India is world famous for its multiplicity of languages, cultures and even attires. However, the little fact is the country's diversity in fabrics. Historically, each kingdom patronised a different set of weavers, who went on to produce different styles of fabrics.
Though the north is represented by Banarasi saris and the south by Kanjeevaram saris in the popular national narrative, there are several local varieties of fabrics that shaped people's imagination in different regions. The cotton fabric woven at Gadwal, nearly 200 km south of Hyderabad, dominated people's lifestyle in this region. Developed under the patronage of Maharani Adi Lakshmi Devamma of Gadwal Samsthanam, a small princely state under the Nizam of Hyderabad, Gadwal saris are known for their delicate cotton base and rich zari work.
Several generations have intensely fond memories of Gadwal saris, which make them an intrinsic part of people's culture and heritage. "I am married into a Telugu family and I still remember all my family members wearing a Gadwal sari at the wedding 15 years ago. My mother-in-law also gifted me a Gadwal sari for the wedding.
So I am very nostalgic about Gadwal sari. I still have it in my collection and the fabric continues to be great," says Vidya Rani, a homemaker from Hyderabad. In spite of the popularity of Gadwal saris among people, its weavers are going through a tough phase owing to rising costs, slow and outdated manufacturing process and price inelastic demand.
About 15 yea.
