Odisha is known for its various
handloom sarees in cotton and silk. Pasapalli Saree is invariably one of the
prominent ones. The name Pasapalli has been derived from the word 'pasa' which
means chessboard. You can identify this saree from other sarees of Odisha by
its signature chessboard squares in contrasting colours on border and pallu.
Some of the premium exclusive sarees have chequered patterns all over the body.
This handloom saree is woven mainly in the Bargarh district. These are usually
bright coloured sarees which get an edge with brighter contrast coloured border
and pallu. Most common colour combination found in this variety of saree is
yellow and blue, green and red, golden and maroon etc. Red is quite a dominant
colour of Pasapalli sarees.
Like most of the handloom sarees of Odisha, Pasapalli is also woven in silk, cotton, tussar and a mix of tussar and
silk. For a touch of glamour, often golden thread work is used. The check
patterns seen in this saree are mainly done in white or black. A look at the
'anchal' or 'pallu' and you will understand what an intricate design it is and
that it surely needs an excellent craftsmanship from an ace artisan to plate
such an exemplary piece of art. Weavers making a Pasapalli saree are a pro of
the ancient weaving style called 'baandhakala'. No powerloom or weaving machine
has ever been designed to replicate such unique creations. Each saree is woven
manually and thus may take several weeks to be completed.
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| Beautiful Pasapalli Cotton Saree available online |
The detailed process starts long
before the weaving. The yarns of threads are tied in a particular pattern to
dye so that only the designated parts can absorb the colour. If more than one
colour is required, process gets even more complicated. Also, this weaving
style lets the artisans create the signature Pasapalli motifs on both sides of
the saree identically. The technique called 'baandhkala' is so ancient yet too
versatile that multiple colours, patterns and designs can be created.
Apart from the chequered patterns,
other commonly used motifs used in Pasapalli sarees are flowers, geometrical
shapes, wheel, temples, birds and landscape. Every saree is a unique piece of
art and impeccable example of superior craftsmanship. This saree has won
accolades in India and abroad and thus Government of India has taken measures
to save the industry of hand woven saree in Odisha and Pasapalli saree is
undoubtedly one of them.
It has quite a huge
market all over India. The cotton Pasapalli are best for any day event, be it a
formal meeting with someone of prominence or a ritual of wedding. If you flip
through pictures, you will find eminent female personalities whenever
representing country or their dignified designation, they wear Pasapalli,
Sambalpuri or similar handloom saree from Odisha. The silk Pasapalli saree
looks really gorgeous and thus best suited for evening occasions. You can wear
it for wedding or similar social invitations as well as formal parties of
office. It becomes even more of an evident choice when you hold an important
position.
Unfortunately handloom
sarees, especially the exclusive ones, are not quite always available over
online shops. So, seekers of this saree can visit several emporiums and state
aided websites where it can be bought without worrying about the quality,
authenticity and richness of colour. You can also be assured about the price
you are paying. Even in the last decade, women looking for this saree outside
Odisha had to wander in search of an emporium of Odisha, but today there are
several online ones which help them buy Pasapalli saree from the most reliable
source.
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