Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

Maheshwar : A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony a glimpse into the exquisite Maheshwari handloom tradition

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar Maheshwar is a quaint town in the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh. Drowned in history, heritage and culture, The temple town is redolent with the sound of mantras and bells. This ancient city rests on the picturesque banks of River Narmada. The river bears a deep socio-cultural significance, often being referred to as Maa Reva, the epithet ‘Maa’ emphasising the prominence of the river. The sparkling Narmada with its stunning sunrises and sunsets, lazy boats, flickering diyas and riverine ghats is complimented by the majestic Maheshwar fort towering in the backdrop like a song set in stone. Home of the lustrous Maheshwari weave, a paean to the lightness of the butterfly on the loom, Maheshwar weaves history in every turn of the warp and weft.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar As home to one of India’s finest handloom traditions since the 5th century, weaving has always been a way of life for the people of Maheshwar. This weaving hub has been producing the country’s most exquisite muslin and silk fabrics since then. The craft reached its zenith under the royal patronage of the Maratha Holkar reign. But it was when Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar ascended the throne in the 18th century, that these fabrics shone the brightest. Deemed as the Golden Age, the Maharani invited skilled weavers from far off lands to come share their wisdom with the craftsmen in her land. Legend has it that when she wanted a special gift for her guests and relatives, she instructed them to weave a special 9-yard saree which she designed herself.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Origin of the Maheshwari Weave The invited master weavers hailed from Surat, Varanasi, Chennai and prominent South Indian centers of weaving. All of their prowess culminated in perfecting the Maheshwari weaves, one that would be versatile in elegance and comfort, making it suitable for all seasons. Ahilya Bai consigned the weavers to create traditional Nauvari or Maharashtrian-style nine-yard sarees, and turbans—for the royal household and also as gifts for Peshwa kings and visiting dignitaries. Exquisite turbans in yellow for the men in the army and red ones for traders and the nobility were also specially commissioned.These regal attires woven in pure cotton became a favourite amongst the royal and aristocratic crowds. What made it special was that it had pallus on both ends, which allowed it to be draped on the reverse side as well. Versatile and durable, over a course time came to be known as the famous Maheshwari sarees across the country.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Weaving Communities of Maheshwar To nurture the new weaving style and to put Maheshwar on the map as a weaving hub, Ahilyabai focussed on fostering weaving communities. Ahilya Bai is fondly referred to as Maa Saab at Maheshwar not just for her glorious reign as its queen, but for cultivating the tradition of weaving — one that became a source of livelihood & empowerment for many. Three primary weaving communities came to settle here at Ahilyabai’s behest. Of these, the Mahru was the largest, originally from Surat. The Salvis also came from Surat and Salvi women provided the services of brush sizing cotton yarn for the weaving community as a whole in Maheshwar. The Momins (Ansaris and Julahas) are the second largest group hailing from Burhanpur. They were perhaps originally from Varanasi. From this blend of weaving styles, the iconic Maheshwari sari was born and became a vital part of Maheshwar’s economy for the local community.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Binding the Community together Maheshwari handlooms are one of India’s most well-known handcrafted textiles loved the world over for their fineness, delicate intricacy and sophistication. Like most handwork, immense imagination, labour and patience go into its creation. Every woven fabric has a complex mechanism built within the loom, to achieve a desired pattern. The weavers work in tandem with the yarn dyers to create a unique design. As the loom is set and the clacking of the shuttle fills the air with a rhythmic beat – a saree is born.The Maheshwari sari is not made by one person or one community, but the entire town is involved in this craft in some way or another. This craft weaves Hindus and Muslims, men and women together in its sublime fabric. The dyers colour the yarns in rich colours after which a silk warp and cotton bobbins for the weft are prepared. Once the loom is set with the patterns for borders and motifs, the weaving starts. In the weavers’ colonies, every street is filled with the continuous clacking of wooden looms; the craftsmen are busy creating poetry in colour.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Story of the Weave Two types of handlooms are used in Maheshwar—the older pit looms which are heavy and fixed and the newer frame looms with lightweight metal frames. The latter is more in use now.The designs of Maheshwari handlooms are mostly border-based and inspired by the engravings on the fort walls. Depending on the border design used, they come as bugdi kinar, zari patti, rui phool kinar, phool kinar, chatai kinar, V kinar, kahar kinar, bajuband kinar and so on. Traditionally, a range of natural dyes were used, such as the red of the sattalu plant, the browns from harada and yellow from the pallas flower. Aal or the Indian Madder colour was used too. Today, chemical dyes are also used. A special dye called Sando Silk is used for silk threads.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Poetry in Colour The process begins by dipping the raw threads for bleaching in a special solution. This is followed by the actual dyeing process where the dyes are mixed in warm water in big metal tubs. Traditionally it makes uses of vegetative dyes with local names for the shades such as Angoori (grape green), Gul Bakshi (magenta), Aamrak (golden yellow), Jaamla (purple) and Tapkeer (deep brown). Naphthol is used to provide stability to the colours.

Then they are washed in plain water and hung on bamboo poles for drying.

The bundles of threads are untangled and reeled by using a charkha. In the case of the warping of the silk threads, a more delicate process involving a Charaka, an octagonal cylindrical frame and hooks are used. The dyed and untangled yarn is now ready for the tedious and time-consuming process of weaving by master weavers.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Behind the Weave

Brewing in Tradition

Behind the Weave

Colours of Culture

Behind the Weave

Yarns of Excellence

Behind the Weave

The Stage is set

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Warp and Weft Besides their understated elegance, these sarees are loved by women for their glossy finish and lightweight.

Despite their subtle and simple style, Maheshwari saris exude charm and sophistication. Silk thread is used in the warp (tana), and cotton in the weft (bana), imparting to the fabric a lovely, silken sheen. It is light and comfortable to drape, an ideal choice in the region’s hot weather, something you can’t do with textiles like Kanjeevaram and Banarasi. An interesting part of a Maheshwari saree is the pallu. The pallu is done up in bright colours like magenta, pink, green, mauve, violet and maroon. These are distinct with their five stripes, two white and three coloured ones, alternating. Another highlight of Maheshwari sarees is their reversible borders, which can be worn on either side.There are five kinds of weaves predominantly used in the Maheshwari saree. They are Chandrakala, Baingani Chandrakala, Chandratara, Beli and Parbi. While the Chandrakala and Baingani Chandrakala are mainly for plain sarees, Chandratara, Beli and Parbi are characterized by stripes or checks.

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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The distinctness of Maheshwari The uniqueness of Maheshwari saris lies in the designs incorporated in the weave. The body of the sari has small checks, stripes, or can be plain, but the typically striped pallu and border designs are inspired by traditional motifs or architectural embellishments found in the town’s temples and monuments. Maheshwari sarees are distinguished by their vibrant colours, unusual combinations and distinctive designs that include stripes, checks and floral borders. It is said that Ahilya bai, not being partial to floral motifs, commanded the weavers to design only geometric patterns. The weavers, therefore, drew inspiration from the ornate stone carvings on the fort and temple structures and the Narmada to derive their unique design directory. From patterns to palettes, the town and its ecosystem are a major source of inspiration whose essence is reflected in these yards of wonder.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Weaving the town into the fabric Maheshwari sarees are well-known for their simplicity and finesse, yet its speciality of the border is elusive. The border is a two-way weave and hence, making the saree reversible. Motis colloquially bear descriptive names—rui phool (cotton flower), diya (lamp), chameli (jasmine), hans (swan) and bugudi (reversible). There is a wavy border pattern is called “Narmadaji” or leheriya, inspired by the river’s ripples. The arrowhead design is called “V-border”, the karvat design is inspired by the wood saw, the jugnu zari glimmers like fireflies, baadal resembles clouds, jharokha is akin to lattice windows, eent is a brick pattern, the mat-like “half-chatai” is triangular, while the diamond-shaped “full-chatai” is called heera. The motifs are woven using pure gold zari.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Weaver Highlight : Nitin Goud When you meet Nitin for the first time, you’ll feel the rush of excitement and passion that he does. His spirit and his curiosity to learn light up the room. He is one of the most enterprising young weavers we work with. Nitin's family in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh has been weaving the traditional Maheshwari sarees for generations. Nitin also learnt the art quite early on in life. However, his priorities have always been different - he loves experimenting with designs, colours, and motifs. While he weaves in the company of his father and brother (Suraj bhaiya) at home, his mother and sister-in-law assist them with pre-loom and post-loom activities. He devotes his career to the best member of his team, his niece Ruhi - the namesake of his handloom, Ruhi Handloom.

Nitin today has a team of 8-10 weavers working with him. An alumnus of The Handloom School, he aspires for his craft to travel the world and does not shy away from trying anything new. Nitin is a man of great purpose. He understands the value of his work and strives to make an impact in the community. Not only has he helped his community with the Covid-19 crisis, but he is also a pillar for them. Being associated with Nitin, there’s always a will and way to learn. His will to make a change makes us pride ourselves in all his endeavours.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Weaver Highlight : Shahrookh Shahrookh is a first-generation weaver hailing from the small town of Maheshwar, Maharashtra. His love for weaving, technical knowledge and proficiency in the craft is really commendable. Having to master the art of weaving and perfect it all by himself shows the dedication and determination he has towards the same. A graduate and an alumnus of the Handloom School in Maheshwar, he has been working and enterprising ever since he learnt the skill of weaving. With years of experience now under his belt, Shahrookh makes sure that he doesn't rest on his laurels but keeps innovating and improving so as to produce an even better range every time. Aiding him in this task firstly is his wife, Fatima who is also an alumna of the Handloom School.

Additionally, his mother also helps him in some of the pre-loom and post loom activities.

Working on a four paddle loom, Shahrookh works tirelessly to push out intricate weaves and textured patterns that stand out from the rest. While his work isn't limited to sarees, his primary work happened to be that in material and fabrics. That slowly evolved into sarees and he has never looked back since.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Turbulent Times In the 1940s, Maheshwar was far from the prosperous golden era of the 18th century. With a skilled weaving community and exquisite textiles, future prospects seemed good, but no one could predict the effects of industrialisation. After India’s independence, everything seemed to be mill-made, and everyone seemed to like it that way. As time passed by, the community faced its own set of challenges. The gold zari threads were replaced with copper-coated synthetic fibre, compromising on the pristine silken sheen. Once a town that worked in harmony and pride to create a fabric, was now looking for sustenance. The weavers were left without a market for their beautifully hand-woven fabric and they were slowly, but surely, falling into neglect. The weavers need for patronage and support was at its peak, failing which the historic weaving tradition would be rendered obsolete.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Retro Rebrand In the 50s - 60s, amidst the cessation of the Holkar title and the subsequent abolition of the privy purse, the sari went through another change. The warp was changed completely to single-ply mulberry silk, a cheaper alternative to Resham locally known as taani, to do away with the impediment of locating the right quality of the fine cotton yarn that could be used in the warp, since the Royal family could no longer ensure that only the finest of kinds of cotton from Egypt were used in the sari. The cotton weft aspect of the weave was retained. This resulted in the modern incarnation of the Maheshwari sari. Over many generations, the Holkar family set up institutions to revive and promote this magnificent craft by building handloom schools for the next generation weavers, one that transcended all religion, caste and gender. In time, another style of the navari emerged – the half-cotton, half-Resham (or, two-ply mulberry silk) chequered Garbh Reshmi sari, literally the “silk to be worn with pride”, which went on to surpass its pure-cotton cousin in popularity due to its uniqueness.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Rehwa Revival One evening, in the year 1978, Richard and Sally Holkar were taking a stroll on the ghats during a visit to Maheshwar. The young successors of the Holkar Dynasty were stopped on their way by a man with a piece of cloth hanging off his arm. He eagerly showed them the light, fine fabric, describing the hardships his people faced due to the decline of handlooms. Encouraged by their keen interest, he asked a favour of them- to, somehow, help his people find a source of income again. The Holkars were captivated by the thought of reviving the Maheshwari handloom tradition.

In 1979, with a grant from the Central Welfare Board to train weavers, they established the Rehwa Society as a nonprofit organisation. Rehwa aimed at providing the women of this region employment while saving an ancient craft that distinguished the historical town. Today, over 130 weavers produce over a lakh of fine fabric a year which is highly coveted by top notch designers in the country. Consistent efforts by the government in the form of schemes and benefits also encourage weavers to work and pass on their knowledge to the next generation which keeps this art alive.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Bunavat & Maheshwar Bunavat is a for profit social enterprise that aims to empower local weaving communities and traditional styles of weaving by showcasing them to the world. Bnavat sources handloom weaves from local weavers and makes them available for a larger audience. Bunavat also curates specific collections with local weavers, bridging the gap between tradition and new trends. Bunavat has been actively engaged in equipping the weaving community of Maheshwar with the means to sustain their craft in the ever-changing world. From upskilling workshops, programmes and training sessions to onsite intervention, Bunavat has always looked out for avenues to push the weavers' envelope of excellence. With the onset of the pandemic,Bunavat has also extended support through specially designed developmental modules, fundraisers and need assessments. Through its sincere efforts, bunavat has made a stride in strengthening the historic Maheshwari weaving tradition. This book is also an effort to draw attention to the elegance of Maheshwari weaves by shedding light on the journey of this elegant form of art and what goes behind sustaining it.

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony

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Thank you for joining us in this movement of empowering weaving communities bunavat.com

Maheshwar: A Saga of Tradition, Royalty & Dreams woven in harmony