Introduction to Narayanpet Sarees:

A small town in the Mehboob Nagar district, Narayanpet lies in the border between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Among the quaint setup of small jeweler shops and grocery stores by the streets, huddled houses and small lanes and by lanes is a peculiar clacking of looms echoing on the busy streets that are draped with sarees. Take a closer look and one will know that most doors on these streets open into the homes of weavers of Narayanpet sarees who interestingly come from every community and religion and co- exist harmoniously. Highly skilled artisans, there are Telugus, Marathis and Kannadigas and both Hindus and Muslims who work together to create magic with their fingers. And interestingly, this harmony reflects in their weave too that bare resemblance to handloom sarees from Karnataka and Maharastra.

History and Origin:

History has it that weaving of Narayanpet sarees began in the year 1630 AD by the great Maratha King, Chathrapati Shivaji  Maharaj. So impressed was he with the vibrant drape of the women of this region that the town got its royal Maratha patronage. The other version of the story is that when he camped here in 1630AD, some of his weavers stayed back and developed the weave in this region the reason why one can see a lot of Maharashtrian influence in its weave.

Characteristics & Features:

The most beautiful quality of Narayanpet sarees is that these sarees in both silk and cotton can be worn all-round the season by women of all age groups for all kinds of occasions. The special feature of these sarees is their wide spectrum of vibrant festive colors along with their contrast borders and pallus. Some of the silk sarees are adorned with zari designs and they are best suited for festivals and get together. Considered auspicious and pious, they make an apt wear for religious ceremonies too.

In 2012, Narayanpet sarees got its Geographical Indicator (GI) registration with the government of India.

Weaving Process:

One of the most exquisite and distinct qualities of Narayanpet sarees is their adoption of the most unique and exclusive process of weaving where the loom has the capacity of producing 8 sarees in one go! Thus instead of the standard 7 yards of fabric being mounted on the loom, 56 yards of Silk are mounted on the loom at a single time. Woven in a variety of fabrics like silk, silk cotton and cotton, only natural or vegetable dyes are used in producing different hues. The actual weaving starts after the degumming, dyeing and drying process.While production of Narayanpetsilk sarees take about 4 to 5 days, the Narayanpetcotton sarees take lesser time.

Patterns, Colors & Motifs:

Narayanpet sarees generally sport plain vibrant colors with contrast pallus and borders. The ones weaved for occasion wear feature small zari stripes on pallus & borders. While cotton sarees are mostly plain with coloured checks on the body sometimes to lend them that ethnic look, the Narayanpet silk sarees have a distinctive style of their own and are influenced by the styles evolved in Maharashtra with the patti (stripes) border and a broad pallu known as the top-Tenni pallu. The borders and pallus of these sarees are very traditional that are characterized by a rich pallu with a unique pattern of alternating red and white bands. The border is usually a flat expanse of deep maroon red or chocolate red, thinly separated by white or colored lines.

Price Range:

One of the most important reasons for the popularity of Narayanpet sarees is their affordability since no other silk or cotton saree this pure is in this price bracket. A typical Narayanpet silk saree can be in the range of Rs. 4000/- to Rs. 6000/- while a cotton saree is lesser and may range anywhere between 2000/- to 3000/-

How to Identify a Narayanpet Saree:

Narayanpet sarees can be easily distinguished from the rest of the weaves with a checkered pattern it sports along with the unique patti border and top- tenni pallu. The borders and pallus of these sarees are very traditional that are characterized by a rich pallu with a unique pattern of alternating red and white bands. The border is usually a flat expanse of deep maroon red or chocolate red, thinly separated by white or colored lines.

Wash and Care Guidelines:

• The most comforting aspect of Narayanpet sarees is that they need less maintenance compared to other silk sarees.

• Use a mild detergent after two or three plain washes. Do not keep the sari soaked in detergent for long.
• Do not brush or lash a silk saree as it would lead to tearing of the silk or zari.
• Wash pallu and border separately in the beginning.
• Do not bundle it or keep it wet for a long time.
• In case of stains, wash with cold water immediately.
• For hard stains, get the sari dry cleaned.
• Do not bundle the wet sari along with other garments liable to cause staining.
• Chlorine bleach should never be used on silk as it damages the silk and causes it to yellow.

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