“The speciality of the paithani is its border and pallav. Earlier just 2-3 colours were popular which were integrated in the sari in the dhup chaon pattern which,when translated, means light and shade.” Mrs. Sunita Nagpure's interest in the paithani sari turned into an obsession prompting her to do directly to the weavers in Paithan to create her own exclusive designs. Today Nupur Designs has nearly 200 designs, the largest selection of paithani in Maharashtra.

The price of a paithani sari starts from Rs. 4,000/- and can move up to Rs. 1,50,000/-. “The paithani sari is an entirely handwoven item. Depending on the intricacy of the design, it takes anything from one month to a year to weave,” explains Mrs. Sunita Nagpure. The traditional paithani used to be a plain sari with a heavy zari border and ornamental pallav. “But today paithanis with motifs are in vogue : stars, circles, peacocks, flowers and paisleys. The paithani borders and pallavs are heavily adorned with these motifs and the sari is given the name after the design on it. Tota-maina (parrot), bangdi-mor (peacock with round design), asavali (flower and vine), narli (coconut), are all descriptive of paithanis. For inspiration, the weavers turn to the myriad birds and flowers around them,” informs Mrs. Sunita Nagpure.

In the olden days the zari used in making paithanis was drawn from pure gold. But today silver is substituted for gold thus making the paithanis more affordable to many people. Every six months Mrs. Sunita Nagpure creates at least 2-3 new designs and at any given time there are about 10 different designs available (four styles per colour). Fourteen weavers are exclusively working for Nupur Designs and she has nearly 40 colours for her customers to choose from. Besides retailing from her residence, Mrs. Sunita Nagpure holds periodic exhibitions in Mumbai and in different parts of India. “Buying a paithani is not an impulsive decision. A lot of planning and thought must go into it since it is so expensive. But once bought, at least three generations can wear it if it is preserved properly,” she advises.

The basic weave of the paithani saree is simple. It is a tabby weave but more recently even the modern jacquard has been incorporated by Nupur Designs. The speciality lies in the design which is woven without the assistance of a mechanical contriance like a jala. Multiple spindles are used to produce the linear design. The border as well as the pallav carry creeper and floral motifs on a background of gold. Such saris are worn by brides. “A paithani is a must in a bride’s trousseau today and the red-white version called the panetar is the wedding sari for the Gujarati community.”

“Before weaving the sari the raw silk which is obtained from Bangalore is cleaned with caustic soda. Then it is dyed into the different colours required. The silk threads are then separated by the women and then they are ready to be woven. The whole family is involved in the weaving of the sari.”