Caring for salangai and practice sarees

A dancer’s salangai and practice sarees are small things that take a lot of wear. A pair of ghungroo is struck against a wooden floor thousands of times a week, and a cotton practice saree is soaked in sweat and washed every few days. Looked after well, both last for years.

Salangai are brass bells, usually 50 to 100 on each pad, stitched onto a strip of leather or cloth, or strung on a thick cotton cord. After each class, wipe them with a dry cotton cloth to remove sweat, which tarnishes brass and weakens the cord. Store them wrapped in a soft cloth bag, not tied tightly around each other, so the bells do not dent. Keep them away from the bathroom and the kitchen, where moisture and steam darken brass quickly. Once every few months, check the stitching or cord, and ask your teacher before re-stringing loose bells, because the number on each foot is traditional.

Cotton practice sarees fade and thin with frequent washing. Wash them inside out in cold water with a mild detergent, and dry them in the shade, not in direct Bengaluru afternoon sun. Starch lightly if you like the pleats to hold. Wash darker colours separately for the first few washes.

Pin the pleats with safety pins, never sewing needles, and remove the pins before washing so they do not rust. A practice saree used three times a week usually lasts about a year. Keep two in rotation, so one is always dry.