National Handloom Day: How a design studio in Bengaluru is reviving the Uppada weave with Rajasthan’s famed pichwai paintings

At Bengaluru-based Madhurya Creations, Andhra Pradesh’s famed Uppada saris are getting a refreshing makeover by blending them with pichwai paintings. Using pichwai paintings — that originated over 400 years ago in Rajasthan — to shed light on the fading Uppada weave hasn’t been done before. They have a signature style which infuses with vital elements of nNature such as the lotus, cows, rain clouds, swans, etc.

We have heard of sari revival projects that encourage weavers to get back to looms, individuals to restore or repurpose their heirloom weaves, and even get mainstream brands to collaborate or tie up with weaver clusters. At Bengaluru-based Madhurya Creations, Andhra Pradesh’s famed Uppada saris are getting a refreshing makeover by blending them with pichwai paintings.

The brand — whose saris have found favour among the likes of Alia Bhatt, and Athiya Shetty, among other Bollywood celebrities — decided to launch a project after noticing the dwindling number of weavers in Uppada village. “Uppada is a quaint town that is not highly populated. The weavers are simple people who have looms in their living room. When I visited the region 10 days ago, there were barely 300 looms left which won’t sustain even half a generation. The average weaver’s age is 50+ so how long will they continue? The younger generation hasn’t taken to weaving as well,” says Bharathy Harish, partner, Madhurya. 

Banking on the weave’s potential, the team decided to use it with pichwai as they noticed many digital prints of the paintings gaining popularity. “Using pichwai paintings — that originated over 400 years ago in Rajasthan — to shed light on the fading Uppada weave hasn’t been done before. They have a signature style which infuses vital elements of Nature such as the lotus, cows, rain clouds, swans, etc. The paintings echo tradition and this is why we chose them for the project,” says Bharathy of the series that started taking shape during the pandemic years. 

Taking us through the technique involved, she explains how Uppada is a tapestry weave with the threads interlocked. “Just about one inch is woven in a day, and even the loom setting is complex and takes several months. Weaving is not possible when it rains, and even when it is humid, the threads stick to each other making it difficult to weave.” The saris were first launched this February, and each piece has taken several months to weave,” says Bharathy, adding how it takes four to six months to weave one sari.

Alongside the Uppada series, the team is also working on a series “that will be inspired by the forest”. “Perhaps an enchanted forest series in weaves,” she says, adding, “We are also working on collections in paithani, khadi jamdani, chanderi, and lighter Uppadas.”

Upwards of ₹35,000 on madhurya.com