Paithani Saris: A Timeless Craft Facing Modern Threats

In 1989, a young Balkrishna Kapse was hired to work at a Paithani sari shop in Yeola, Maharashtra. While learning the ropes of buying and selling hand-woven sarees, Kapse felt a passion arise inside him to preserve the age-old craft and improve the living conditions of the artisans, most of whom lacked even basic facilities like housing and toilets.

Twelve years later, Kapse decided to leave the job to set up his own company. Naming it Kapse Paithani, his company started to produce high-quality Paithani sarees while simultaneously changing the lives of the artisans who made it. Today, a pool of 2,500 artisans from nearly 28 villages in Maharashtra are involved in the various stages of producing Paithani sarees, out of which 200 to 300 hearing and speech impaired craftspeople have developed exceptional skills.

A Laborious Process

The name Paithani comes from the royal dynasty that lived in Paithan town in Aurangabad district, where the sari was first made by hand. The tradition is at least 2,200 years old and its legacy can be traced back to the 2nd century BCE.

Making these beautiful saris is a time-consuming process: first, artisans collect the silk threads, known as zari, and dye them in vibrant colours like neelgunji (blue), kalichandrakala (pure black sari with red border), aboli (peach pink), firozi (white, red, and pale green), and mustard. Then, the dyed threads are meticulously threaded onto a loom to set the base for weaving. The threads are spun using a charkha so that the process of designing can begin. These are often inspired by traditional motifs like peacocks, lotuses, and geometrical patterns. Using a shuttle, the designs are woven into the fabric to bring the intricate patterns and motifs to life. Next, the pallu is carefully woven with detailed patterns, while the border is added to give the sari its final touch. The completed product is then removed from the loom.

According to Kapse, one of the unique markers distinguishing Paithani saris from the rest of India’s textile traditions is that the weave is crafted from the back, resulting in a mirror effect where both the front and back look identical. “The art form has been passed down through generations, so each Paithani sari is not simply a garment but part of a cultural heritage that represents the skill, patience, and creativity of the artists and the people who wear them,” he says.

Artisans Left Behind

But beneath the glossy veneer of Paithani sari production lies a harsher reality. Shubha Mahajan is the director of the MGM Khadi and Paithani Research Centre in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly known as Aurangabad). She wrote a 2021 paper titled "Challenges and Scope of Development: A Case Study of Paithani Weavers of Maharashtra (India)" that was published in the peer-reviewed journal "Textile." Her research found that the economic conditions of Paithani weavers in Maharashtra remained precarious as they faced growing challenges such as low wages, market competition, irregular work, and high production costs. Weavers received relatively low wages for their work that could take weeks or months to complete, making it difficult for them to sustain a livelihood solely through their craft.

The raw materials used in Paithani weaving, such as the silk and gold threads, were expensive and further squeezed profit margins. Many Paithani weavers in Maharashtra had limited access to broader markets, often relying on local or regional buyers who restricted their ability to reach a wider audience. Finally, the abundant supply of duplicate machine-made Paithani saris in the market—often sold at throwaway prices—and customers’ ignorance in recognising the difference between fake and original products exacerbated artisans’ economic vulnerability.

As a result, the younger generation of weavers were often reluctant to continue in the profession due to the low financial returns. This decline in the number of skilled artisans threatens the economic viability of Paithani weaving in Maharashtra. “If we focus on the current situation then the art form is at the verge of diminishing,” says Mahajan.

Ensuring A Secure Future

There are various measures the state government can take to improve the lot of Paithani artisans and ensure that Paithani saris have a secure future, says Mahajan. She recommends starting with improving direct market access to weavers to reduce their dependency on middlemen. By increasing awareness of the cultural value of Paithani saris and intervening to take action against fake products, like designing an online platform where original handloom weavers can sell their work, the government can assure customers about the authenticity of their purchase and increase artisans’ financial stability through a guaranteed regular income.

Kapse agrees with some of these ideas. “In my opinion, if the Paithani is to be preserved for future generations, there needs to be more efforts pointed toward the welfare of the artists involved in weaving these masterpieces,” he says.

“Better facilities, fair wages, and modern tools or technology that can make their jobs easier while not affecting the richness in quality are all items on the checklist. Moreover, attempts to espouse the cultural values of the Paithani sari and showcase it on various international platforms could go a long way in making this craft even more sustainable. Incentives should also be given to the young generation to take this craft up so that this knowledge is passed on.”