Uttariya
The upper cloth of early Indian dress, worn over the shoulder or head, an ancestor of the saree pallu.
Also: uttariyam
The uttariya was the shawl or scarf worn over the upper body in ancient and early India. It may be draped over one shoulder, across the chest or over the head. With the antariya, the lower wrapped cloth, it made a basic two-piece dress for both women and men, as shown in sculpture and painting. In time the two cloths came together in one long piece for women, with the lower part wrapped and the upper end carried over the shoulder. The saree pallu is seen as a descendant of the uttariya.