As a designer seeking to infuse some Indian designs to my collection of designer wear, I decided to visit the auspicious town of #Mangalagiri or #Mangalgiri. Located a mere twelve kilometres from the bustling city of Vijayawada, the humble town is home to temples built in the honour of Lord Panakala and Goddess Lakshmi, situated on a hillock. However, the main reason that I wished to delve deep into the heart of South India was due to the famous Magalagiri #fabrics and rich Zari borders. I commenced my train journey and within a few hours watched the landscape alter drastically with luscious, sprawling farms adorning vast tracts of land and large coconut trees being eclipsed with tufts of clouds and cattle grazing lazily.
“ Drawing its name from the town Mangalgiri in Andhra Pradesh, this age-old fabric has been incessantly crafted by the weavers for the past 500 years.”
From Vijayawada I took the bus and entered the little town of Mangalagiri. After refreshing in a hotel and payng obeisance to the great lord and goddess, I explored the various shops depicting a wide array of ethnic sarees. I noticed beautiful sarees, stoles, jholas, furniture, kurtis and other items adorned with enriching hues of red, fuschia, magenta, indigo, gold, sunset orange and other vivid colours. Each saree or stole was beautifully crafted and embellished with an intricately carved zari border, vibrant patterns and motifs.
As I touched the cotton fabric, I was impressed with the softness and superior quality albeit it was hand-made by skilled and experienced weavers who made it in the mere confines of their home. I was lucky enough to catch hold of a seasoned and professional weaver who explained to me the fascinating process. Ramlingam explained that each weaver would source high quality cotton from multifarious mills then boil the yarn in water laced with copious amounts of caustic soda. Once done, it is removed from the mixture and is now suitable for dyeing either by an artistic designer or by the weaver himself. However, for starch white sarees, the cotton is further bleached to produce a dazzling white effect over which a striking hued golden border and delicate zari work are drawn.
The stellar fabric and exemplary designs along with vibrant motifs enamoured me to a large extent. I was told by a local artisan that Mangalagiri #sarees and fabrics are highly durable owning to the emphasis of the weaver striving to accomplish a consistent texture. Simple sarees and stoles that contain a dazzling golden border as the attention seeker of the clothing item enable weavers to expend more energy into the weaving process and leave little room for gaps or inconsistencies. While zari work was omnipresent in plenteous sarees, distinct geometrical shapes and kitschy tribal designs were decorated on other clothing items. I purchased a range of stoles, kurtis and three sarees to accentuate my wardrobe and add a touch of ethnic Indian wear to my extensive collection of fashionable wear.
I did a little research by talking to numerous villagers in the region and found that the little town’s staple source of income lies in the burgeoning handloom industry. Over a thousand looms are singularly producing exquisite cotton yarns for supplying to a plethora of weavers. One of my sarees I purchased for my personal use was absolutely stunning. It has a nizam border that is only found in this village. The border is unique in the sense that it has numerous tiny zari temple tops on the border which provides a visual feast to sore eyes.
Inspired by my journey, I created western outfits inspired by the stunning borders and durable fabrics of the little village. Not only did it garner many compliments from my clients and at ramp walks, but I found myself doing a little bit in promoting this unqiue art of weaving and designing. Simplicity lies at the heart of all innovation.