Vidarbha: Part 9

 Karvati Kinar saree is the most well known of Vidarbha sarees. It gets its name from the sawtooth like design on its borders. Although it’s tussar version is most popular it used to be also woven completely in cotton at one point.

Of the four districts in Vidarbha where tussar is woven, 

only Bhandara and Nagpur have the GI tags for karvati kinar sarees and tussar fabrics. 

The particular towns where these sarees are woven are Umred in Nagpur district and Ganeshpur, Bhandara, Mohadi, Tumsar, Sakoli, Lakhni, Lakhandar and Pauni in Bhandara district. 

The tradition of Karvati saree dates back two centuries. They were traditionally draped for pujas and other religious ceremonies. 

Weaving is carried on a pit loom with three fly shuttles. The central one is for the body and the two side ones for the borders. While the body has the famed Vidarbha tussar in natural color, the borders are in contrasting colors and use cotton yarn. 

Karvati Kinar sarees come with simple pallus with solid bands or with more elaborate pallu designs called Jala designs. The body is usually of natural tussar color and may be plain or have checks and/or buttis. 

I had been on the lookout for a jala pallu karvati Kinar saree for a long time. During this recent trip to Nagpur I finally got my first one. A lovely Rama green color on the borders and pallu thread work to add to the beauty of this otherwise plain saree.