The textile of royalty

Oct 20, 2012 - Age Correspondent

For a Maharashtrian woman, few saris can have the same significance as a Paithani. Silken gold embroidered saris from the region of Paithan, the Paithani’s history is as interesting as the reverential space it occupies in women’s wardrobes.

The Peshwas were considered to be great patrons of the Paithani, and there are letters dating back to the 18th century in which Madhavrao Peshwa has requested the textile in pink and pomegranate hues. The Paithani had another royal patron in the Nizam of Hyderabad’s daughter, Begum Nilofer. Begum Nilofer is believed to have added to the motifs that were traditionally woven into the borders and pallu of a Paithani sari.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the Paithani is believed to have suffered a decline, finding no mention in the scholarly works on the heritage textiles of the time, but in recent years, it has seen a revival.

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