The Pride of Maharashtra - Paithani Sarees  

Since vedic times, Paithani has been known by various names like Petnik, Suprathisthith, Poyanpur and Petnik . The history of Paithani sarees dates back to 200 B.C. when during the Satavahana era the art of weaving Paithani had flourished The silks of Paithan were so renowned that they were bartered for gold and precious stones. They were originally woven only in two places, Paithan and Yeola, two villages which are very close to the city of Nashik. Today the Paithani tradition is being kept alive in pockets of Mumbai.

According to Vandana Chemburkar, a housewife turned designer, Paithanis were manufactured with silk and silver and gold threads and came in typical colours such as magenta, purple, and parrot green, and are woven in gold threads. The speciality of these sarees are the intricate designs known as asavalli on the pallu and borders. Bird and animal motifs are common. The whole sari is sometimes decorated with motifs like the paisa, phool, tara, more, loyri, asavli and akruti. There is also the shikarkhani - a warrior and steed motif. The artistry involved in manufacturing a single piece is immense and painstaking for one can weave only a single inch of matter per day.

Considered to be a status symbol the world over, Paithani is a real treasure for those who love sarees. This much coveted saree is handed down over the generations and lovingly preserved by daughters. This unique piece of cloth was nearly on the verge of extinction. According to Vandana Chemburkar, "When I had started designing Paithanis, I found that apart from a few shops there were hardly any places in Mumbai where you could get these sarees. People had practically stopped wearing them." Her passion for Paithani had been triggered off when her husband was posted in Nashik.

"The sarees available were too loud for the taste of most people who preferred subtler shades, and so I started changing the colour schemes which are much more subdued," says Vandana, who runs Vandanas Collections. According to her, "The contemporary look of the sarees is very important. They are no longer made in the way they used to be made earlier. The gold threads have been replaced by gold plated silver threads of Surat and the silk is not authentic paithani silk but those from Kanjivaram. Also synthetic dyes are now used."

According to Vandana, "My sarees are preferred mostly during the weddings of Gujratis and Marwaris who continue to keep alive the tradition of wearing Paithanis." Vandana's paithanis cost you much less than the heavy sarees. So next time you think of adding a paithani to your collection, visit Vandana and make your choice.

By: Sharmistha Chatterjee