A black and yellow Nabakothi Khandua patta handloom saree in pure silk from Nuapatna, Odisha. The black body is woven in a Nabakothi grid of panels, each holding an ikat motif such as a peacock, elephant, temple or flower in yellow, green, red and white. The pallu is mustard yellow with maroon and white ikat medallions and bands, and fine striped yellow borders frame the saree. It suits festivals, family functions and evening gatherings.
Design details
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Body: Black pure silk woven in Nabakothi panels, with multicoloured ikat motifs of peacocks, elephants, temples and flowers.
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Pallu: Mustard yellow with rows of maroon and white ikat floral medallions and geometric bands.
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Border: Mustard yellow border with fine woven stripes.
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Technique: Hand-woven Khandua ikat.
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Blouse: Comes with an unstitched blouse piece.
Occasions and styling
Khandua silk suits festivals, family functions, office events and evening gatherings, and the black and yellow contrast makes the Nabakothi motifs stand out from a distance. Pair it with gold or temple jewellery, or with green stones to pick up the green in the motifs.
About Khandua silk
Khandua patta is a GI-tagged ikat silk from the Nuapatna and Maniabandha weaving clusters of Cuttack district, Odisha. In ikat, the yarns are resist-dyed in sections before weaving, so the pattern appears as the cloth is woven. Nabakothi, meaning nine chambers, is a classic Khandua layout in which the body is divided into a grid of boxes, each filled with a motif such as an elephant, peacock, temple or flower.
Care
Dry clean only. Store the saree wrapped in a soft cotton or muslin cloth, away from moisture. Refold it every few months so the silk and any zari do not crack along the folds. Do not spray perfume directly on silk or zari, and iron on low heat with a cloth in between.
