Ezhu Isai Pattu By My Friend Vaidyanathan Pushpagiri

-Saree for a Queen - Can the Queen of Hearts afford this behemoth of a Saree tilting the scales at 8 Kgs and costing Rs. 40 Lakhs ?



On 28th November 2007 Chennai Silks, a textile unit in Tamilnadu, came up with one of its kind of a Pattu Saree, a most expensive and unique saree that the human mind has ever visualised. The sari studded with gold, diamonds, emeralds and other precious stones. The saree which cost Rs 40 lakh and tips the scales at eight kilograms. The saree which is meticulously woven with 12 precious stones and metals to depict 11 of Raja Ravi Verma’s most popular paintings. Explicitly projected are the ‘Lady Musicians’, one of the painter’s very famous work of art that displays women belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds.
Besides, the border of the saree depicts another set of ten other paintings that pays tribute to this 20th century artist. The saree's best part is that the women in the paintings are intricately hand-woven and embellished with jewels of gold, diamond, platinum, silver, ruby, emerald, yellow sapphire, sapphire, cat’s eye, topaz, pearl and corals and integrated with threads made of precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum exactly as it is found in the original painting.
This is the first silk saree that required the use of 7,440 jacquard hooks and 66,794 cards during the weaving process.A group of weavers ( 30 men and about seven months) took nearly 4,680 hours to complete this work of weaving this one masterpiece.


The AGM of Chennai Silks K.V. Sriram told the assembled guests: "The most special thing about the sari is the Ravi Varma painting which has been woven into it. All the intricate details in the painting have been replicated like the curly hair of the ladies and the jewels they are wearing."
And the Raja Ravi Varma Painting that inspired the creation of this 8 Kilogram behemoth of a Pattu Saree?

The last I heard, Raja Ravi Varma, the Pride of Kerala, is turning in his grave. A painter of no little merit, the pallu of this exotic creation in gold zari and red pattu depicts one of his very exquisite paintings. A group of ladies in their finery languishing for their beloveds on an evening, in the front courtyard of their mansion. Specifically chosen to display the artistic merit and craftsmanship of the goldsmiths of the South. Apart from the jewellery, this painting depicts several traditional styles of draping the saree.
I do not know, which husband has the money to throw and buy his better half, an eight kilogram saree which would weigh like a hippo on her and make her lissome moves a very hard one to choose between.
All this set me thinking. What is a saree? A charming folktale explains.......
"The Sari, it is said, was born on the loom of a fanciful weaver. He dreamt of Women. The shimmer of her tears. The drape of her tumbling hair. The colours of her many moods. The softness of her touch. All these he wove together. He couldn't stop. He wove for many yards. And when he was done, the story goes, he sat back and smiled and smiled and smiled."............
Charming indeed it is, but fanciful? Oh well, I leave it to the connoisseurs to debate the point.
To most of us, it is a six yard long and 45-48 inches in width, unstiched drapable female traditional garment made of lightweight cotton, silk, or material of a synthetic nature mosly prevalent in India, Bangla Desh, Nepal and Sri Lanka and wherever the Indian diaspora are living. This lengh of material is divided into three areas, which can be identified easily like the Borders or "Kinara", the Body or the "Jamin" and the End Piece or "Pallu".
One of the most sensuous of attires- the saree, adorns a woman to become modest and attractive in it. There is something mystical about the way one wraps, folds, tucks and drapes a seamless piece of cloth : creating a form from the formless, something out of nothing. The saree both conceals and reveals, depending on the imagination of the weaver. One need not try it out for sizes, as a single piece of clothing suits all - fat or thin, short or tall. The traditional 6 yards allows for generous pleating and draping around the body and over the shoulders. The Pallu is thrown over the left shoulder and has various end uses. It becomes a light shawl, in case of a light chill in the air, and becomes a head gear if the wind is nippy and very cold The saree is so practical to wear that you are never out of fashion, or disrespectful towards your in-laws.
I think, there is no end to the peans one can sing to this gracious Indian attire whose simplicity and charm have captured many a brave heart.
One can see the best of the Conjeevaram Pattus, either during the marriage season in the South or the December Kutcheries. Mamies from Mylapore vie with each other to dazzle the others with their collections of Conjeevaram Silk Sarees, from the dozen or so shops in Mylapore and T.Nagar who vie with each other and wage what has come to be known as a Saree War.

We all have heard about the Star Wars, but a Saree War?
With changing times and tastes, tradition also moves forward and sarees get branded, with fierce competition forcing the textile units to innovate and offer rich variety in their choices and selections. Vivaga, Ishwaryam, Reversible, Maya, Parampara, Vastharakala and the list goes on : the brazen attitude is "you name it and we have it".
I give below a partial list of those branded Silk Sarees and the textile units which market them: (apart from Chennai Silks whose branded sarees are known as Vivaaga Sarees)
Pothy's have come out with Kaadhal Kavya Pattu Sarees, a silk soft like the Poetical love of young lovers. It signifies the red cheeks of the lover, the ethnic green of enduring relationship, and white -signifying purity of thought and heart.
Meera Jasmine, the cine artise is the Brand Ambassador for their Samudrika Pattu, which extols the sarvalakshnams of a woman. Temples and our heritage palaces are not left out, and their weavers, have come out with Vasthrakala Silks. - North Indian art work embellished in the traditional South Indian Conjeevaram Pattu Saree.
And last but not the least, the famous Carnatic Singer, Sudha Raghunathan is the Brand Ambassador for their Parampara Conjeevaram Silks, which glorifies the thousand flowers a woman could wear in a single life span. There are more than 1000 flower designs in a Saree!!
All of us have heard of the Raaga, Amrithavarshini, which when sung soulfully brings down torrential rains! But Kumaran Silks have brought out a light weight saree in comtemporary designs under the Amrithavarshini, brand name which makes the wearer cool and comfortable as if enjoying the Marghazi charaal.
RMKV also bit the bit. Yes, RMKV are far, far behind. I know, not long ago, they had their fifteen minutes of glory. They dazzled this city with their reversible Saree / Pallu combination, and also gave a boost to the painters, by weaving a saree with one square inch per colour. Passe, verily passe. It was incredible to see good old “Jyo” thika, shimmer in her resplendent and exquisite ensemble. Finally those days are gone. Gone forever.
But this season, they are slowly waking up from their deep slumber. Nagasu Pattu, their brand has embossed designs on the body, which is yet to catch up with the cognoscente.
But then, Sri Kumaran Stores enthralled the office goers with their 'Maya Sarees' which changed colour when the saree was exposed to sunlight.

All things said and done, one still yearns for the simple and elegant MS Blue Conjeevaram Silk Saree which was the rage of the cognoscenti then and now.[Connoisseurs of silk saris in Tamil Nadu call a rich double-color of ink-blue and black threads, favored by the singer, M.S. Subbulakshmi as M.S. Blue.]
Well, what or who is holding you back?
Regards.

Hello Mrs Sunkan,

(I guess ur name is Sundari),

It was really a good post. Sari of 8 Kgs . When and how can we wear it and move around?
Generally we see that most of the ladies rarely use their muhuratha pattu sari...it will come out only during some weddings in the family...now who is going to crave for the heavy ones..maybe somebody will love to own it.....certainly not me. I love the simple ones....which will easily flow and not stand stiff while putting the pleats..

U have rightly mentioned there is "something mystical about the way one wraps, folds, tucks and drapes a seamless piece of cloth : creating a form from the formless, something out of nothing." .

bye...

Sunkan,
I saw this article in the TV news too!
Maybe they are weaving this to get into the Guinness Book of Records!
with the weight of 8 kgs + our weight, are we able to move or sit like a doll.
If slim people wear this, they are sure to fall down!
Maybe this is can be a collectors item!

sriniketan

Originally Posted by Sriniketan

Sunkan,
I saw this article in the TV news too!
Maybe they are weaving this to get into the Guinness Book of Records!
with the weight of 8 kgs + our weight, are we able to move or sit like a doll.
If slim people wear this, they are sure to fall down!
Maybe this is can be a collectors item!

sriniketan

U R right Srini.....it is just to enter into the Guinness Book of Records!! Now its arch rival will start weaving some other ideas to outdo them.....