Cirrus@Austlit

'As part of India's aesthetically rich and politically complex textile tradition, saris are abundantly endowed with "the social life of things" as well as participating in the language of clothes. This article considers its representation in some Indian literary works as a focus for exploring acts of political and personal resistance against hegemonic authority. The sari can serve simultaneously as a sign both of the nation and of Indian womanhood while its rich array of associations has made it a valuable focal point for a number of Indian writers, both when representing major political events and when portraying the complexities of personal relationships and family life.'  (Publication abstract)