বিয়ের শাড়ি: কাতান, বেনারসি না সিল্ক — কোনটা কখন

Three words, untangled· তিনটা নাম, আলাদা করে

Silk is the fibre. Katan is a way of weaving it — the silk is twisted tight and woven close, which gives the firm, slightly stiff body that holds a heavy border and stands up to a long ceremony. Banarasi names a style of weaving and zari work that came from Varanasi and has been woven for generations in the Benarasi Palli of Mirpur: brocade figures, gold or silver thread, dense pallus. A saree can be a Katan Banarasi, a Katan without brocade, or a soft silk with a printed border. Once the words are apart, the choice gets easier.

Bride or guest· কনে না অতিথি

A bride's saree is looked at from every side for hours and photographed under lights, so the Banarasi weight — a heavy zari pallu, a wide border, a body that holds its pleats — earns its price. A guest's saree has to be beautiful once and comfortable all evening; a lighter Katan or a soft silk with a good border does that, and can be worn again at the next wedding without looking like a bridal piece.

The mother of the bride or groom sits between the two: rich enough to photograph beside the couple, light enough for a day that starts before dawn.

Day or evening· দিনে না রাতে

Zari is made to catch light. Under evening lamps a dense Banarasi glows; in a daytime holud or a garden reception the same saree can look loud, and a Katan in a deep colour with a narrower border reads better. If the day runs from morning to night, choose for the part that will be photographed most.

Weight and the long day· ওজন আর লম্বা দিন

A full brocade Banarasi with a heavy fall can weigh as much as a small bag, and it sits on the hips and one shoulder for eight hours. Brides carry it because there is help and a chair; guests should try the saree on before the day and walk in it. Katan is firmer than it is heavy; soft silk is the lightest of the three.

Colour, the Bangladeshi way· রং — আমাদের রীতিতে

Holud is yellow, green and marigold; the biye itself is red, maroon and deep pink; the bou-bhat leans to pastels, ivory and richer jewel tones. Guests do well to avoid the bride's colour on the biye day. A maroon Katan Banarasi is the safest wedding purchase in the country for a reason — it is right for the ceremony and wearable for years of other people's ceremonies.

Blouse, fall and the calendar· ব্লাউজ, ফল আর সময়

A heavy saree needs a fall stitched inside its lower border so it drapes and does not fray, and a blouse cut to the saree's own piece. In wedding season Dhaka's tailors run a week or more behind, so order the saree two to three weeks before the day, not two days. Our guide to blouse pieces, fall and pico explains what to ask the tailor for.

After the wedding· বিয়ের পর

Air the saree for a day, fold it with the zari inward, wrap it in soft cotton and keep it away from damp. Refold along different lines every few months so the zari does not crack at the creases. Dry-clean only, and only when it needs it. Done right, a Banarasi is worn at a daughter's wedding too.