‘Bike Sari Guard’! Sarees, dresses and long skirts are safe from getting caught in the wheel of a bike! The history of this desi game of two-wheeler!

The ‘Sari Guard’, which appears to be just a mesh or skeleton, is actually a very unique and proud part of the Indian two-wheeler culture. When many international brands came to India, they had to bow down to this ‘desi jugada’ of India. The history and significance of this unique rakshakavacha that protects the dress of Indian women is worth understanding.

1. History and Legal Obligation of Sari Guard

This history begins with the Road Traffic Act of India. When the use of two-wheelers started to increase in India, a major problem emerged. The main dress of Indian women is saree, salwar-kameez- todhani or long skirt. After sitting on the back seat, these loose clothes got caught in the rotating wheel or chain sprocket of the bike and started causing terrible accidents.

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As a solution to this, the Government of India made it legally mandatory under Rule 123 of the ‘Central Motor Vehicle Rules’ (CMVR) to fit a ‘Sari Guard’ on every two-wheeler sold in India.

2. Foreign brands and India ‘Desi Jugaad‘

When global brands like Royal Enfield Bullet, Harley Davidson, Triumph, BMW or KTM came to India, their original design did not have a sari guard. Because women don’t wear sarees and sit on bikes in foreign countries. However, if one wants to do business in India, it is necessary to follow this rule. As a result, these international companies had to modify their multi-crore designs to add a ‘sari guard’ on the left side just for the Indian market.

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3. Saree and Tochani: On the Highway ‘The silent killer‘

Nowadays many youngsters remove the sari guard to give the bike a sporty look, which is very dangerous.

Accidents in a moment: If a piece of saree gets stuck in the rear wheel of a speeding car, the wheel gets jammed.

Serious injury: There is a risk of the rear passenger being strangled by the cloth being pulled into the wheel or the person being thrown directly onto the road. In such cases, the saree guard becomes a strong ‘shield’ to prevent the garment from coming in contact with the wheel.

In short, the saree guard is not just a piece of iron, but an important innovation that respects Indian culture and women’s safety. To pull it off in the name of style is to invite an accident.