Lagdi Patola !

Growing up, I had always heard about my mom's wish to own a Patola saree. I had never seen one, and I didn't know what the fuss was all about. Also, I didn't understand, if my mom really wanted the saree so bad why wasn't she buying one. She finally bought one, but she was quick to point out it was not the authentic one, and that it was an imitation. I didn't understand what that meant, and I thought the saree looked just okay.
But as I grew up and saw more and more versions of the Patola saree, my love and fondness for this weave grew slowly but steadily.
I do not own it yet, but some day, I would love to own it. But guess what! A few months ago, I found this imitation Patola saree in my MIL's wardrobe, and I had to drape it.
But before we move on to the pictures, I quickly wanted to add a little about Patola sarees.

There are essentially two varieties of Patola sarees. One is the Rajkot Patola and the other is the Patan Patola. Patan Patola sarees are far more expensive than the Rajkot Patolas, as they are double Ikat weaves that are horizontally resist-dyed. While their cheaper counterparts - the Rajkot ones, are single Ikat and vertically resist-dyed.

The easiest way to identify a Patola saree is it's price tag. If the saree costs less than a lakh rupees, you are most definitely buying a fake one. The price range of a genuine Patan Patola sarees is in the range of Rs. 1,50,000 to Rs. 3,00,000. A Patola dupatta costs somewhere around Rs. 50,000.

Patola sarees were considered a symbol of status amonst Gujrati women, and had a special place in their wedding trousseau.

Depending upon the pattern and design, weaving one Patola Saree, takes somewhere around six months to one year.

It is said that genuine Patola sarees never fade even after heavy wear and tear. And the colours can last for about 300 years. This makes them perfect for heirloom gifting.

Since the process of Patola weaving is so tedious and hectic, Patola weavers weave this saree only in silk. Weaving in cotton is considered a waste.

It is advisable to always dry clean a Patola Saree. Using detergents to wash it and exposure to direct sunlight can damage the saree.

And now scroll down for pictures.

 

Hope you liked the post. Do you own a Patola saree? Would love to see your pictures.