What is Maheshwari ?
The Maheswari Saree has an unusual origin in the city of Maheswari established by Rajmata Ahilya Bai ,Holkar Queen of the Maratha ruled Malwa kingdom, India in 18th Century. . She has initially designed the saree which is known for its elasticity, strength and Lustre. The use of Zari and the particular fabric gave a distinct identity. Maheshwari sarees, available in both cotton and silk are the last words in simplicity. The entire surface of such a saree is either chequered or plain or has stripes, combined with complementary colours. A speciality of this sarees is its reversible border, which makes it wearable on both the sides. Interestingly, the pallu of Maheshwari saree is characterised by three coloured and two white alternating stripes. Maheshwari sarees are rendered in silk also, which are of course more expensive than their cotton counterparts. The plain sarees with Border and pallu are known as Chandrika sarees. In the Chandrika Sarees there is a moon and star design. The Chandrika has length-wise stripes of two shades and pattern is arranged in four stripes. The reversible border gives an option to wear the saree in both sides. The Karnfool pattern is popular because of leaves and flowers. The sarees nowadays are also made of pure silk with cotton thread as also artificial silk mixed with cotton threads.