New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman got all eyes on her as she arrived in the Parliament for the Union Budget presentation in a vermillion red temple border saree. Bordered with golden and black intricate design, Sitharaman's saree, which is reportedly from Karnataka's Dharwad, dons a star-like design on its fabric. Known for her love for Indian textiles, Sitharaman is known for her choice of sarees that have become a rather unusual aspect of the budget that people look forward to every year.
Temple sarees are usually made of cotton, silk or a mix and worn for special occasions. The colour she chose to wear this year -- a deep vermillion red --symbolises love, commitment, strength and bravery. According to Hindu culture, red is often associated with Goddess Durga, the epitome of female strength and power.
With a red digital tablet in hand, Sitharaman maintained her usual simple but elegant posture as she posed for photos at the Ministry of Finance, Central Secretariat on Wednesday morning. She completed her simple look with a small bindi and gold bangles. Sitharaman has been seen actively promoting traditional handlooms especially after she took charge as the Finance Minister in 2019. Her sartorial choice from the current and previous budget sessions proves that she is a staunch supporter of handwoven fabrics.
For Union Budget 2022, Sitharaman was seen dressed in a rust and maroon handloom saree. The rusty brown tone of her saree was a combination of two colours, brown and red, that hold a deeper significance. While the colour brown is often associated with resilience, dependability, security, and safety, red signifies warmth, love and power. It was a Bomkai saree typically made in Sonepur district of Odisha.
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For Union Budget 2021, Sitharaman wore a red and off-white silk Pochampally sari with ikat patterns around the pallu and a green border. Pochampally ikat is traditionally made in Bhoodan Pochampally, in Telangana, and is popularly known as the 'silk city of India'.
In 2020, Sitharaman opted for a bright yellow-gold silk saree. The yellow colour holds a valuable significance. It is believed to be a sacred colour which stands for prosperity.
For her first Budget presentation in 2019, Sitharaman chose to wear a simple pink Mangalgiri saree with a gold border. Pink usually stands for women empowerment and Budget 2019 was all about 'Nari tu Narayani'. Apart from making a statement with her simple saree, Sitharaman also caught the attention by ditching the colonial tradition of bringing ledger papers in a briefcase. She carried the Budget documents in a traditional 'bahi khata'.
Sitharaman's sartorial choices have always displayed an array of handloom pieces from across the country.
