Maheshwari Sarees – Fit for a Queen

The beautiful Maheshwari sarees are among the most popular sarees produced in India. These sarees are in demand not only in India, but also in international markets. This article aims at studying the origin of the Maheshwari saree, the motifs and colors used and the other special features of the saree.

History of the Maheshwari saree

These sarees are largely produced in the town of Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh. The origin of the Maheshwari sarees dates back to the 18th century, when the state of Indore in Madhya Pradesh was ruled by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar.

According to legends, Queen Ahilyabai ordered craftsmen from Surat and Malwa to design special 9-yard sarees to be gifted to royal guests and relatives. The sarees that were produced by these craftsmen became popular as Maheshwari sarees. It is believed that Queen Ahilyabai herself created the design of the first saree. These sarees were originally worn by the ladies of royal status, but nowadays, they are available in both national and international markets.
Designs

The designs in the Maheshwari sarees were inspired by the detailing on the walls of the Fort of Maheshwar. The popular designs used in these sarees, which were inspired from the designs on the fort walls are the Chatai pattern that is the Mat pattern, the Chameli ka phool pattern that is the Chameli flower pattern, the Eent pattern that is the Brick pattern as well as the Heera pattern that is the Diamond pattern. These designs are found on Maheshwari sarees even today.

Material used

Originally, the Maheshwari saree was made of pure silk. Then in course of time, these sarees began to be made in pure cotton and with a mixture of silk and cotton (silk yarn in the warp and cotton in the weft). Nowadays, wool is also being used in the production of Maheshwari sarees. These sarees are extremely light in weight and present a sharp contrast to the Kanchipuram sarees of South India.

Colors

Maheshwari sarees were initially made only in dark shades like red, maroon, black, purple and green. Today, these sarees are also being made in lighter shades and gold and silver threads are being made use of. In local dialect, the most popular colors used in Maheshwari sarees are Angoori (grape green), Dalimbi (deep pink), Gul Bakshi (magenta), Jaamla (purple), Tapkeer (deep brown), Aamrak (golden), Rani (deep pink), Dhaani (green) and Kaashi (light purple). Usually, vegetable dyes are used in the preparation of these sarees.

Varieties

These sarees usually have a plain body or have stripes or checks of different varieties. Some of these varieties are highly popular and are known by different names. The Chandrakala and the Baingani Chandrakala are examples of plain Maheshwari sarees, while the Chandratara, the Beli and the Parbi are examples of striped and checked ones.

Special features

The unique feature of a Maheshwari saree is its reversible border. The border is designed in such a way that both sides of the saree can be worn. This is locally known as Bugdi.

The cotton that is used in these sarees is brought in from Coimbatore in South India, while the silk is from Bangalore and the wool is imported from Australia. The processing of the raw material is undertaken in Kolkata and the saree is woven by the women of Maheshwar.

An original Maheshwari saree can cost anywhere between Rs. 1500 to Rs. 5000.

Rehwa an organization committed to the Maheshwari tradition

The Maheshwari sarees began losing their popularity and were almost on the verge of extinction at the time of Independence. During this period, the non-profit organization Rehwa was created by Richard Shivaji Rao Holkar and Sally Holkar to provide a new life to this dying tradition.

Rehwa is located in the Fort of Maheshwar, from which Queen Ahilyabai Holkar used to rule Indore. It has its own retail outlets in Mumbai and New Delhi and most of its sales take place through other private retailers.

Rehwa plays a vital role in helping the workers produce these sarees and in marketing them nationally and internationally. Rehwa constitutes 160 weavers and has a staff of 300. It employs 1500 looms. The total turnover generated by this organization is Rs. 40-50 crore. The main national markets of Rehwa are Delhi and Mumbai, while the major export markets are France, Germany and U.K.

Besides sarees, Rehwa has also encouraged its weavers to produce dupattas and shawls, which have been accepted by patrons. It has also launched Ahilya a collection of traditional Maheshwari sarees and latest ones.

According to Mr. Holkar, Rehwa is all set to reach a great level with its new products, new markets and new ventures.