Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Karipakam
South Indian Silk Sarees have always been known for their elegance. Be it from Telangana, Andhra, Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, every saree is unique in its design and technique to the region. & these sarees are usually eponymous of the region they come from.
One such are the Patur Sarees, which are quite in fashion today. Cotton, Silk and Zari (gold thread) threads are hand-woven together to craft these beautiful cotton silk sarees from the Village of Patur in Nellore District and the adjoining Village of Karipakam in Chittoor District.
There were around 150 weavers in Karipakam once. Today there are only 50, the lack of patronage pushing them to find work in nearby factories. Even the working conditions are not much to speak of. Though the dying of threads and getting them ready is more of an outdoor activity, the actual weaving is done in a pit loom.
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What little work now comes into the village comes from the head weaver, who gets designs from speciality retail stores like Nalli Silks and distributes it amongst the weavers.
Since, the mainstay of the village is this craft, all the villagers/weavers get together every morning to dye silk and cotton threads sourced from different places. It is a sight to see. So, if you wish to see the weavers at work, do visit the village on a sunny morning. Sunny mornings, for even the weather needs to be conducive. Too much moisture in the air dampens the thread which makes it difficult for the colour to stick.
Once, the patterns and the spindles of thread are ready, they are loaded onto the loom and the weaving begins. Keeping with the trend and also the rules set by the buying companies, a design is not usually repeated.
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Zari motifs are hand-woven into the saree, which takes 2-3 days to finish depending on the number of colours in the pattern. If the same saree were to be made on a power loom, these would have to be sewn on to the saree separately.
and, this is what sets these gorgeous lightweight sarees apart.
Starting at Rs.2,500/-, the sarees can be bought directly from the weavers houses.
Explorers Guide
Getting ThereBy Road – The most convenient way to get there is to drive down from Tirupati. This takes a little over an hour.By Air - Nearest airports are Tirupati and Chennai.By Rail - Nearest railway station is at Sullurpet.
StayBig Stay serviced apartments at Tada. With over 200 rooms, Indian, Oriental & Continental cuisines catering to people of all nationalities visiting/working at the Sri City SEZ and a travel desk that arranges your airport drop and pick up, they ensure a comfortable stay.
Things To DoTrekking at Naagala Hills.Kayaking at the creek in Sri City.
Nearby Places of InterestPulicat Lake – India’s second largest salt-water lagoon, it is the winter home to numerous migratory birds from Central Asia, of which Flamingos and Pelicans number the most. The state tourism department hosts a Flamingo Festival here in January every year.Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary – Also known as Pelican Paradise, it is counted amongst the popular bird sanctuaries of India.Ubbalamadugu – Jungle Pools and waterfall.
Read More on Artisan Villages of India:
Artisan Villages of Telangana: NirmalArtisan Villages of Telangana: CheriyalArtisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Sri KalahastiArtisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Uppada