Why are Traditional Venkatagiri sarees popular in the online market?

Venkatagiri sarees, a variety of handwoven zari based cotton sarees, is extremely popular amongst the masses as a light and soft saree with traces of Jamdani patterns. These cotton sarees are usually available in six yards length and can be worn in all climatic conditions. The motifs including peacocks, mango, parrots, leafs and swans on the pallu make the design of the saree unique.

The history of Venkatagiri sarees originates in the 1700 when weavers at a cluster, Venkatagiri near Nellore started weaving this variety of sarees. The skilled weavers and the artisans were encouraged to produce more of these products by the Velugoti dynasty as well as Bobbili and Pithapuram kingdoms.

The early years of 1700 witnessed the weaving of Venkatagiri sarees for the royal families, the queens to be precise. The designs were unique and exclusive and the artisans were paid high remuneration for each piece of saree. The introduction of Jamdani technique of weaving sarees from Bangladesh has the made the process much easier and faster.

The production of a Venkatagiri sarees involves few stages:

• Collection of raw materials like cotton yarn, dye ad gold zari
• Cotton is purified by boiling and making it suitable for dyeing
• Bleaching the white cotton sarees into coloured ones
• Removal of additional dye followed by drying of the cotton yarn
• Making the warp and weft
• Weaving the warp and weft
• Placing the cloth into the designs and motifs
• Cutting the cotton as per requirement
• Inspection of the quality of the saree

Traditional Venkatagiri Sarees of Andhra Pradesh

Over the years, Venkatagiri sarees has become popular amongst the women owing to its characteristics such as softness of the material, brightness of the colours and the royal look. The growth in the demand for Venkatagiri sarees online is a proof that the majority of weavers in Vankatagiri are earning their livelihoods by weaving this fabric. The exclusivity and the uniqueness in the weaving technique of the Venkatagiri sarees make the sarees more popular among the clients who buy them regularly through online shopping portals. Since the dying and the weaving techniques are technologically upgraded, the weavers are not required to travel to towns and cities from their village to get the yarn dyed. This saves them money and time and contributes heavily towards the production of Venkatagiri sarees.

Designers, in the current scenario, are innovating with the materials and the traditional designs of Venkatagiri sarees. In addition to the existing Venkatagiri zari cotton sarees, the skilled artisans are now weaving sarees using silk threads and creating new versions of the Venkatagiri sarees. The use of Jamdani technique in the weaving Venkatagiri sarees has brought about a massive change in the design and patterns of the saree. The new silk versions of the Venkatagiri sarees online are becoming massively popular and earning acceptance from all across the country.

Fabric experts suggest that the Venkatagiri sarees should be hand washed gently, preferably using soft water. These can be given for dry washing as well initially.

Venkatagiri sarees are exclusive in their designs and are considered to be one of the most durable ones. These are light and soft and extremely suitable for summers. However, women wear Venkatagiri sarees in other climatic conditions as well.

Unique marketing campaigns and branding the Venkatagiri sarees as the preferred choice for wearing on occasions and casually, has earned customers from across the globe through online retailing platforms. Women can now order Venkatagiri sarees online irrespective of any particular geography. 

Top 10 Online Store in India

There are lots of Indian online shopping sites available on the web. But as per service, quality of products and public opinion some of web stores are reach up to the mark. Here I make a list of top ten popular and well defined online shopping sites. These are:

• Amazon
• Flipkart
• Snapdeal
• Paytm
• Ebay
• Jabong
• Myntra
• Shopclues
• Pepperfry
• Homeshop18

Top Online Shopping Store in India

Facts about traditional Ilkal Sarees and its online sale

Ilkal sarees, originating from the town of the same name in Bagalkot District in Karnataka, is a special type of saree that has a cotton body and silk border and pallu.

The traditional ilkal sarees are a combination of cotton warp in the body and the beautiful silk borders with silk pallus. The silk used in the borders and the pallus are usually art silk, however, in many cases, pure silk is also used to weave them.

The weaving of the traditional ilkal sarees dates back to the 8^th century AD and the growth of this art is majorly attributed to the local artisans of Bellary. It is believed that the strong availability of the raw materials locally contributed towards the growth of this type of saree and the art behind weaving them.

The procedure followed for yarn dying for a traditional ilkal saree is interesting. The cotton warp and the weft are dyed in a reddish black hue. As mentioned above, the procedure is carried indoors in a cool dark area. The yarn is initially dyed in an indigo hue for which sajimitti, collected from the river banks and chuna or limestone are added in the water. 

Similar to the many other types of sarees, the process of weaving an Ilkal saree is unique and different. In order to weave Ilkal sarees, the production house will require about 2000 weavers, craftsmen and dyers. The technique of weaving an Ilkal saree is known as Tope Teni. The weavers join the body of the saree with the pallu warp using a loop technique. Another technique, Kondi is used for weft through insertion of 3 shuttles. The pallu of the saree are weaved to make one portion of red and two portions of white.

Traditional Ilkal Sarees of Karnataka

The sarees are usually six to nine yards long, that also contributes towards making the sarees beautiful. The Ilkal sarees have a red body with a white border which makes the combination appear unique. The process begins with dying the yarns in different colours, following by weaving the saree and then embroidering the body parts, borders and the pallu to give it a unique look. The production is mainly an indoor activity and are actively managed by female members in most cases. The weaving of one Ilkal sarees in one handloom would require a minimum of seven days to churn out a finished product. Many of the production houses also use power looms these days, to meet the increasing demand to buy the traditional ilkal sarees, online and from the stores as well.

Traditional ilkal sarees are known for the variety of embroidery, known as Kasuti, on its body. The Kasuti designs are basically patterns using elephants, palanquins, lotus, etc. that are beautifully stitched on an ilkal saree. The pallu of the saree usually have patterns of temples and towers, and are made in a traditional red and white combination. Apart from the temple designs, many of the traditional ilkal sarees have kotikammli, rampa, hanige and toputenne in the pallu.

The body of the saree may be squares, stripes and rectangles as the base design with the borders having gaadi, paraspet and gomi designs.

Indian women follow a tradition of buying sarees that are historically significant and adds value to the traditional wear collection. Keeping this fact into consideration, many online retailers are now selling traditional ilkal sarees by buying them directly from the weavers and artisans or the production houses. Marketing and branding the traditional ilkal sarees have contributed towards making this local type of saree popular amongst the masses, thus resulting in an excellent growth in the sale.

An Overview of Maharashtrian Wedding Sarees

Weddings are special. And if it’s an Indian wedding, it is bound to be a grand affair. The colourful set-up is all about Hindu traditions, celebrations that are no less than carnivals, bold and bright colour dressed guests, bride and the groom and finally, rituals that get them married. In a multi-cultural country like India, each part celebrates this holy ritual differently. Based on the culture, the rituals differ, the dresses differ and so does the set-up of the vivah (Hindi for Indian weddings).

A Maharashtrian wedding, is a completely traditional one that is simple as well as vibrant. The traditions of a Maharashtrian wedding is as per the Maharashtrian community, their religious and family values. Each member in a Maharashtrian family has a role to play in the entire ceremony. Maharashtrians, as a traditional ritual adhering community, believe in following the common ceremonies such as Mehendi, Milni, Jaimala, Saptapadi, Kanyadaan and pheras. In all these rituals, one of the most significant things is a bride’s saree or the traditional Maharashtrian wedding sarees.

Typically, for a Maharashtrian bride, the wedding sarees are of traditional golden orange, or a yellow marigold coloured saree. The other common coloured wedding sarees that brides are found to be wearing include gold, green and yellow. These Maharashtrian wedding sarees are of six yards (standard) or a nine yard saree. The colour of the bride’s saree makes it easier for people to recognise the community.

Traditional Six yards cotton saree of Maharashtra

Paithani sarees, originating from the city of Paitan, are one of the typical and traditional types of Maharashtrian wedding sarees. These are made of gold and are of the silk variety. These kinds of sarees have different patterns, mostly in the oblique-square designs mainly on the borders. The saree can be found to be having motifs in the form of peacocks, kaleidoscopes and parrots in the end of the saree, better known as pallu of the saree. These kinds of sarees are available either in one colour or two colours with broad golden borders. These silk sarees are hand weaved and takes at least a month to complete.

In the earlier times, Maharashtrian brides were known to wear the Nauvari sarees. The design of the nauvari sarees is unique It has a trouser-like design as the nine yard saree is designed to be wrapped around each leg. This would give a trouser like design instead of the full length skirt design that is usually associated with a saree. Nauvari sarees are believed to be more comfortable to wear since these can be worn without a petticoat.

Like any other Indian brides, a Maharashtrian bride also wears traditional gold jewelleries. Some of these can be the statement pieces, heirloom jewelleries or simply, some new designs. Jewelleries like the one choker style necklace made of gold known as Thushi is an essential item alongside the jhumkas (earrings), nath (mango shaped nose ring) and the bajuband or the armlet. Many of the brides also wear the green and gold bangles in both the hands and the half-moon shaped bindi on the forehead. Most of the bride’s jewelleries are gifted to her by the elders, especially the parents or the elders in the family who save money to buy gold for the marriage of the daughter. Since the Maharashtrian wedding sarees have a traditional feel, the gold jewelleries make real good adornments with them.

Any Indian Hindu wedding is nothing less than a grand celebration of rituals and relationships. Usually celebrated for close to three days, the brides get to wear different types of sarees depending on the occasions and the requirements. For the Maharashtrian brides, they can choose to wear the different kinds of traditional Maharashtrian sarees during each occasion and the traditional Maharashtrian wedding sarees on the big day. 

Why Men Love Buying Half Sleeve Casual Shirts Online for Their Summer Fashion

Not long ago, men found fashion a thing for women and following fashion was ridiculed on. But things have certainly changed over past few decades. Men fashion has developed in leaps and bounds. Whether casual dressing or formal, woollen or traditional attires, men fashion has carved a niche of its own. However, one problem that men surely face is their dislike for shopping due to which they end up buying whatever they lay their hands on. Blame it on their mindset or lack of time, but that is men for you. This problem has largely solved by online shopping. Buying half sleeve casual shirt online or shopping for wedding, online shopping not only saves time but also money.

Women love shopping and when they take fancy on something, they would not mind going from one shop to another till they find what they had been looking for. But men rarely have that inclination and tenacity. So, with onset of summer, when they look for their favourite half sleeves shirts, they find very few choices. They have to make their choice from those handful options. But when they look for the same half sleeve casual shirts online, they find hundreds of search results. Shopping is so easy when you go online, especially for men. Set the filters according to the size and preferences, that the results will be narrowed down to make the job even simpler. There is no harassment of going from one shop to another, making the salesman understand what exactly you are looking for and if you visit branded stores, rest assured you will come out with a huge bill. All these dreadful aspects of shopping can be avoided when shopping half sleeve casual shirts online. You make the choices, get everything in one portal, often get lucrative discounts and almost in all cases, get free shipping. You are not even paying the usual conveyance charge that you had to pay even if you don't buy anything from any store of brick and mortar. 

Summer wear shirts for men available online

Another advantage of looking for half sleeves casual shirts online is that even if you don't have any idea of the latest trend, the huge gallery of the inventory will give you an insight on it. For example, Sambalpuri printed half sleeves shirts are not only in fashion but also a very comfortable summer wear. But men always stick to stripes, checks and solid coloured shirts. When they find so many options, they are ready to experiment as well. Best part is you get all kinds of half shirts in every price range. Branded, printed, plain, double toned- you name it and they have it.

Many surveys have proven that men prefer online shopping because it is hassle-free to a large extent. And when it comes to shop for something like half sleeve casual shirts online is the much predicted choice. Foremost reason is, not many stores maintain a decent stock of this particular shirt style. And even if they have, they are almost of same shape, cut and fashion. On the contrary, since online stores have much bigger virtual inventory, you get more varieties. When shopping at right time, you can get branded half sleeve casual shirts online for a throw away price. Brands like Allen Solly, Lombard, Indigo Nation and Park Avenue are quite popular  among the young corporates but still they would love it to be little cheaper. When shopping online, you get a shirt of your choice at your preferred price as well. And this is surely a good enough factor behind men loving to buy half sleeve casual shirt online for the summer fashion. 

How to Choose Home Decor Items from Online Handicrafts Stores

When you want to give your home a down to earth yet sophisticated look, handicrafts are the best options. And the best part of using them is that you will run out of choice. You don't need to cross the geographical boundaries of India. Even within the peripheries of India, there are so many choices. Terracotta of West Bengal, Madhubani painting of Bihar, mirror work and white-blue ceramic work of Rajasthan or Bandhani of Gujarat are just to name a few. And you can buy handicrafts online too as they are readily available in online market.

The demand for Indian artefacts is very high in the global market. Even a few years ago, if you had a fancy for some famous handicraft of a particular region, you either had to visit your nearest emporium for the state or go and visit that place in person. It required lots of time and money. In today's busy lifestyle, it seems almost impossible to indulge into any such ambitious fancies. But things have changed over past few years and it has changed in the direction of betterment. There are about thousands of online stores for handicrafts from where you can get your favourite one.

When you choose to buy handicrafts online, there are certain things you should know beforehand. First and foremost thing is a little about the handicraft itself. For example, if you want to buy a terracotta figure, learn about terracotta, like what is terracotta and what is it made of etc. The web world is full of scammer websites who are always looking for a prey. They will not only  give you a fake product but can charge you much more than the actual price. If you are prepared ahead, it will help you defend yourself from these fraudulent websites.

Beautiful home decor item Dhokra metal crafts online

Secondly, when you buy handicrafts online, browse through different websites to get a hang of it. Before finalizing a product, your visits in multiple websites will give you a better idea of expected price. This is the best way to get value for money. There are sites that are authentic and offer different deals of discount and free shipping. If you shop from the very first online store you visited, you may miss out some great offer and end up paying way more than you should have. Also, choosing the right website is very important. Safest way is to go for the government site or emporium sites. This way you can rest assured about the authenticity of the product, though you may pay a little more than other merchandise shops. But where the genuineness is guaranteed, you can be happy to pay a little more.

To buy handicrafts online is a good decision. Imagine yourself wandering in the alleys of Rajasthan for a marble or mirror work handicrafts, bargaining from the vendors and coming back with an extra baggage of doubt if the product is genuine or whether they have conned you with double price. On the contrary, when you buy handicrafts online, you can make choice much better because your options are finer. Sitting in Kolkata, you can change your mind from a wall hanging of Gujarati stitch to Fulkari dupatta of Punjab. What more, you can be sure of the quality and price. You don't even undergo the hassles of carrying the baggage as it will be shipped directly to your door steps, that too in most of the cases, for free. So, now you can plan  to do the interiors of your bedroom in Rajasthani style, living room in Gujarati style while guest room in Punjabi style, without even travelling a bit. Yes, you definitely miss the essence of these places, but that can be compensated with a trip later. As of now you can be happy that you have bought genuine items at right price.