VARANASI: With India stuck in a longish semifinal in the ongoing World Cup credit to Manchester weather, and cricket fever touching its crescendo, weavers here in Uttar Pradesh are working overtime on a gift that they intend to present to members of Team India once they win the coveted trophy.
The weavers are making 16 special silk saris that would be presented to the wives or mothers of the team members. The special saris have the World Cup logo and a cricket bat and ball woven into it. The blue-coloured sari has more than 400 logos.
The saris have a zari border and on the thin saffron border of the 'pallu' (trail), "ICC 2019" is written. It has taken more than one month to weave the saris.
Sarvesh Kumar Srivastava who is getting the saris prepared and has also designed them, says that the saris match the blue colour of the Team India's jersey.
"I have designed the sari myself and the weavers have been called in from Kotwa, a census town in Varanasi district. Mubarak Ali is the main weaver and his team has been working on the saris," he says.
A cricket fan, Sarvesh says that he is ready with 16 saris, each of which will be presented to the wives or mothers of the team members. "The Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has encouraged me on the project." The saris, in pure silk, weigh about 500 grams each and cost Rs 20,000 each.