Famous Venkatagiri Sarees Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh is a major contributor in the handloom industry. It has given artworks like pochampally, venkatagiri, garwal, uppada etc. which are famous worldwide.
Venkatagiri is a town situated in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh which was under the kingdom of Venkatagiri Rajas.It is famous for its venkatagiri sarees which are made from cotton fabric. These sarees are also known as “Rajamatha” sarees.
The history of venkatagiri sarees dates back to 1700s when they were specially woven for queens and royal ladies.
Back then, these sarees were purchased for such handsome amounts that the weavers could survive with that sum of money for almost a year until they got their next order. Exclusive designs were made by the weavers on special order for the upper class only.
Venkatagiri sarees are famous for their fine weave. The artwork was registered under Geographical Indication from Andhra Pradesh in 2009. These sarees are among the most durable and softest sarees made in India.
Very fine spun cotton yarns of mostly 100s and 120s are used for warp and weft. Jamdani technique, imported from Bangladesh is mostly used during the weaving for creating beautiful motifs together with designs made from thick colored yarns.
The edge of the saree is woven with golden border while the pallu contains heavy work of brocade with motifs worked in gold. These sarees give a very classy look and can be easily carried by anyone because of their light weight as compared to other heavy work sarees which are difficult to carry and often becomes uncomfortable for some people.
Venkatagiri sarees come in many varieties. Venkatagiri 100 is the lightest among all varieties and the most popular also. Venkatagiri silk is made up of fine silk using the famous Jamdani technique.
Another variety of this artwork is the Venkatagiri pattu saree which has a border made out of zari using Jamdani technique and the center is worked up with floral motifs.
The sale of Venkatagiri sarees has dropped to a large extent. The Geographical Indication which it got could not affect the sales much. Weavers believe that their work is not given enough publicity which is the main cause of the decline in the sales.
The designs of Venkatagiri are copied in Tamil Nadu and produced on power looms. This has also caused a major setback to the authentic artwork of venkatagiri.
In order to curb this issue and to attract younger women towards this artwork, the weavers who had 8-10 designs of venkatagiri have now added around 400 more designs. This idea did help the receding sales as more young women are seen flaunting various venkatagiri designed sarees during several occasions.
By Aaliya Khan
