This is an ancient town on the banks of the River Godavari, going back to the 4th century BCE. It’s golden era was during the Satavahana rule and finds mention even in Greco Roman history when Romans brides would avidly wait months for the exclusive sarees woven here.
It was a logical next stop in my mission after Yeola. One rainy day in Aurangabad, when the downpour was so heavy that good sense demanded I stay home, I ventured out with a car and driver to go to……yes, Paithan, as this town came to be known in the Peshwa period !
We did make it to Paithan, but I was able to meet only a Himroo weaver. The story is that in the 14th century CE, when Mohammad Bin Tughlaq’s mission to move his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad failed due to a water shortage and in 7 years, he had to move back to Delhi, the weavers stayed back. These were the Himroo weavers. They made shawls and bedspreads. These were lavish weaves in cotton and silken or gold threads to be used by nobles and royals.
I spent some time with this weaver, marvelling at the beauty of the Himroo shawls, soft, identical from both sides, and remarkably similar to the Banarasi weave; wherein lies another theory, that these weavers were trained by Banarasi weavers.
It was raining incessantly, and I decided to head back to Aurangabad.
But the next day, the weather was beautiful and Paithan was just 51 kms away. Learning from my Yeola experience, I thought why not make a picnic of it ! My ever supportive husband and I set off for Paithan.
I reached out to a weaver I had met in Mumbai, winner of a National Award. He is a “paramparik” weaver, a stickler for tradition, a purist. I found this to be a common thread among the other weavers too. They are very proud of their work and have maintained their authenticity over centuries.
There were key differences between the Paithani sarees from Yeola and the sarees from Paithan.
The Yeola sarees are cheaper because the weaving technique is simpler; a Yeola Paithani can be woven in about 15 days. Another difference is that the weavers are more ready to try new innovations and ideas and have a more commercial approach to business because they are geared for the wedding market, where people come to Yeola for the wedding ‘Basta’ i.e. not just the wedding trousseau but also the gift shopping.
The weavers of Paithan are simple in the presentation of their work, there is no branding; the Paithani saree itself is the brand. The sarees are exclusive and very expensive, geared for the luxury market. The weavers maintain the original weaves, influenced by Persian art and drawing from nature in and around Paithan, Aurangabad and the Ajanta caves . Unique to the saree are the intricate motifs like the Tota-Maina or bird motifs, the Bangdi-Mor (peacocks inside a bangle), the Vel or flower creepers, the Lotus from the paintings of Buddha in the Ajanta Caves, among others. The weaving is much more intricate, needs more skill and finesse and it can take a few months to a year to weave one Paithani saree. There is more zari work and the silk is thicker so that it can take the weight of the work.
Some of the most avid patrons of these sarees were the Peshwa women and when accessorised with a Himroo shawl, it became a truly grand ensemble. Even today, Paithan is favoured by loyal customers who want a piece of our rich history and heritage in their wardrobes and can afford to pay the price for it !
Realising that this art needs to be preserved, the government of Maharashtra has set up a training centre in Paithan where many women weavers are being trained in Paithani weaving.
There is recognition in our community of designers for this art and I’m always excited and happy to serve a client who wants me to commission a Paithani from Paithan for her
– As narrated to Neelu Joglekar