11/03/2026
There is great joy in draping oneself in antique heritage and handmade heirlooms and then there’s a different kind of euphoria when one finds the finesse of fingers to recreate old masterpieces! Where else does craft continue to create and revive with this proficiency as in my India.
This coffee brown cotton with real zari creation is a revival by my dear friend of a saree from her great grand mother’s collection. The original was most probably woven in the old weaving province of Armur on the Hyderabad side. Widely known as a paithani, it also goes by the name Shelari. The Narali or Chatai border remains typical of a paithani while the pallu has stronger Armur accents. Image 4 is of Sneha in the original Shelari and the remaining are close ups of the original textile.
Thank you Sneha for sharing this textile treasure with me and for educating me on the rich and ancient weaving history of the Deccan.
Textiles can really be a Time Machine that take you back to when craft thrived under patronage and connected the soul to the soil.
