For the lovers of simple and soft sarees – the story of Bobbili weave

On the south-eastern coast of India, about a few minutes away from the town of Bobbili, lies a tiny village called Narayanapuram - the home of Bobbili sarees and its weavers. This village houses about three hundred weavers today, and if you were to take a snapshot of it, you are sure to find vibrant threads strung onto handlooms shining in their full glory (in almost every household. Each of these households gives it their all to bring a Bobbili saree to life.

With approximately fifty looms (maggams) in Narayanapuram, which are used in rotation among the weavers, the handlooms of this village are constantly dedicated to the making of Bobbili cotton sarees. A supremely comfortable fabric to go for in summer/tropical climates, Bobbili sarees are for the everyday-saree drapers who would love for their skin to feel the softness of well-made cotton. One of the most affordable sarees in the cotton segment, Bobbili sarees used to cost as low as ten rupees (back in the day. Known for their lightweight, plain and motif-less designs, Bobbili sarees are 100s and 120s count plain weave sarees. While they may not have motifs or interlock techniques, some of the designs do have stripes, checks or colour blocks. In contrast to the vibrance of the town, Bobbili sarees typically come in a range of pastel shades, which are not just pleasing to the eye and are the best bet on a hot summer day.

With only a handful of weavers left in the community along the closing of The Weaver's Cooperative Society of Narayanapuram; today the weavers are having to sell their sarees to wholesales who go on upsell the same to other middlemen and stores. Furthermore, with the shutting down of the aforementioned society, the demand for Bobbili sarees has taken a huge dip along with the added misery of the following generation showing no interest in carrying forward the legacy of weaving anymore. The younger generation seems to be gravitating towards better opportunities in bigger cities of Andhra Pradesh.

The Bobbili weave is quite popular among the locals. Thanks to the internet, today, people from across India at least recognise Bobbili sarees – both for their design and affordability. Purely handloom, a Bobbili saree is sure to cost less than a thousand rupees. The low price of Bobbili sarees today is no longer its value proposition. It seems to be doing just the opposite, unintentionally, of course. The younger generation is correlating its affordability and simplicity in design to low quality and boring, respectively. At this juncture, it is extremely important to clarify that Bobbili sarees are not just of great quality but they provide the best comfort and can never go out of fashion. For just a few hundreds of rupees, the weavers of Narayanapuram are offering the world a piece of heaven. It's a humble request, especially to the youth, to give Bobbili sarees a go. Accessorise your look to complement its simplicity. Reward your skin with the best cotton. Together, let us reinstate the faith in the community of Narayapuram weavers, shall we?

(The writer is a handloom and handicraft enthusiast. She is also a member of the crafts council. Instagram handle: Rajeswariramachander)