Paithani
saree are hand woven in pure silk. It features round zari motifs on the body
and intricately hand drawn and woven border and pallu with Asawali flower
vines. The pallu has picturesque flowering Asawalis in pots. The Asawalis
became popular motifs on Paithani weaving during the Peshwa period. A Marathi
bride's trousseau is incomplete without a Paithani saree and it is considered a
precious heirloom gem passed on from a mother to her daughter.
The Paithani saree is a reflection of the glorious history of the state of
Maharashtra, preserved for over 2000 years.
Among the most breathtakingly beautiful sarees made in India figures the
Paithani sarees, woven exclusively in the Paithan region of the western state
of Maharashtra.
The typical, traditional Paithani used to be a plain sari with a heavy zari
border and ornamental pallu. In the bygone centuries, the zari used
in making Paithani was drawn from pure gold. However, nowadays silver is
substituted for gold, in order to make these sarees more affordable to many
people.