Selecting the right wedding trousseau is as important as getting the wedding mantras right. The wedding attire does not just grace the beauty of the bride and groom, but it is also a reflection of the religion and culture of the place in general and the wedding participants in particular. Marathi Matrimony has some unique rituals and customs. The wedding attire is generally traditional and saris are worn on most of the wedding related functions. The bridal sari for Marathi Matrimony is the ‘Paithani’, the time-honored crafts from the master weavers of the state.
Maharashtrian Brides usually wears traditional Indian attire on the day of her wedding. Even for the other wedding related functions, the brides prefer to don Indian clothes. Most of the brides in Maharashtra wear saris on their wedding day. Paithani Saris are the first choice for the brides in Marathi Matrimony
What are Paithani Saris?
Paithani Saris are hand woven saris preferred by the women of Maharashtra during festivals and important functions. These saris are a good example of handicrafts of the state. The town of Paithan in Maharashtra is the place of origin for these saris.
Fabric and texture of the Bridal Paithani Saree:
Paithani saris are available in cotton and silk. Bridal saris are usually woven in silk with intricate embroidery at the border. In the earlier times, the saris have borders woven with gold threads. However, with rising cost of the metal gold, silver threads coated with golden color are used. The entire saris are woven by hand and hence take times from several months to a year. In addition, weaving silk saris takes extra care, as the fabric is very soft. Pure silk Paithani saris are very expensive and only the very affluent can buy. Weavers are mixing cotton and silk in proportion to make the saris easy to maintain and affordable at the same time. Cotton base is used in the body of the saris whereas silk yarns are used for borders and motifs on the saris. In Marathi matrimony, the bride prefers silk saris.
Motifs and Designs in the Bridal Paithani Saris:
The Bridal Paithani Saree have striking colors in rich shades of red, maroon and green. Most of the bridal saris in India are red in color, as red is considered to be an auspicious sign. The Paithani saris are also known for its unique color combination. The ‘pallu’ of the saris bears a different shade than the body. Most of the saris feature intricate zari borders.
Motifs in the Bridal Paithani saris are available in various designs. The pallu usually have animal motifs like peacock) and parrot. The border of the saris also feature interesting motifs like star, mango, flower, petal and lotus. Other designs like coconut, fan and coin also find place in the bridal saris. The sizes and patterns of these motifs vary, though most of them are woven in golden silk threads. The bodies of the saris generally have dotted motifs in silver or golden threads.
Paithani Saris in the Marathi Matrimony:
The Marathi bride looks resplendent in the rich silk saris with intricate borders. The bride wraps the Paithani sari in a unique way her wedding day. The bridals Paithani saris have admirers not only in Marathi Matrimony, but people in general buy them. These saris are a piece of art and even foreign nationals admire them. The saris reflect the art and cultural heritage of Maharashtra. In the era of mechanization, these saris are true labor of love and dedication. The saris are still hand-woven and fetch anywhere 5,000 to 50,000 depending upon the weaving, motifs and silk variety.
