This Deepavali, consider draping an exquisite saree that has a fascinating history

Revival of Indian textiles: Aksh Weaves & Yatri Weaves are reviving centuries-old sarees, with intricate patterns & unique colour combinations. Vimor Handloom Foundation has been working on creating & documenting designs from heritage textiles for 50 yrs. Customers are keen to own rare, revived & nostalgic sarees.

At Aksh weaves and crafts’ small studio in Adyar, there is pin-drop silence except for the faint whirring of a fan. On a table in the centre of the room, an artist is bent over a piece of cloth, drawing with full concentration. When I move closer for a better view, I see a panel with intricate patterns in pencil, parts of which have been coloured in with reds and browns. 

“Many of us do not know about the beautiful Nayaka art, which is a culmination of the tradition of the Vijayanagara rulers. Schools of art that came later at Thanjavur and Mysore, are an offshoot of this great tradition,” says Sriya Mishra, co- founder, Aksh Weaves.

Sriya’s love for history, and textiles comes through minutes into our conversation, and it is this passion that has translated into a project they have spent years working on — the nayaka kalamkari textile.

She is among a growing number of Indian textile revivalists who are delving into history, carrying out extensive research, studying weaves, and going the whole nine yards to recreate sarees that are more than a mere six yards of silk. While these revivals have been happening across the country for decades, there’s added heft now from an informed, enthusiastic and passionate customer base that has their interest piqued by a wealth of information online. 

These customers who are growing in numbers, are saree enthusiasts, history lovers, or even collectors of weaves — looking to own a drape that is rare, revived, backed by legacy, or sometimes nostalgia. 

A deep dive into textile history

“The ancient kalamkari that was practised by the Nayaka rulers was created nearly 400 years ago,” says Sriya. The road to creating a nayaka kalamkari textile was one filled with extensive research and groundwork, given very little information is available in museums or other archives. As a part of this ongoing project, Aksh weaves has created a little more than 15 sarees.