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| End-piece of a Paithani Saree |
There are tales that King Shalivahana (c. 78–102 CE) of the Satavahana dynasty patronised the Paithani saree which could potentially explain how similar sarees are made in both Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh although there doesn’t appear to be any concrete evidence to support this theory. What is reasonably clear is that the sarees have been woven for centuries; that they were the attire of royalty is supported by documentation particularly of the Peshwa period in Maharashtra and of the Golconda court in Andhra Pradesh. They are associated with the Gods: an episode in the Mahabharata speaks of Lord Krishna tearing off a piece of his Pitamber so that Draupadi could bind a cut finger, while Mahadamba (1233-1308 AD), the first Marathi woman poet, spoke of God wearing Pitamber. (It is only in recent centuries that Paithani weaves have begun being called that; they were earlier also referred to as Malgunthi, Pitamber, and Mahavastra.)
The sarees are made of pure, heavy silk and are often covered with up to 200 Butis or small motifs strewn over their fields although they may also be plain but for their borders and end-pieces. The Zari used on them is often pure gold or gold-plated silver which makes them extremely expensive. And their designs are traditional even though new designs have been introduced during the course of their history: the oldest designs on Paithani sarees are said to have come from the murals of the Ajanta caves near Aurangabad. In fact, the only human depicted on Paithani sarees is the Buddha. Storks and swans are believed to have come from the time of the Satavahana dynasty (230 BCE - 220 CE), while the Bangadimor (or dancing peacock associated with Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva) and the eight-petalled Golden lotus (primarily associated with Lord Vishnu, and the Goddess Laxmi) are believed to have come from the time of the of the Yadav dynasty (850 -1334 AD). The capital of the Yadav dynasty too was very near Paithan; it was located at Devagiri (so called because of its believed association with Lord Shiva) in Maharashtra.
Devagiri’s name was changed to Daulatabad (as the city now continues to be called) by Muhammad bin Tughluq (r. 1325-1351) who attempted, with questionable success, to make it his capital in 1327. It was also at Daulatabad that the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb set up a base to fight against the Marathas during the Deccan wars. The Tughluqs and Mughals brought along with them Islamic and Persian influences, and it was during their time that highly stylised motifs of vines, flowers, trees, pomegranates and birds including the Bird of Paradise are believed to have been introduced into the Paithani repertoire along with the motif of the Pankha or fan associated with kings.
The colours of Paithani sarees vary considerably, and a Dhoop/Chav (or ‘light and shade’) effect may be achieved by combining two different colours. The borders of these sarees typically contrast with their field and often feature a simple rhombic design although far more complicated designs may also be used. It is, however, the end-pieces of Paithani sarees which are especially distinguishable: they are reversible, and coloured motifs are woven into them against a background of gold.