Draping Saree for Goddess Statue

Nowadays professional saree drapers are called on to create the idol of the goddess before Varamahalakshmi day. But why call on professionals when you can do it yourself. Not only does it save you some cash but also decorating the Goddess with your hands is itself a spiritual experience. Here’s a brief explanation on draping saree for goddess statue.

How to wear saree for god statue? First you need to prepare the kalasam and make pleats inside your saree. After fixing the pleats with safety pins you need to secure the saree with the kalasam. Lastly remove the pins to drape the pleats and pallu over the kalasam.

In this article you will find an elaborate description on how to drape saree for goddess statue. Without much further ado let’s find out the intricacies of saree draping for goddess Varamahalakshmi.

Significance of Saree Draping for Goddess Varamahalakshmi

On Varamahalakshmi day, the goddess Lakshmi is offered saree, ornaments, food and flowers in order to please her. The saree drape along with the kalasam symbolizes the suhagan (a married woman) and fortune.

The Varamahalakshmi goddess is not worshipped at homes in a ready-made statue. Rather she is erected and fashioned with several items that symbolise her. For example, the goddess is adorned with bangles, kumkum and mangalsutra as these items indicate a married woman.

Again, since the goddess Lakshmi symbolizes a married woman she should be draped with a green or red saree. Although red is the preferred colour, you can choose any coloured saree except black as it is inauspicious.

The goddess Lakshmi is dear to the Hindu people, as she brings wealth and fortune to a household. She is like a mother figure and thus devotees like to adorn the goddess as they would to a near one. 

Preparing the Kalasam

The kalasam is a copper, gold or silver pot that represents a boundless reservoir of wealth.  The kalasam is filled with coins, different grains and other offerings to the goddess to symbolise this wealth.

Moreover, the idol of the goddess Lakshmi is assembled on top of the kalasam. Thus, you need to prepare the kalasam before you can start draping the saree around it.

Things You Will Need

• Kalasam
• Stick
• Rope
• Masking Tape
• Container
• Offerings
• Ammam Mukham
• Mango leaf
• Coconut
• Turmeric Paste (optional)

The Process

1. Fill your metal kalasam with water, dried fruit, nuts, betel leaf or other grains such as rice. You can also add combs, bangles and other feminine items that will please the goddess.
2. Place five mango leaves with the tip of it facing towards the ceiling. Make sure the leaves cover the opening of the kalasam completely. The five mango leaves will make the seat of goddess Lakshmi.
3. Take a coconut and place it on top of the fanned-out mango leaves. The tail or side with three holes of the coconut should be placed pointing upward. The coconut is the fruit of goddess Lakshmi and it is believed that she enters the kalasam through it.
4. After placing the coconut snuggly on the kalasam, paint the goddesses face using turmeric paste on it. If you do not want to paint the face, you can use an Ammam Mukham. It is a silver or clay mask of goddess Lakshmi made specifically for making the idol at home.
5. Elevate the kalasam by placing it on top of a larger and taller container. You can also fill it with grains or water.
6. With masking tape strengthen the kalasam with the larger container. Make sure the bottom of the kalasam is strongly embedded with the top of the larger container.
7. At last, to prepare the kalasam for saree draping, attach a stick at its neck. Take a 10-inch stick (if the opening of the kalasam is 4 inches) and a rope. Place the stick to the back of the kalasam and with the rope tie it around its neck. The stick will act as protruding arms of the idol.

Draping the Saree 

You can make your god statue wear a saree by draping it yourself. With patience and practice you can drape saree for goddess Lakshmi like a professional. Here are the things you will need to complete draping the saree.

Things You Will Need

• Silk saree
• Safety pins
• Plastic Clothespin
• Thread
• Plastic Clothespin
• Garland / Golden cloth
• Jewellery 

The Process

1. Choose a Saree

You can choose any saree for the draping of goddess Lakshmi. But draping a silk saree will not only be easier but also look more gorgeous.

You can choose any silk saree such as kanchivaram or mysore silk sarees. Red kanchivaram sarees with check and stripes are stunning and make a unique choice. The Mysore silks are used for religious ceremonies. You can also go for Konrad silk and Patola silk saree.

 Try to choose a saree with a thin border. The border will help you make rich pleats that will fall nicely on the kalasam.

• Make Pleats

Start pleating the saree lengthwise from the inside. Leave enough space for the pallu from both ends of the saree.

Pleat the saree by folding the saree once and folding over it again. Make sure all the pleats are equal in size. Most of the saree has to be pleated except the section used for the pallu.

The pleats need to cover the kalasam completely. That is why keep folding and pleating till you have a sizable number of pleats.

• Fix the Pleats Together

To ensure that the section of all the pleats are equal make used of plastic clothespins and safety pins. Straighten out the pleats by separating them into sections.

 Fix the sections separately with plastic clothespins.  If this is hard to do alone, ask a friend to lend a hand. The border of the pleated saree should be somewhat straitened. Fix both the top and bottom of the saree with either clothespins or safety pins.

 If you use safety pins, there is a trick to keep the pleats from shifting. All you need to do is pierce the saree with the safety pin vertically along the pleats.

• Fold the Pallu

After you are done pleating and fixing them with safety pins you need to make the pallu. The vertical ends of the saree are not pleated and are left for making the pallu.

The natural end of the saree is called the pallu. You need to fold it over and over again horizontally. Do this to both ends of the saree.

Pin the pallu folds with a safety pin. Before doing this, make sure all the folds have equal sections.

• Fold and Tie the Saree

When the pleats and pallu of the saree is secured, fold the saree. Make sure that the saree is not folded in half.

One side of the saree has to be longer than the other. The longer side will drape the kalasam and hide it from plain view.

Secure the fold with a thread. Tie the thread tightly around the fold so that it does not slide the saree. You can knot the string twice to ensure that it does not come undone later.

• Drape the Saree

You need to drape the saree on an elevated and well-prepared kalasam. But before draping, you need to attach the saree with the kalasam.

Attach the saree to the kalasam using the thread of the tied part of the saree. Wrap the thread around the stick and neck of the kalasam. Tie the thread tightly to secure the saree to the kalasam. The longer side of the folded saree should be at the bottom.

Remove the pins on securing the pleats. Lay out the pleats around the kalasam. The shoter side of the pleated saree will overlap and fall on top of the longer end. Later you can pin the pleats behind the kalasam to keep it hidden.

Then drape one pallu over the stick of the kalasam. Make sure the pallu completely hides the stick. At last, tie a thread at the base of the kalasam to secure the pallu and create an illusion of a waist.

• Add Jewellery

To add the final touches to the goddess Lakshmi idol, adorn it with jewellery and flowers. Place a golden cloth or flower garland on the neck of the idol.

Secure a fancy golden belt to hide the thread around the base of the kalasam. Add golden necklaces and bangles to complete the look.

Conclusion

In Hinduism, Saree draping is not only a part of tradition but also a form of spirituality. So, why not make the best of this opportunity to be closer to your Goddess and drape her yourself. I hope this article helped you learn how to drape saree for a goddess statue.  Happy Varamahalakshmi Vratham.