Mangalagiri
is on the National Highway conecting Kolkata and Chennai, Mangalagiri is very
close to Guntur and Vijayawada and is a part of the Vijayawada urban
agglomeration.
Heavy
gold thread or zari borders, traditional Nizam designs, and simple mono-striped
or multi-colour striped pallus adorn the fabric. Various
motifs like leaf, mango, parrot, gold coin, add to the appeal of the cotton
saree. Current popular trends have printing work and embroidery designs on the
mangalagiri cotton sari.
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
fabric. Prices begin at Rs 60 to Rs 70 a metre, and could go beyond
Rs.1000, based on the intricacies involved in its making
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
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 missing thread variety of sari not
commonly found.
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 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 enough. Market response
was also poor 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 would further help boost the market for these sarees.
Based on the
current situation being maintained for the next three to four years at least,
it is estimated that the current turnover could at least be doubled in the next
couple of years.
Unnati Silks, devoted to ethnic sarees and salwar kameez
materials, has trendy designs, attractive patterns, in pleasing colours and
combinations in its wide collection of Mangalagiri Handloom Sarees at very
reasonable prices. Dispatch within 24 hours of order, with free delivery &
COD for retail, and world-wide express shipping.
