Karvati Sarees - Handcrafted Splendours of India

 

The origin of Karvati sarees can be traced back to the 18th century CE in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. These sarees hold a geographical indicator (GI) tag.

These sarees are handcrafted using Tussar silk cultivated in Bhandara, Vidarbha, Gondia, and Nagpur regions and are highly regarded for its quality and colour.

The word ‘Karvat’ is a Marathi term that refers to a saw-teeth pattern. The Karvati saree derives its name from its border design which resembles saw teeth.

A Tussar Karvati Saree is woven with three shuttle weaving to have a solid color border and body. The body is woven in natural colored hand-spun raw Tussar yarn while the border is woven out of mercerized cotton yarn in bright colours with traditional temple motifs of various sizes using an extra warp. Each saree takes 8-12 days to weave based on the intricacies of the saree apart from the time taken for preparing the warp and other preparations and is a perfect example of the dexterity of the weavers in this region.

The Karvati sarees are worn at auspicious rituals and functions in the Vidarbha region and are a symbol of celebration and prosperity. They can make for a beautiful heirloom treasure that can be passed down from generation to generation.

These sarees were almost on the verge of extinction due to low wages for the weavers. However, due to the initiatives taken by the Government of India to revive the dying art form and the efforts of some handloom enthusiasts, the Karvati sarees have once again become popular and are in huge demand in the market.