A saree with a divine touch- Managalagiri

The Weavers of Mangalagiri: A Tradition of Patronage

Arts and crafts needs patronage. The weavers of Mangalagiri found a patron in the divine herself. Pilgrims who came to the ancient temple here, supported the weavers by  buying sarees from them. This became a tradition that kept the economy of the town in good shape. For centuries the weavers have served the community, and as  a result become master craftsmen whose sarees are of the highest quality.

The Magnificent Mangalagiri Saree

“So fine”, “Impossible to hand down”, “my favourite” are some of the words women use to talk about the Mangalagiri sarees. The weave is so fine that you wonder if it is a cotton saree. The reason people find it hard to give away this saree is that the weave is very strong and lasts forever. Women feel the comfort of being in cotton in this saree and favour it for this reason.

The History of Mangalagiri weaves

These sarees are plain and are for all times. The design in the pallu or border is simple as well. As the designs are of tribal origin, most of the sarees have a ribbon of gold in the border as well as the pallu. Of course, with the town becoming famous world wide for its sarees, the younger generations have made additions to the usually plain saree, such as geometric patterns and checks 

The Mughal influence on these sarees are two fold: financial and stylistic. When a nizam laid a tax on the weavers, many of them fled the village. The economy of the city suffered so much, that the taxes were cut again. This time the weavers came back to the village for good. The stylistic influence of the Mughals can be seen in the more intricate borders that have motifs such as leaves and flowers.

The Colors of Mangalagiri

The saree is dyed in every colour possible. What catches your eye would be the lovely pastels such as lavender, the palest of pinks or a pistachio green. But for those  who want bright colours , you can choose from the traditional red, green and black. And then there are the double shades. The craftsmen also bleach the yarn to supply white sarees with bright borders for those who would never want to miss out on white.

Conclusion

Cotton cools down the heat of summer. You can be simple as well as stylish, if you buy this saree.