Design
your own drape Pranpur
Madhya Pradesh: How about buying a
beautiful Chanderi silk in your favorite color and pattern, woven right in
front of you, that too at half the price?
One
can afford such luxury only in Pranpur, a small sari hub located 110 km from
Jhansi. A large population of Pranpur is part of the weaver community and works
towards producing the Chanderi fabric.
Woven
in cotton, as well as silk, the magic of a Chanderi sari lies in its intricate
thread.
A visit to Pranpur is all about getting a glimpse into the everyday life of weavers, dyers, potters, metal casters and braisers. If you are interested, the weavers will let you try your hand at weaving
A visit to Pranpur is all about getting a glimpse into the everyday life of weavers, dyers, potters, metal casters and braisers. If you are interested, the weavers will let you try your hand at weaving
Highlight:
The place to stay is The Amraee Rural Heritage
Resort, run by the Pranpur village tourism. Nestled in an orchard of mango,
guava and custard apple trees, the place
showcases the skills of Pranpur's craftspersons from its lovely carved stone
jaalis to Chanderi drapes and sumptuous Bundelkhandi food.
Kota,
Rajasthan:
The place is famous for Kota doria weaving.
“It is a little-known fact that the self-checked saris that Kota is famous for
were originally woven in Mysore; from where some weaver families were brought
to Kota by the great patron of crafts, Maha Rao Kishore Singh (1684-1695).
The
weavers settled in Kaithoon village in Kota in the early 17th century and
gradually grew in number. Kota doria is also sold famously as Kota sari or Kota
Masuria sari.
When
visiting this sari haven, stay at the quaint colonial-style homestay by Victoria
Singh on the banks of the river Chambal.
Highlight: Most weavers in the region
are women. Also, Kota doria saris are one of the few traditional saris that
still use original silk zari and have not succumbed to the cheap synthetic zari
being used in other regions.
Nature
motifs Venkatagiri
Andhra Pradesh: Venkata giri was
patronised by local royals in the past and has woven super-fine cotton textiles
for centuries. Famous for zari cotton handloom saris that cannot be compared to
machine made ones, you can get an exclusive designer sari made for a good price
even today in this town. Fine cotton weaving is a high-skill technique but
there is little demand for cotton saris, hence fine cotton Venkatagiris are on
the decline.
Highlight: Venkatagiri's weaving colony
of Ban garupet is a picturesque cluster of whitewashed homes. On a stroll down
this place, one can spot weavers tying warps and spinning charkhas.
Maheshwar
Madhya Pradesh: A
first-hand experience of the rich textile legacy awaits you as you travel
through dusty hamlets and obscure villages in this part of the country.
Maheshwar is a small town with a rich heritage of art and culture on the banks of the river Narmada.
Maheshwar is a small town with a rich heritage of art and culture on the banks of the river Narmada.
It reached its cultural zenith during the rule of the
Holkar queen Devi Ahilya Bai (1767-95). She invited weavers from various
princely Indian states to settle in Maheshwar, and supported their enterprises
by purchasing a lot of their products.
The
weavers were asked to follow the designs inscribed on the walls of the fort. Even
today, these designs can be found on the borders of Maheshwari saris made with
only natural fibres
Highlight: One can stay at the historic
Ahilya Fort on the banks of the Narmada and enjoy some quiet meditation on the
ghats.
Ahilya
Fort itself has a charming weaving center run by the Rehwa Society. Those
interested in textiles can also visit Women Weave's organic khadi project in
the region.
