In 2026 India, is Mysore silk saree the Birkin people queue up for at 4 am?
India Today
If you're someone who keeps track of viral videos, you would, by no means, have missed the clip of women queuing outside a store in Bengaluru at 4 am for a Mysore silk saree. But what's causing the demand? Has it gained a Birkin-like status among Indians?
If you want a Birkin from Hermes, you don’t just walk in and pick one off the shelf. You cultivate a relationship. You wait. You signal patience and purchasing power. The bag eventually arrives not merely as an accessory, but as proof — of access, of status, of entry into a certain circle.
In 2026 India, that kind of energy belongs to a saree, or so it seems.
A viral video of a long queue in Bengaluru, widely shared on X, showed rows of women standing outside a Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) showroom before sunrise. They weren’t waiting for concert tickets or a sneaker drop or an iPhone’s latest launch. They were waiting to get their hands on a saree, a Mysore silk saree.
The caption was cheeky. The commentary, divided. But the takeaway was unmistakable: Mysore silk, specifically from KSIC, has entered Birkin territory, at least for Indians.
Women queue up from 4.00 AM outside a Karnataka Soviet (sorry Silk) Industries Corporation showroom to buy silk sarees starting from 23,000 and going up to 250,000. Only 1 saree per customer and you need a token to be in the queue.There is an ongoing shortage (or more pic.twitter.com/d100w3hql0— Rakesh Krishnan Simha (@ByRakeshSimha) January 20, 2026
Demand is soaring. Access feels limited. And ownership has become a quiet flex.
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