A town on the National Highway connecting
Kolkata and Chennai, Mangalagiri is very close to Guntur and Vijayawada on
either side, and is a part of the Vijayawada urban agglomeration.
The Managalagiri saree’s appeal (especially
that of the silk variety) lies in the heavy gold thread or zari borders,
traditional Nizam designs, and simple mono-striped or multi-colour striped
pallus. Motifs like leaf, mango, parrot, gold coin, add to the appeal. Current
popular trends have printing work and embroidery designs included on it. Though
the Managalagiri silk version is sought after, the Sico and cotton versions
also have their own appeal due the fineness of the weave.
Count is an indication of the fineness of a
saree, based on the threads per square inch in warp and weft.
Counts range from
40(coarse) to 120 (super fine), with the normal
count of 80 – 80 being used for soft woven Mangalagiri fabric.
Derived from its original name Totadri,
Mangalagiri is from Mangala (good fortune) and Giri (hill). There are three
temples of Narayan Swamy in Mangalagiri and popular traditional belief has it
that those climbing the hill to offer prayers in the temple there would
definitely buy a saree before leaving Mangalagiri.
There are some
features unique to a Mangalgiri Saree. The soft and comfortable all-season
fabric generally does not have designs on the body. It also is known for not
having gaps in its weave. There is a special missing thread variety of saree which
is a rare weave.
A traditional
occupation involving whole families in the making, it is knowledge gained from
experience and experiment, shared and passed down from generation to
generation. Mangalagiri weavers are
devoted to their craft. They also have a
clear idea about market trends. Organised into co-operatives, they follow the
market to incorporate current demands in their weaves.
The colouring or dyeing of the
yarn is an important process. Washed and then dipped in boiling water to which
the desired colour is added, the yarn is slowly turned to give it a uniform
colour. Coloured yarn is again washed and dried in the shade, to wash away the
excess colour and give it a uniformity in the application.
This yarn is then starched,
giving the colour permanency and a gloss. Starched yarn is generally brought
from the merchants by master weavers to be distributed to weavers in groups. In
turn the merchants could also purchase the finished product from these weavers,
assuring them a decent remuneration and a market for their weaves.
Spinning is then done by the
charaka or spinning wheel so that the yarn is converted to thread.
Weaving of these coloured
threads being the next step, the threads are loaded onto warp (Pacham) and
weft. The thread loaded on the warp (lengthwise lay) is generally for four
sarees which could take about a week to weave.
Pit
looms with Jacquard arrangement for the design are fixed at ground level with
the weaver pedalling in the pit to make the weave. Designs are managed by
pre-drawn designs punched on cards and fitted in the jacquard arrangement. Zari
wound on small bobbins is generally for supplementary weaving on the border.
The
Geographical Indication (GI) Status accorded to the Mangalagiri Handlooms this
year has ushered in much sought relief from weaver woes.
High price of raw materials,
coupled with spurious goods and nearby local industries affixing the Mangalagiri Handlooms label to their goods
without the traditional quality in their fabrics, was bad for the Mangalagiri
saree with the genuine fabrics seeming costlier. This led to poor production
and exodus of skilled workers from the traditional handloom industry.
The GI certification is granted if the product possesses
distinctive qualities, only when the produce is found to be made according to
traditional methods, or enjoys a certain reputation due to its geographical
origin. Mangalagiri handlooms and fabrics have a registered logo for the
product. With the grant of GI, it has halted a bad situation and revived the
market for these sarees.
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Colony, Kukatpally. Hyderabad, India.
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