It was traditionally on Ashtami that the laal paar sada sari made its most important appearance. This was when married Bengali women drape themselves in this specific sari for the special prayers and ceremonies of the day (Ashtamir Anjali). The white body represented purity and new beginnings, while the red border symbolized shakti—the divine feminine energy that Maa Durga herself embodied. The combination was considered especially auspicious for invoking the Goddess's blessi