l to r: Zenia Wadhwani and Avani Dwivedi

In Zenia Wadhwani’s Once Upon a Sari, a sari is never just a sari. It is a keepsake that unravels a story, history, and cultural identity unique to its wearer.

When I first read Once Upon a Sari, I was at my ancestral home in Kenya, in the midst of sorting through my late maternal grandmother’s saris. Wadhwani’s words especially hit home, as many saris were woven with ancestral reminders. 

At the beginning of the book, Avani sits in a pile of her mother’s saris and awaits reprimanding. Instead, her mother chooses to sit with her and recall her own childhood. One by one, she shares the story of each sari, which are all described in rich detail and with vibrant imagery, “Gems of ruby red, precious pinks and amethyst purples. Hues of spicy turmeric, paprika and cinnamon brown.”

Illustration: Avani Dwivedi.

Wadhwani’s representation of the unique embroidery work from specific regions in South Asia, from chikankari to kanjeevaram, is particularly appreciated. She gently resists any homogenization by rooting each sari in the specificity of place through Mama’s recollection: “This bandhani one was from my friend whose family is from Gujarat. She gave it to me as a present to celebrate her wedding.”

Page by page, we unfold and fold micro story after micro story, until we encounter the most precious sari of all, which belonged to Mama’s grandmother (nani). Avani Dwivedi’s stunning illustrations continue the theme of unravelling; as nani’s tale is depicted on the sari, the fabric itself is weaving the tale. Through the oldest sari in the collection, we witness the displacement of partition, the longing for home, and the effort to preserve cultural and familial ties.

“And that’s why she gave it to me: so that I would remember my family’s history and always find ways to create joy,” says Mama. Wadhwani shows the young, and reminds the older reader that saris are heirlooms of memory and stories are not just found in books, but also within the walls of our wardrobes.

A nostalgic and heartening read.