Lately, media outlets have been buzzing with Saree Cancer warnings. All the noise began after a single case report from 2014, followed by a smattering of cancer cases in between, culminating in a two-patient study from April 2024. That’s right – a handful of cases of cancer somehow related saree-wearing to women’s health hazard! These unqiue cases are being weaponized to attack a garment that has graced Bharat’s women for millennia and is celebrated worldwide for its elegance.
Is this genuine medical advice or a baseless attempt to discourage Bharat’s youth from wearing traditional attire? Let’s investigate and uncover the motives behind this so-called “awareness campaign”!
Saree Cancer – A Smear Campaign
So, the DMK-supporting media went ahead and posted a video on Prime explaining how a saree can give you cancer pic.twitter.com/SQ0Ukvb41w
— Sanghi Prince 🚩 (@SanghiPrince) November 8, 2024
The saree is a garment worn by millions of women in celebration and in daily wear, over countless celebrations. Suddenly, it gets deemed a “health hazard” due to a few isolated cases of skin cancer. Recently, the big media houses; Times of India, Hindustan Times, etc.; decided to publish articles on Saree Cancer. In 2014, a study reported a single case of skin cancer related to a tightly tied waist cord and poor hygiene. Then came more single case studies from 2015 to 202. Later in April 2024, another doctor wrote about two more cases involving poor hygiene and prolonged friction.
Now, the mainstream media are sensationalizing these one-off cases, branding sarees as “dangerous.”
Is there something deeper at play? Of course! Lack of sunlight is quoted as one of the warnings, but they wouldn’t dare say that about the Hijab! The tight waistband is the primary cause, but they would talk on similar lines about skin-tight jeans or pants. In a world where trendy clothing changes faster than the seasons, the saree has stood strong as a symbol of Bharat’s pluralistic culture, versatility, and timeless beauty.
From the navari sarees of Maharashtra to Assam’s mekhala chador, the saree’s many forms celebrate the diversity of Bharat. Yet, somehow, three isolated cancer cases are all it took to label this garment a public health hazard. If that sounds absurd, it’s because it is.
“Awareness” or Agenda? A Campaign to Push Young Indians Away from Tradition
Saree = Cancer
Burqa = Culture
According to Jihadis at @TOIIndiaNews pic.twitter.com/O840hAqdSa
— Arun Pudur (@arunpudur) November 8, 2024
Let’s call this campaign what it really is – a concerted effort to alienate Bharat’s youth from their traditional dress. And all of this is under the guise of “health awareness.” What’s next? A “lungi cancer” report? The fact is, this so-called Saree Cancer or Petticoat Cancer warning isn’t about public health. It is about turning isolated cases into weapons to drive away Bharat’s new generations from their cultural garments. Hence, the reports want to encourage a replacement of cultural pride with doubt.
The narrative is subtle but clear: make traditional Indian attire look inconvenient and hazardous, and watch as the younger generation justifies their shift to Western clothing!
The irony here is laughable. Countless modern styles, from tight jeans to body-hugging outfits, can cause skin issues. The Burqa, Hijab, and other constrictive clothing cause a lack of Vitamin D due to lack of sunlight. Yet we don’t see health campaigns urging people to abandon them. So, why single out the saree? It’s time to ask who stands to gain from these “awareness” campaigns, certainly not Bharat’s cultural heritage.
Are Three Cases Worth an Anti-Saree Campaign?
Hey @TOIIndiaNews I'm wearing SAREE since decades.
My mother wore
SAREE TILL HER LAST BREATH & surprisingly
NO PETTICOAT CANCER or SKIN DISEASE was/is there.𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗘
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐆… pic.twitter.com/5b4akAvXed— 𝙉𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙖 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙧𝙖 𝐀 𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐔🔱 (@NanditaaMisra) November 8, 2024
Let’s put things in perspective. Cancer doesn’t spontaneously appear because of a saree. The few cases being cited stemmed from poor hygiene and prolonged pressure at the waist. But the media has cleverly omitted that part, preferring instead to make it sound like every woman in a saree is at risk.
If health was the true concern here, these reports would focus on hygiene and safe dressing practices across all clothing types – not just on the saree.
This anti-Saree rhetoric reeks of a hidden agenda. Instead of condemning Bharat’s timeless garment, perhaps we should look more closely at who is funding these fear mongering campaigns. Bharat’s youth and public need to ask in one voice – Are these “awareness” articles meant to educate or alienate the youth from its roots? Are these articles designed to erode Bharat’s cultural confidence, one saree at a time?
References
- Takalkar, Unmesh & Asegaonkar, Shilpa & Kodlikeri, Pushpa & Kulkarni, Ujwala & Borundiya, Virendrakumar & Advani, Suresh. (2014). Saree Cancer in Indian Woman Treated Successfully with Multimodality Management. Dermatology reports. 6. 5128. 10.4081/dr.2014.5128. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268234911_Saree_Cancer_in_Indian_Woman_Treated_Successfully_with_Multimodality_Management
- Akhtar, Murtaza & Saxena, Divish & Chikhlikar, Akanksha & Bangde, Akshay & Rangwala, Murtuza. (2015). Dhoti cancer: A waistline skin cancer with review of literature. World journal of surgical oncology. 13. 281. 10.1186/s12957-015-0698-z. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282129732_Dhoti_cancer_A_waistline_skin_cancer_with_review_of_literature
- Rai, Pranjal & Ghag, Geeta & Sanjanwala, Saurabh & Jain, Rishabh & Nandu, Vipul. (2020). Saree Cancer: a Rare Case. Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology. 11. 10.1007/s13193-020-01061-2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340924930_Saree_Cancer_a_Rare_Case