Paithani Saree
This one is a silk sari that has been woven by hand with rich and ornamental Zari, Pallov, and border.
A genuine Paithani Saree is characterized by a Pallov with a peacock design as well as borders of a slanting square design.
This particular saree has become popular in India and abroad because of its uniqueness.
The term “Paithani” has been derived from Paithan, which is a small town situated in the state of Maharashtra in central India approximately 400 km from Mumbai. Incidentally, this place is one of the oldest towns of the Deccan.
This saree is socially and culturally related to the people of Maharashtra because of its confluence with their culture.
Interestingly, one can consider a Paithani saree to be an integral part of the attire of every bride in Maharashtra.
Raw materials utilized to make Paithani saree
The main raw materials utilized for a typical Paithani saree are silk yarn, colors, and zari.
On most occasions, charakha or sidlaghatta silk will be used as weft while Filiature silk will be used as warp.
One more significant raw material for producing this saree happens to be zari.
Even though the zari has been derived from pure gold in the past, it is made from silver at present which has made the sarees more affordable.
Mainly, 3 types of zari are used for preparing the saree for butti, border, and Pallov.
Colors utilized to make a Paithani Saree
It is a fact that you will find Paithani Sarees in different colors at present.
While some colors are pure, others result from the combination of yarns of various colors in the weave.
Typically, the predominant color in the Pallov and border is different from the color of the body.
The local names for different Paithani colors are Firozi (White-red pale green), aboli (peach-pink), Gujri (black white blend), Samprus (green-red), orphankhi (green-blue blend), kaali chandrakala, Pasila (red-pink green blend), Mirani (Black red blend), Motia (Pale pink) and Neeligunji (Blue), Pophali (Yellow), Uddani (a fainterblack), Sankirodak (White), as well as Vangi (aubegine purple). Interestingly, the darker colors of green, red, yellow, and blue are more in demand at present.
The splendor of paithani silk
These types of sarees mentioned in this article have been named after a small town situated close to Aurangabad, and these are mainly prepared from silk and are hand woven.
The final outcome happens to be a saree that is appealing and luxurious to touch and is worshiped by the makers, as well as the wearers.
The most significant thing regarding selecting these sarees for any special occasion such as a marriage ceremony or any celebration is that they come with an extensive variety of designs and styles to select from.
Most of the paithani sarees can boast of a traditional touch, and therefore, it can be somewhat difficult to find contemporary designs in them.
Common features
• Elderly ladies usually wear these sarees having plain and spotted designs.
• Paithani sarees usually feature borders with slanting square designs.
• The weaves create a kaleidoscopic effect on these sarees lengthwise as well as breadth-wise.
• The pallus are decorated with peacock designs.
• The majority of these sarees have been created from gold and silk fabrics while others are created from cotton and zari.
• The most well-known paithani sarees happen to be charkha, ciddle-gatta, and china silk paithani.
• The pallus of these sarees are decorated with motifs such as the muniya, panja, the Barwa, the Laher, the Muthada or the Asawall.
• The most well-known motifs created on these sarees consist of the Hans, The Asawall, Gautam Buddha, the Ashraffi, The Narali motif, the Bangadi Mor, the Tota-Maina, The Amar Vell, The Humarparinda, etc.
How is it possible to identify a genuine paithani saree?
The hand-woven pallu and border are considered to be the primary elements of a typical paithani saree.
Woven between the weft and warp threads, this saree virtually creates a mirror image of the opposite side’s face design of this saree.
This happens to be the primary difference between the machine-made and handmade paithani saree.
In the case of machine-made sarees, the mesh of the threads will be visible on the saree’s opposite side.
At present, different types of market techniques are used to make machine-made paithani sarees such as pruning the mesh of threads meticulously to provide the appearance of genuine paithani sarees.
However, in case you find an extensive range of colors in the same design, and an excessive number of non-natural color ranges in these sarees, then you will know that these sarees are not authentic.
Consequently, removing some strands from the threads will verify the authenticity of the silk and you should burn those individually.
It is a fact that they are going to smell similar to human hair. This will help you to understand the difference between natural and synthetic mixtures.
Preserving paithani sarees
It is advisable for you to use these sarees more frequently. After using them every time, make sure to let the sarees breathe for some time.
For this, wrap the sarees in muslin covers while storing them in a wooden chest.
Try to avoid any mica or board since these usually consist of chemical substances. Also, remember to alter the fold of the paithani sarees after using them every time.
If you find that there are some creases in the paithani sarees after using them, it’ll be a good idea to roll-press them. Never iron these sarees by any means. Use several pieces of cloves in case you want to safeguard them from insects.
If you find that there is any sign of tear or damage, it will be suggested that you talk to the manufacturer and fix that at the earliest.
Here, it is important to bear in mind that a paithani saree is going to last longer in case you use it frequently.
