Queen of Silks - Paithani Saree: The Pride Of The State of Maharashtra

Sarees are one of the most elegant clothing of India and Paithani Sarees hold an eminent position in the saree community. These are associated with the state of Maharashtra and get its name from the region of Paithan in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Paithan is situated on the banks of river Godavari. Paithani Saree is also called as the Queen of Silks. It is truly a work of extraordinary art and every woman dreams of having at least one of these sarees in their lifetime.

Features

What makes the saree so special, you ask? Well, it is no less than a treasure. An authentic Paithani Saree is made entirely of silk. Zari thread is used to make the designs and borders. In the olden days, silk was imported from China and Zari used was made from real gold and silver threads. Presently, mulberry silk from Bangalore is used and Zari is brought from Surat.

Unlike most traditional handloom sarees, a prominent feature of this saree is that both sides of the Paithani look exactly the same. Dye used in the making is 100% natural, i.e. the colour is extracted from vegetables. The saree also does not lose lustre and is crisp even at the folds. Paithani saree is worn by a Maharashtrian bride on her wedding. It exists as a legacy of love, and often these sarees are passed by mothers to their daughters.

Origin and Patronage

The beginning of weaving Paithani dates back to 200 BC when the Satvahanas ruled India. The charge of expanding the art was taken by the Mughal dynasty, Peshwas and Nizams. Aurangzeb in particular was very enthusiastic about Paithani and the industry flourished to a great extent during his reign. It is said that Romans bought this golden fabric in exchange for gold of equal weight. This industry suffered a setback on the outset of industrialisation during the British rule. But the Peshwas were determined to revive it and did so by bringing in few of the weavers to Yeola, a town in Nashik, Maharashtra. Since then, Yeola has been the prime centre of manufacturing Paithani Sarees.

Traditionally, only 4 communities practiced the craft of weaving these sarees, i.e. the Kshatriya, Koshti, Shali and Nagpuri. However, now there is no such restriction.

The Process

The making of Paithani Sarees is a time consuming process, also requiring a load of patience. The workers involved in this activity work tirelessly, with utmost dedication to create a wonder like that. The process starts with dying of raw silk threads with natural dyes. Since the dyes are natural, the saree is available only in few colours, i.e. red, yellow, sky-blue, magenta, green, peach-pink and purple. A single saree is usually a combination of any of these two colours.

The dyed silk threads are then loaded to the loom, which is the most difficult part and takes up to a day. The loading defines the design, colour and other details of the saree. The Paithani saree is then made carefully, owing to each and every detail of the product. This process could last anywhere between 3 months to 2 years, based on the length of the padar, detail in the motifs and the thickness of the border.

Motifs

The border and pallu is the main highlight of the Paithani Saree. There are a number of striking motifs on the pallu like Mor (peacock), Bangadi mor (bangle with four peacocks and lotus), Munia/Tota-maina (parrot-cuckoo), Ajanta lotus, Asavali (vines and flowers), Koyari (mango shape) and Akruti (almond shape). Motifs of Indian classical instruments like Tabla, Shehnai, Sambal and Tanpura are also weaved on the sarees. The borders of the saree has Narali (coconut) and Pankha (fan shape) motifs.

Previously, the motifs used on Paithani Sarees were minimal and simple. Asavali (vines and flowers) Narali (coconut), and Gol butti (round motif). Innovations came in later between the 17th and 19th century.

A six yards Paithani saree requires 500 gm of silk thread and 250 gm of zari. A nine yards saree requires more raw materials and weighs about 900 gm.

Varieties of Paithani Sarees

There are 2 varieties:

• One is the Traditional variety which takes less time to weave and has a 28-inch pallu, and,
• the other one is Brocade variety which involves complex and intricate work and as a result of which, needs more time to be prepared. It has a 40 inch pallu.

Handloom Paithani Sarees have always been around in the market. Besides, power loom Paithani Sarees are also available in the market nowadays. Machines have made the work easier to a huge extent, and a power loom Paithani looks just as good as a hand-woven one.

The price of a genuine Paithani saree starts at ₹7,000 and can go up to lakhs (millions)!

Identifying defects

Copies of Paithani Sarees are widely sold in the market nowadays. To avoid being cheated, check the saree carefully while buying. Both sides of the saree must have an exact same design, and no two Paithani Sarees look identical. There is always some difference. Also, if the price quoted is very low, then the authenticity of the saree could be uncertain. It is advisable to buy these sarees from authorised dealers.

Paithani Sarees is an apparel of the country that is worth taking pride for. For now, the craft is limited to India in terms of manufacturing, but the market has reached worldwide since ancient times.