Weaving history

BENGALURU:  The launch of Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre was a celebration of the rich heirloom handlooms of India. Even the guests became a part of the celebrations as they showcased the rich culture through their couture. Karnataka made its presence felt with supermodel Lakshmi Menon wearing a heritage silk saree made by city-based boutique Vimor. 

Menon donned a light pink and golden bordered saree with Armoor silk designs, draped in a Kodava style. She paired it with shoulder-duster earrings by Vishal Kothari of Vak Jewels and a signature heritage ruby-studded brochure which was originally a hair accessory she inherited from her great-grandmother.

Pavithra Muddaya, the founder of Vimor, a handloom heritage brand, was pleasantly surprised when she saw the saree. “My daughter recognised it. Lakshmi has been a long-time customer. So immediately when we texted her, she wrote back saying ‘Of course, it’s from you’,” says Muddaya. 

Muddaya recalls the saree being weaved years ago. “We don’t have an Armoor saree in stock. We have revived this silk twice. It has its origin in Telangana. These sarees usually have golden borders and have fish designs in the pallu,” explains Muddaya. 

The saree, which is a recreation of an heirloom piece, has an interesting backstory. “It is from an old textile that we had in our collection that I had picked up in Hyderabad during a visit. I realised there was a lot of Andhra influence on the design. I then checked with textile historian Jasleen Dhamija who passed away recently. After confirming the details on the textile, we went ahead with production. So the saree was woven by a weaver in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu but the design is of Armoor silk,” says Muddaya.

Original story
Armoor silk comes from the region of Navanthapuram, now called Armoor, which is nestled among nine mountains in Telangana. One of the fastest-growing towns, it is known for weaving beautiful silk designs. Known for their extra-weft techniques, zari border, and pallu, these sarees are woven using the interlocking technique (known as ‘kuttu’ in Telugu) in order to bring contrasting colours to their borders. The motifs of the saree range from bird’s-eye, pitambaralu and, a vine-and-leaf-patterned border. The sarees are supposedly woven by a large settlement of warriors originally from Rajasthan, called the Khatris. Their dialect is a potpourri of Gujarati, Rajasthani and Marathi, with a dash of Telugu.