Vintage Hand Embroidered Violet Butterfly Parsi Gara Top

Vintage Hand Embroidered Violet Butterfly Parsi Gara Top

*THIS ITEM SHIPS FROM NEW YORK.

An authentic, exquisite hand embroidered, vintage Parsi Gara Saree blouse from the 1950s. This remarkably rare blouse is classy, refined yet comfortable to wear. Completely hand embroidered in elegant violet with cream embroidery in pure Tussar Silk. 

The cut is midriff as with most saree tops, it can be worn in many ways, over jeans, shorts or high waisted slacks and/or skirt. There are literally so many styles you can do with this top. I love how the muted colors go well with any skin tone and hair color. Treasure this special piece as it is a truly rare find. The top was sourced by our good friend Ashok, you can read more about him in our 'Know The Stories' section. He is an activist for minority tribes in India and an avid collector of extraordinary ethnic fashion. Each piece collected comes directly from a person of the culture and is paid fairly. These types of items are bought at fairs specifically to financially support disenfranchised minority communities.

"COMPLEX ROOTS AND ROUTES LIE BEHIND WHAT WE CALL ‘PARSI EMBROIDERY’ TODAY. THE TRADITION GREW FROM ACHAEMENIAN IRAN, THROUGH THE SILK ROUTE INTO CHINA AND THEN CAME WITH INDIAN AND EUROPEAN INFLUENCES BACK TO ITS ORIGINATORS, THE PARSI ZOROASTRIANS IN INDIA."

The term Parsi refers to an individual who belongs to the Zoroastrian society that moved from Persia to India during the 7^th century AD to flee persecution from Muslims who had conquered Persia. Historical evidence indicates that the Parsis initially migrated to Gujarat where they stayed for roughly three centuries after Jadi Rana, the region's ruler, initially permitted them to remain in his lands. In exchange for settling in Gujarat, the Parsis people were forced to learn the native language as well as adopt the local modes of dressing, hence the sarees they began to make.

The Parsis are distinguished from other Zoroastrian communities in India, such as the Iranis because they have stayed in the country for a longer periodAfter moving from Persia to India, the Parsis were granted land which would be ruled by priestly families. Due to the growth in the Parsis population, they were forced to move to other regions of Gujarat which resulted in the establishment of five districts which would then be ruled by priestly dynasties. After the British took control of India, the Parsis received modern education which allowed them to improve their standards of living. Most of the educated Parsis stopped working in the agricultural sector to go to Bombay(Mumbai) and work for the British which was considered more lucrative. This is why the Parsi Gara saree became such a high symbol of prestige and wealth.