The Story of Patola Saree: A Priceless Indian Handloom

Indian saree is an epitome of culture. It symbolises the history and rich heritage of India. Indian sarees narrate the stories of different parts of India through their designs, patterns and motifs. Be it designer sarees or traditional sarees, they make a woman look angelic and heavenly. Among all the traditional Indian sarees, Patola saree is unique and eccentric. It has the essence of Gujarat. It narrates the forgotten history of India.

Once part of the royal families, today Patola saree is worn and loved by women of all states and class. Most women prefer to wear this saree on special occasions like weddings. In some communities, this Indian saree is considered auspicious and sacred. It requires a lot of time and hard work to design this saree. It is hand woven and takes months to get ready. Nowadays, these sarees are available both in the online stores and the offline stores. If you want to buy saree online, you can find a lot of websites. Like A Diva is an online store that provides you with aesthetic Patola sarees and other designer sarees online.

In this article, we will be looking at the history, cultural significance, different types and the making of Patola sarees.

History of Patola Sarees

Pick an Indian saree and you will get to know about its origin and the entire history. Not only that, with this Indian dress, you come to know about the history and culture of the place from where it has originated. Patola sarees have their origin in the town of Patan in the state of Gujarat. So basically they represent the rich culture, tradition and heritage of Gujarat. The word ‘Patola’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Pattakulla’. It is a handwoven double ikat saree.

History says that, in the 12th century, the Salvi caste from the states Karnataka and Maharashtra moved to Gujarat to get patronage and sponsorship from the Solanki dynasty. These rajputs were ruling the parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan at that time. These Indian sarees remained popular even after the end of the rule of Solanki dynasty. The Salvi community got its name from ‘Vi’, a rosewood stick in the shape of a sword in which they would adjust the yarns to make the sarees. During that era, Patola saree defined the rich status of Indian women. Even during the marriages, these Indian sarees were given to the bride as a property.

The Making of Patola Sarees

Patola sarees are handwoven. So these Indian sarees take months to get ready. First the weavers decide the pattern. And then according to that, tie the yarn with the thread made up of cotton. The process is complex and takes a lot of time. Therefore, an experienced weaver does this task. Then comes the tie-dye process in which the yarn is tied and dyed in multiple cycles. In this process particular colours are used. It is done very carefully. These processes require a lot of patience. It can take six months to one year, depending upon the design and the length of the fabric, for a Patola saree to get ready.

Cultural Significance of Patola Sarees

Patola saree has a great cultural significance. This Indian saree is considered to be auspicious and hence is worn in many sacred occasions. It is also believed that these Indian sarees bring good luck and protect the family and the community from the evils. People in Gujarat consider these sarees to be a part of stridhan. Hence, this saree is gifted to the bride as her property in the wedding. It comes in various patterns and motifs. The pattern of lotus flowers, leaves and buds are considered to symbolise fertility.

Different Types of Patola Sarees

Patola sarees come in different patterns, designs and motifs. Generally they have abstract designs. Patterns and designs such as human figures, geometric patterns, elephants, flowers, parrots, paan (betel leaf), kalash (pitcher pot), etc are found in these Indian sarees. Inspiration is also drawn from the architecture of Gujarat to design this Indian saree. Moreover, the weavers dye these sarees with natural colours. These colours are extracted from marigold flowers, pomegranate skin, henna, turmeric, indigo and so on and so forth.

There are two most popular varieties of Patola sarees. They are Rajkot Patola saree and Patan Patola saree. Rajkot Patola saree is a single ikat Patola saree. Whereas, Patan Patola saree is a double ikat Patola saree. The weavers, resist-dye the Rajkot Patola saree vertically. Whereas they resist-dye the Patan Patola saree horizontally. In comparison to Rajkot Patola sarees, Patan Patola sarees are more expensive. Because they have more intricate designs and take a lot of time to get ready. Patan Patola sarees can be worn from both sides of the fabric, as they consist of the same designs on both the sides.

Summing Up

Indian sarees give a unique look to your getup. There is no such attire in the world that can replace the beauty of an Indian saree. These days you can buy saree online. A saree gives you a regal and elegant look. It is because of this, the attire is more special to an Indian woman.