The dazzling colors of the elegant Paithani attracted all kinds of people right from warriors to merchants and paupers to kings. In various ceremonies, women clad in the graceful Paithani and many others keep on wondering what makes the Paithani so special. So we thought of making this answer simple for you.

The saree is nothing less than a canvas for the weavers as each and every Paithani they design is unique. It takes around 6-12 months to get the awesome royalty in its look depending on the intricacy of the pattern.

Centuries ago, silk was imported from China and zari was derived from pure gold. Nowadays, mulberry silk of Banglore and jari from Surat are used for the same.
Right from choosing the perfect golden silk and silver jari to weaving the patterns, everything is a time-taking process.
Firstly, the silk is sorted on the basis of length, lustre and strength. Then the material is bleached, dyed with brilliant shades and left to dry for about 3-4 days. The silk threads are sent for winding up and then are warped into six/nine yards sarees. The uniqueness in weaving lies in looms where all threads are keenly woven together for binding them into a heavenly structure. Then the real skill of an artisan comes into picture who dedicates his focus on the ecstatic weaving process dealing exclusively with the colors and patterns. Based on the weaving process, Paithani is calssified into 2 types- Traditional Paithani- woven with Ek dhoti i.e. single shuttle used for weaving with 2 different colors.
It is identified withtraditional motifs, Narali border & simple buttis like paisa and watana. Kadiyal Paithani- is made by interlocking. Its border is warped and weft with same colors, while the body has different colors of warp and weft. All Paithanis have a symbolic meaning attached to it with respect to the variety of colors & patterns.
So, do you know any secret behind the motifs or colors of Paithani?

anbhule paithani saree yeola

anbhule paithani saree yeola   

Paithani saree worn in San Francisco

The exquisite Paithani saree that I am wearing along with my sister is a super special gift from my sister and is of course, very close to my heart for 2 reasons:

1. It is a gift from the person I love the most.

2. It is one of the richest sarees (Read: a treasure) that has been added to my collection.

We had so much fun posing for the pictures. 3 of us were clad in our ornate Paithanis bought together in one go from the same source.

Now more about Paithani saree. Paithani Sarees are considered to be the richest sarees ever made in Indian history, made in the small town Paithan in Maharashtra are the most exquisite and finest silk sarees in the country today. An art form that has been prevalent from over 2000 years, the origin of Paithani silk sarees is traced back to 200BC in the Satvahana era in the city of Pratishthan by river Godavari and since then has impressed first the Peshwas then the Mughals and the Nizams of Hyderabad who were motivated to not just patronize these silk sarees from Paithan but introduce many new motifs and patterns which went on to become famous designs seen in the best of paithani sarees collection today. Authentic handloom paithani sarees comprise of signature peacock designed ornamental zari pallu and oblique square designed border in real gold and silver threads and make a beautiful piece of art. It is a must-have in the trousseau of every Indian woman,

Paithani is a variety of sari, named after the Paithan town in Aurangabad Maharashtra state where they are woven by hand. Made from very fine silk, it is considered as one of the richest saris in India.

Paithani is characterised by borders and a pallu with a peacock design. Plain as well as spotted designs are available. Among other varieties, single coloured and shot-coloured designs are also popular. The shot colour effect is achieved by using colour color for weaving lengthwise and another for weaving widthwise.

A pattan (Paithani) is a gold and silk sari. Paithani has evolved from a cotton base to a silk base. Earlier, silk was used in weft designs and in the borders, whereas cotton was used in the body of the fabric. Present day Paithani has no trace of cotton. There was a time when silk was imported from China. Now Yeola and Paithan buy silk from Bangalore.

Paithani is a sari made of silk and zari. It is a plain weave, with weft figuring designs according to the principles of tapestry. Traditionally, Paithanis had a coloured, cotton muslin field that often contained considerable supplementary zari patterning. However, in the 19th century, silk fields were also woven.

Due to proximity to the Ajanta caves, the influence of the Buddhist paintings can be seen in the woven Paithani motifs:

• The Kamal or lotus flower on which Buddha sits or stands
• The Hans motif
• The Ashraffi motif
• The Asawalli (flowering vines), became very popular during the Peshwa's period
• The morbangdi, peacock in bangle
• The Tota-Maina
• The Humarparinda, peasant bird
• The Amar Vell
• The Narali motif, very common

Small motifs like circles, stars, kuyri, rui phool, kalas pakhhli, chandrakor, clusters of 3 leaves, were very common for the body of the sari.

Pallu

• Muniya, a kind of parrot used in borders and always found in green colour with an occasional red touch at the mouth
• Panja, a geometrical flower-like motif, most often outlined in red
• Barwa, 12 strands of a ladder; 3 strands on each side
• Laher, design is done in the centre to strengthen the zari
• Muthada, a geometrical design
• Asawali, a flower pot with a flowering plant
• Mor, a peacock

Traditional colours

The dominant traditional colours of vegetable dyes included:

• Pophali - yellow
• Red
• Lavender
• Purple
• Neeligunji - sky blue
• Magenta
• Motiya - peach pink
• Brinjal - purple
• Pearl pink
• Peacock - blue/green
• Yellowish green
• Kusumbi - violet red
• Pasila - red and green
• Gujri - black and white
• Mirani - black and red

In the days of Peshwas, the borders and the pallu were made of pure gold mixed with copper to give it strength. The proportion was 1 kg of gold to 1 tola of copper. The combination was spun into a fine wire called the zari. In recent times, zari is made of silver, coated with gold plating. The borders are created with interlocked weft technique either with coloured silk or zari. In the border woven with a zari, ground coloured silk patterns are added as supplementary weft inlay against the zari usually in the form of flower or a creeping vine.

Two types of border are the Narali and the Pankhi.

Even if a very good weaver has woven the main body, a master weaver is needed for the intricate inlay border paths. The borders and the pallu are woven in zari regardless of the colour of the sari.

• Morbangadi : The word bangadi means bangle and mor means peacock. So morbangadi means a peacock in a bangle or in a bangle shape. The motif is woven onto the pallu, the design sometimes having a single dancing peacock. The saris using this motif are very expensive because of the design.
• Munia brocade: Munia means parrot. Parrots are woven on the pallu as well as in border. Parrots are always in leaf green colour. The parrots in silk are also called tota-maina.
• Lotus brocade: lotus motifs are used in pallu and sometimes on the border. The lotus motif consists of 7-8 colours.

Paithani Saree – History and Origin

paithani saree

Paithani saree is very popular in maharatshtra; Not only in maharashtra but also all over the india. The saree has a great legacy.

Paithani Saree History and Origin

The origin of paithani saree took place in the satvahana dynasty that existed from 2nd Century B.C. to 2nd Century A.D.

Since its place of origin was Paithan in Aurangabad, Maharashtra so this silk handloom was named Paithani.

Though the saree flourished high during the Mughal era, and even the famous ruler Aurangzeb punished the Jamdani weavers in order to increase the popularity of paithani saree .

As a result, numerous novelties were introduced in the appearance of the historical paithani saree.

While there was a period of a setback in the production and popularity of paithani saree, in the 17th century it again took up the pace during the rule of Peshwas.

Eventually, the Peshwas settled the weavers of paithani in yeola, ( Yeola Paithani Saree) which is presently the main production hub for this saree.

The paithani saree is one of the costliest affairs and said to be woven traditional poems in silk and gold threads.

It is a symbol of intellectually refined artwork.

Since it is considered no less than an ornamental treasure, so even mothers pass this heirloom to their daughters during their marriage or any special occasion.

Till date, there are paithani sarees available, which are hand woven with real silver or gold and pure silk for the elites.

Now-a-days there are numerous types of paithani sarees are introduced more about Paithani Sarees Types

You will find all types and great collection of the sarees at goldenweaves.in shop. not only sarees but also various types of materials accessories etc .

You can buy online paithani dupptta, paithani kurt a material. These material available in various design like lotus, peacock, floral etc.

Paithani Saree – A Gorgeous Traditional Saree Of Maharastra

paithani saree

Paithani Saree popularly known as ‘Queen of Sarees,’ is a trademark of Indian tradition and honor. Paithani saree is considered as one of the royal sarees in India.

The saree is an element of richness and grace just not among women of Maharashtra, but among women across the country.

Paithani Saree – A Gorgeous Traditional Saree Of Maharastra

The saree is famous for its unique weaving process, stunning artwork of silver and gold threads, and lovely motifs, all of which together make it a piece of unmatched elegance and grace.

If you are a sophisticated buyer and want to embrace the Indian culture and glory in a piece of clothing then having a paithani saree in your trousseau is a must.

What is So Special Paithani Saree?

A royalty among other sarees, paithani sarees hold a special place in the wardrobe of Maharashtrian women of all ages.

It symbolizes real Maharashtrian culture and is special as only aristocrats and royals once used to wear it. Paithani or pattan is a sari made of silk and gold.

There were times when paithani sarees was produced only for the sophisticated buyers as it was made of pure silk and hence was highly expensive.

But over time it has been evolved by the introduction of a cotton base instead of a silk base by craftsmen.

This has been done to make it more affordable so that women of all income groups can afford and adorn it.

Hence, nowadays, you can get paithani saree both in silk base as well as the cotton base, depending on your preference. 

At goldenweaves  Various types of paithani sarees and material like paithani kurta material, paithani duppatta etc.

You can buy a real paithani saree here, as we have excellent paithani sarees collection. Visit now

anbhule paithani yeola KNOW YOUR CRAFT: PAITHANI
Technique	Handloom	Distinguishing factor	Looks exactly the same on both sides
Place of origin	Paithan, Aurangabad, Maharashtra	Materials used	Silk thread and zari
Manufacturing hubs	Yeola, Maharashtra	Time taken to weave	1 month to 2 years depending on the intricacy
Type of fabric	Silk	Varieties	Traditional Paithani and Brocade Paithani
Colours	Basic colours like red, yellow, blue, purple, peach-pink, green and magenta	Price	Rs.7,000 to Rs,250,000 depending on the work
Motifs	Mor (peacock), bangadi mor (bangle with four peacocks and lotus), tota-maina (parrot-maina), Ajanta lotus, asavali (vines and flowers), koyari (mango shape) and akruti (almond shape).	Care	Do not wash after every use. Dry clean and wrap it in soft cloth or mul.

                 anbhule pzaithani yeola

How to identify a Paithani saree

• Paithani sarees are made of silk thread and zari and look exactly the same on both sides. So be warned if you find threads showing on the reverse.
• The most common Paithani motifs include peacocks, lotus, parrots, flowers and vines.
• Paithanis are found only in basic colours like red, yellow, blue, purple, peach-pink, green and magenta as the threads are dyed by the weavers using vegetable dyes.
• Because of the manual nature of the weaving process, no two Paithanis are ever exactly the same. There will always be minute variations in design.

Read More On This: How To Identify A Handloom Paithani Saree 

Price range
Passed on from one generation to the other like precious jewels, these heirloom sarees can cost anywhere from Rs.7,000 to Rs.250,000. The sarees have such a high value primarily because they are usually made from pure silk thread and the zari work on the border is usually drawn from real gold or silver. Bridal sarees often have precious gems and pearls sewn onto the border.

Care guide
The only thing you need to remember while caring for a Paithani is to wrap it in soft cloth or mul and keep it away from harsh sunlight; do not wash it after every use and dry clean only if necessary.

                                   

                      anbhule paithani yeola

Considered to be royalty among sarees, Paithani sarees hold a treasured place in the trousseau of a Maharashtrian bride. Symbolising the spirit of true Maharashtrian culture, the ‘Queen of Silks’ is called so rightly because only royals and aristocrats once wore it. Discover more about it with this history of Paithani sarees.

CLICK TO READ:
Origin and History
Weaving process
Special features
Colours
Motifs
Varieties
Current state of the art
Price Range
How to identify a Paithani saree
Care guide

Origin and history
Paithani dates back to the Satvahana Dynasty that ruled between the second century BC and the second century AD. The fine silk handloom sarees get their name from the town in which they originated ie Paithan in Aurangabad, Maharashtra and truly flourished during the era of the Mughals, particularly during the rule of Aurangzeb. He was known to punish Jamdani weavers in order to encourage Paithani and also introduced various novelties in the appearance of the traditional Paithani.

Sadly, the Paithani weaving industry experienced a setback with the Industrial Revolution and the advent of the British rule. But in the 17th century, the Peshwas took it upon themselves to promote the craft, and consequently, settled Paithani weavers in Yeola, which is now  the manufacturing hub for Paithani. From then on, Paithani experienced a new lease of life.

Weaving process
The Paithani weave was in fact a tapestry weaving technique at first and later came to be used for weaving sarees. Paithani sarees were once upon a time woven from silk threads that came from China and locally made zari that came from real gold and silver thread. Nowadays, however, mulberry silk from Bangalore and zari from Surat are used in the weaving process. A genuine handloom Paithani uses about 500 grams of silk thread and another 250 grams of zari thread for a regular six yard saree. Nine yard sarees obviously use more raw material and can weight upto 900 grams.

Firstly, the raw silk threads are dyed using natural dyes obtained from vegetables, minerals, plants and rocks. They are then transferred to the reels, which are loaded onto the loom. The preparation of the loom, which takes a whole day, is probably the most laborious part about the weaving process, as this will determine the design, colour and finer details of the finished product. The weaver then sits down to create the masterpiece that is the Paithani saree through careful hand, foot and eye coordination – a process that could take him anywhere from a month to two years. A particular colour thread is used length-wise and another colour is used width-wise while weaving. Hence, an original saree also does a play of colour as 

Special features
Available in both six and nine yards, the most interesting part about the Paithani handloom is that both sides of the saree look exactly the same. Yes, even the border and pallu. In fact, this feature is the tell tale sign of a handloom Paithani. A power loom Paithani will show threads on the reverse side. Another key feature of this saree that forms an integral part of a Maharashtrian bride’s trousseau is that it doesn’t lose its lustre and unlike other silks, doesn’t wear out at the folds.

Colours
As Paithani sarees are woven from naturally dyed threads, you can usually find them only in basic colours like red, yellow, sky blue, magenta, green, peach-pink and purple. Each saree usually has two dominating colours – one on the saree and the other on the border and pallu.

Motifs
While Paithani sarees often feature butis on the body, the highlight is always the border and pallu. Popular pallu motifs include mor (peacock), bangadi mor (bangle with four peacocks and lotus), munia/ tota-maina (parrot-maina), Ajanta lotus, asavali (vines and flowers), koyari (mango shape) and akruti (almond shape). You can also find motifs of musical instruments like tabla, shehnai, sambal and tanpura on Paithani sarees. On the borders, you will usually see narali (coconut) and  pankha (fan shape) motifs.

Customised designs are rarely made as most buyers prefer sarees with the traditional motifs.

Creations by Gaurang Shah

Varieties
Paithani sarees were once upon a time made in cotton, however, nowadays only silk is used. The handloom silk Paithani sarees are available in two varieties – Traditional Paithani and Brocade Paithani. The traditional variety with a 28-inch pallu design usually takes a lesser time to weave as the work is less intricate. Brocade Paithanis, on the other hand, have a complicated pallu design of 40 inches and hence, require a far more skilled weaver.

Current state of the art
Despite the lustrous history of Paithani sarees, today they are in a similar state as many handloom sarees are, thanks to power looms. Power loom Paithanis look as good as handwoven ones and are sold at high prices, when in fact they are just one-tenth the cost. This is extremely unfair because it lowers the demand for handwoven sarees, robbing weavers of their livelihood.

In recent times, there have been many efforts made to promote the handloom. The New Wave Paithani Festival is one such endeavour to celebrate the exquisite Paithani drape. Curating the exhibition for over 10 years now, Sanniddha Bhide says, “This festival is more about educating people about the importance of buying a handloom saree over a power loom saree, and distinguishing between an authentic Paithani and a fake.” The five-day festival was first curated by Saroj Dhananjay in 1989 to create a healthy market for weavers from Yeola and Paithan, where the silk originated and to raise awareness about this unique handwoven silk.

Sanniddha is glad to note that the new generation is aware of different handloom sarees and she attributes the credit for the same to designers and actors alike. “Sonam Kapoor and Vidya Balan are often seen wearing woven sarees for red carpet and global events,” she says. At the same time, designers like Neeta Lulla and Gaurang Shah have taken the Paithani to the ramp.

 anbhule paithani yeola

The Border and Pallu

The Paithani attains its winsome features on account of its charismatic borders and pallu. There was a time when pure gold was used with copper to give it strength for the borders. Now it is silver zari with gold plating. Borders are created with interlocked weft technique with coloured silk or zari. When zari is used, ground coloured silk patterns are added as a supplementary weft in the form of flowery vines.

There are  two types of borders – the Narali and the Pankhi. It is the crafting the inlay border paths that is quite complex and intricate and requires a lot of skill. The borders and pallu are woven in zari irrespective of the body colour.

Motifs are one of more of the most attractive features on the Paithani. The motifs on the Body and the Pallu or end piece are quite different.

The influence of Ajanta and Ellora cave sculptures and Buddhist paintings have evolved a typical range of motifs for the main body. They include the Lotus flower, swan, gold coin or Asharfi, flowering vines, the encircled peacock bird within a bangle, parrot-mynah, the pheasant bird and the Narali. Small circles, stars, three leaf cluster too are sometimes used as motifs.

The pallu being the front portion or the attractive feature of the saree has a different lot of motifs. The Peacock or Mor is the most popular and features quite large on the pallu field. Others include Muniya, the green parrot used generally for borders, Panja a flowery design,Barwa or the 12 strands of a ladder with three strands to one side, the Laher design done central to the pallu, and the Asawali or flowering plant.

Colour is the a third major attraction of the Paithani silk. Using Vat dyes and Acid dyes and selecting from a range of 400 plus shades, the yarn is first bleached and then the dyeing process done. Powder dye is mixed well in the vat, acid mixed for fixing the colour and a little coconut oil added to give the softness and lustre. The yarn is then dipped in the mix, pressed downwards with copper rods to soak it well, then removed and washed several times, squeezed and finally put out to dry in shade.

Popular colours are red, yellow, lavender, purple, sky blue, magenta, peach pink , purple, green, black and white and mixes, that were once used in vegetable dyes. But with artificial dyes, this range has increased manifold.

Classification of Paithanis are done generally according to three criteria – motifs, the weaving, the colours used.

Based on motif we have:

• The Bangadi Mor or single dancing peacock in a bangle of noticeable dimensions on the pallu. This is supposed to be most popular and expensive.
• The Muniya brocade having tota maina or parrot mynah on the pallu and border in leaf green
• The lotus brocade with the flower in seven or eight colours

On the basis of weave it could be

•  Kadiyal border saree – where the borders are of the same colour but there are two different colours in the warp and weft of the body weave.
•  Kad or Ekdhoti – where the colours of warp and weft are different and the body has a narali border and simple motifs.

Taken on basis of colour it would be

• Kalichandrakala for a black saree with a red border
• Raghu for a parrot green coloured sari
• Shiroda for a pure white one

The making of this pride of Maharashtra and India, involves an elaborate process of cleaning the silk threads, dyeing them in the requisite colours, drying and then separating the threads very carefully. It is then the carefully wrapped warp and the reel wound wefts that are brought together in an elaborate pattern of interstices that completes this fascinating yarn of finesse.

There are three methods of weaving that could be used. The split tapestry weave, the interlocking method, the dovetailing method.The weaving of a Paithani saree does not involve any extra weft forming figures. Instead the figures are formed by a plain tapestry technique.

The Paithani is today affordable to a sizeable section of the market. On account of the purity of materials and the elaborate finery, the saree is quite heavy and worn for exclusive occasions only. It is jealously treasured to be displayed on those weddings, festivals, functions, grand parties, that call for it.

The Paithani remains to this day as exclusive and counted as it always has been.

 anbhule paithani yeola

The rich-look Paithani sarees have a plain or spotted body, a characteristic square design with its variations on the coloured borders and a typical Peacock design on the pallu or end-piece.

Known for the more popular kaleidoscopic variety that displays a fine shimmering effect on account of more than one coloured silk thread being used in the weave, this saree of pure silk and silver zari is not only costly but also a much sought after and prized possession on account of the richness of the fabric.

A plain weave, the Paithani gets its exquisite look from the special way in which the pure silk weft interstices with the silver zari on the warp. There could be two different borders for the body which would involve different silk wefts for the borders and body. Additional complexity would come in when the pallu is also taken up separately. This not only calls for skill but tremendous calculation as well.

There are three types of silk that are used in making Paithani sarees

Charkha – the most common and widely used, but dull looking and quite uneven.

Ciddle gatta – the more expensive, thin, smooth, shiny and even variety

China silk – the really expensive one and sparingly  used.

Procurement of silk is made from Bangalore.

Golden zari is available from Surat and Yeola but with costs becoming prohibitive, the leanings are more towards shiny silver zari from Surat.

Fine strands of silk are used in the warp, while light but higher density twisted silk is used in the weft. The Paithani naturally gains weight on account of the silk and heavy zari finery that could reach upto 1.5 Kg. The warp is made by rolling on pegs or drums and in the form of a ball at the back of the loom enough for the making of two saris. The three shuttle weaving adopted for two borders and plain body could have an additional pallu or end piece warp of silk twisted on the main body. When the zari threads on the warp mingle with the silk threads from the weft with an interlocking design, the dazzling tapestry effect of the Paithani is visibly displayed.