100 sarees, 365 days. Are you game?

The power of social media is something that never ceases to amuse and amaze. Who would have ever thought that a simple conversation to dust off unworn sarees would become a rage on the Internet. Ally Mathan and Anju Kadam, the names behind the #100sareepact, simply wanted to dig out their wardrobes and wear their six yards of sensuality. "We will wear our sarees a 100 times before the end of 2015. The 'pact' was never started with the intention of being 'different' from someone else. The pact is unique because so many have made it theirs. And so many personal stories are coming out — of joy, sorrow, memories and relationships. The saree is now a medium to tell stories. The #100sareepact is a celebration of the stories of our lives," says Kadam.

As dna went to press, #100sareepact had 353 followers on Twitter, and Facebook is replete with feeds of women posting their pictures in a saree and taking the pledge. So what's the big deal, you ask? From heavily embroidered Kanjeevaram silks to Chanderis to Bengal Tants, with the pact gaining popularity, women are discovering the nuances of rich, Indian weaves. "I feel we have relegated this garment to the back of our wardrobes and we complain we have nothing to wear, when in fact there are so many hidden gems in there. Why not start wearing them rather than fretting over other garments, which may not fit or go out of fashion so fast. Secondly, an entire generation of weavers will lose their livelihood and we as a nation will lose our crafts heritage. Sarees are an important part of our heritage," says Priya Kadapa Shah, who took the pledge on March 17 and has worn 19 sarees since then.

Echoing her thoughts is Rajeshwari Iyer, who has worn three sarees so far and prefers wearing only handloom ones, which are sourced directly from the weavers. Her first saree of the pact, a blue dabu print Maheshwari has three different printing techniques, making it a masterpiece. "At work, you would rarely find someone wearing a saree, so if you happen to wear a saree, you are showered with comments more than compliments. 'Birthday hai kya', 'Anything special', 'Kuch toh baat hai'. And, if you continue wearing sarees to work, there has to be something going on in your life. Basically, wearing a saree has a direct correlation to a very important event in your life," she points out.

Every saree has a story — be it a wedding gift, an heirloom piece or simply an impulsive buy. Each saree signifies an inherent celebration of life, relationships and memories. For Viji Venkatesh, her 22nd saree has a special story. "My 22nd saree, a Kerala Kasavu, takes me back to my childhood when my mother would observe the simple tradition of the New Year tableau at home. This year when I wore this saree and arranged the Vishu Kani, I felt close to my mother and my family home, where I grew up. I remembered my emotional, long distance call that I made to her 42 years ago, as I arranged my own tableau as the newly-wedded bride far away from ma's home."

For others, like Sandhya Udayshankar, her rust-coloured saree brings back memories of her engagement ceremony, six years back. "Wearing a saree is a lot about attitude and empowerment. I feel I can conquer anything," she emphasises.

The pact has, in a way, revived the idea of elegant dressing and the belief of treating the saree with more reverence than before. The final word comes from Priya. "This pact has enabled me to get in touch with strong, independent, warm and like-minded women. That has been my best experience. The #100sareepact has become my 'me time'. It evokes memories of mothers, aunts, grandmothers who wore nothing but sarees and managed to do more in a day than we ever can."