Gorod or Garod or Garad or Gorod Korial is the traditional Sari worn all over Bengal during Pujas. Yes, it was worn by Vidya Balan in the movie ‘Kahaani” but, it has been there all along, the archetypal traditional Bengali Puja Sari.
These saris were reverentially brought out during the family pujas but they made many interesting social statements in upper caste Bengali society. Owning a Gorod Korial was a status symbol to be flaunted in style. Women would proudly show them off at family gatherings, especially if it was gifted by a son or the in-laws. Interestingly, these 'puja saris' were woven by weavers from both the Hindu (tanti) and Muslim (julaha) communities in Murshidabad, Shantipur, and Tangail.
Gorod silk is one of the popular styles of sari that has its origin in West Bengal. The Murshidabad district of West Bengal specializes in weaving these saris wherein the silk yarns are woven close together which imparts the fine texture to the saris.
The word “Gorod” means ‘White’. Gorod silk saris are distinguished by its red border and small paisley motifs. Silk fabric used to weave Gorod saris is not dyed which keeps the purity factor of the fabric intact and therefore these saris have a sacred importance to the women in Bengal. It is for this reason that Bengali women consider it to be ‘Shuddhhavastra’ and they wear it during morning and evening prayers and for the Lighting of the Lamps’ ceremony. The Gorod Silk is manufactured from Tussar or Mulberry Silk and is not dyed to retain the natural colour of silk. The colour white is regarded as a symbol of purity; hence women prefer to wear a Gorod sari for special occasions and religious ceremonies. Bengali women prefer not to stitch a fall on these saris to preserve its sacred quality and wear it in its purest form.
The Korial sari is a close alternative to the Gorod Silk sari. Every Bengali woman, no matter in which corner of the world she resides, prefers to own at least one Gorod Korial sari in her closet.
The border of Gorod saris is distinctive in colour, mostly red and maroon which gives it a rich look. On the other hand, Korial sari (also known as Laal (Red) Paar (Border) sari) is also identical to Gorod sari except the border which is more intense in design and rich red in colour and the texture of the border resembles that of extremely fine corduroy. What distinguishes Gorod sari from Korial sari is that the latter, Korial, contains small floral and paisley motifs across the length of the sari while the former, Gorod, is plain white in colour with plain satin red border and the problem with them is that they are almost like Paper Silk, in feel. Korial sari is mostly worn during Sindoor Khela during Durga Puja. Korial is a technique akin to Korvai or Kuppadam, in which the red border is attached to undyed spotless natural colour silk body using a triple shuttle loom. The Korial sari is similar to the Gorod sari; however, the difference between the two, though fine, is rather important. Firstly, Gorod Korial saris have a richer fabric, giving them a heavier and more gorgeous look over the simpler Gorod saris. Additionally, the border and pallu of these saris are more intricately woven and/or with gold/silver or coloured motifs in elaborate designs; the border is more intense in design and rich red in colour. Both the quality of the fabric and the complexity of the weaving add to the grandeur of Gorod Korial saris. Gorod Korial is considered as a coveted item and the natural colour of the silk makes it an expensive outfit. Tracing back to the history, one would find that the kings and zamindars in ancient times used to drape themselves in this sari to perform religious ceremonies and rituals. Maintenance: Gorod Korial / Gorod silk saris should preferably be dry cleaned or hand washed with mild detergent, shampoo or Ritha (Soap nut)
