticoats and shoes in Bombay.
She adapted that style for Bengali women after travelling to Bombay to join her husband.
The new style became known as the Brahmika sari.
A magazine that had criticised the sheer sari was later used to promote the new drape.
Jnanadanandini Devi invited women to her home for lessons and published instructions for others.
- Who
- Jnanadanandini Devi, wife of Satyendranath Tagore, and Bengali women.
- What
- Jnanadanandini adapted a sari style with stitched blouses, petticoats and shoes, creating the Brahmika sari.
- When
- Around the time Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian to join the Indian Civil Service.
- Where
- Jnanadanandini encountered the style in Bombay and later taught it in Calcutta.
- Why
- She adapted the style after seeing Parsi women wearing it and promoted it so Bengali women could learn the new drape.
Supporters of the New Drape
Critics of the Sheer Sari
Appropriate sari style
Supporters of the New Drape
Jnanadanandini Devi promoted saris worn with stitched blouses, petticoats and shoes, adapting the style for Bengali women.
Critics of the Sheer Sari
A magazine had criticised the sheer sari, indicating opposition to that style.
How women should learn
Supporters of the New Drape
Jnanadanandini invited women to her home and published instructions so they could learn the new drape.
Critics of the Sheer Sari
The articles do not identify a specific alternative teaching method or provide the magazine’s detailed reasoning.
- Key figure
- Jnanadanandini Devi
- Husband
- Satyendranath Tagore
- Satyendranath’s distinction
- The first Indian to join the Indian Civil Service
- Inspiration
- Parsi women in Bombay
- New style
- The Brahmika sari
- Teaching method
- Home lessons and published instructions
- Earlier criticism
- A magazine had criticised the sheer sari