In women's dress, South India is also home to a long tradition of checked saris, which are uncut lengths of cloth designed for draping around the body. South Indian checked saris vary widely in pattern and material, ranging from coarse cotton to silk and gold brocades. The woman in this painting is wearing a Tamil puliyam-kottadi (tamarind-seed check) sari, traditionally woven with checks in yellow and black. The example on the right is a sari of the same design, woven with a mix of cotton and silk.

Observe: The sari at V&A is similar to the puliyam-kottadi sari worn by the figure of the woman in the painting.