Pavni – A Celebration of South Indian handlooms while acknowledging their Purity of Weave

Pavni is a celebration of purity, an act of solemnizing the auspicious, the reverence shown to an honored tradition of handloom weaving in Southern India. Brainchild of Unnati Silks, this year’s annual sales has ‘Pavni’ as its underlying theme.
Celebration of events in India is as old as tradition itself. Tradition demands purity, a departure from the routine, to lend the event an auspicious air and create a joyous spirit of togetherness.  Pure can by the merit of its virtuous self, uplift. That is precisely why the pristine South Handlooms with their smooth textured weaves and vibrant displays of fine color, simply lighten the air and elevate the mood.
Pavni, or the better known spelling Pavani, is a minute observation, that elaborates how a celebration elevates the routine to a new high that is both heartwarming and salutary. In acknowledgement of Purity and Auspiciousness the underlying theme, with sharp focus on South Indian customs and tradition, it takes centre stage in its display of fine handloom sarees from South Indian ethnic craftsmen, who have devoted their mite and skill to weave some of the finest varieties in Indian handlooms that India can be proud of.
The focus of Pavni
Pavni lays focus on the five southern states of India, namely Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It touches upon the manner in which day-to-day life progresses, to the observance of customs and traditions during special occasions like festivals, weddings, rites and other social functions.
There is a tradition of regularly visiting temples that abounds in all these states; that reflects an invoking of the Divine for all matters - of importance and the mundane, in order to eke out a peaceful existence during one’s lifetime. So when there is so much dependence on the supernatural being, the spiritual leaning or god-fearing attitude in almost all transactions big and small,  are automatically part of the traditional ethos.
Purity is sacrosanct and very much revered as an ideal to live up to, to the extent of one’s ability. Traditional upbringing incorporates the concept of purity in all facets of day-to-day living, that it strikes a chord, is imbibed and percolates down generations to some extent at least.
What does Pavni show?
Pavni proudly displays the facet of purity even in tradition, a laudable ideal, reflected in the manner handloom fabrics are woven down south.

• Weaving is an exercise in devotion. If one were to notice, south Indian handlooms are mostly of good count and tightly woven.
• Color is the first thing that strikes the eye. There is no chaotic splash of dyes to provide the colors, but a judicious selection of hues to strike a balance between average appeal and aesthetic combinations.
• The accent is on softness. Colors that are gaudy, garish and eye-hitting are taboo. Muted colors are more popular.
• This is also reflected in the choice of elements like the motifs, the pallu imagery and the border designs. Motif elements and pallu imagery are simple geometrical shapes like light lines or parallel lines, small squares or checks, bigger squares, plaids, domestic birds, tame animals etc. that represent mildness. The accent is on simplicity highlighted with a lovely choice of colors.
• The popular temple border is an acknowledged inclusion in South Indian handlooms that has gradually spread across many parts of India.
• The shining golden zari, especially on borders, has now become the norm.

In fact, Pavni could be said to be that minute observer who notices the invisible string that binds all these in an unwritten sequence of tradition. It is a trail that leads to the finer aspects of good visualization, amazing creativity and its application in translating raw material into fine fabrics, simply through excellent workmanship.
The Pavni collection of Unnati Silks

Is Pavni simply an idea? Or is it a Collection based upon an idea? Or is it homage to Purity, a quality strived for to be achieved, but never really gotten close to?
Actually speaking it is all three. Pavani simply inspires! It showcases the south Indian way of doing things, portrays the ethos that percolates into its weaves and displays the unique characteristics of the variety in question.
Therefore Pavni is presented to you, in a refreshing style; a new way of seeing the familiar.
The Body – starting with the plain, it moves on to even square shaped checks and then plaids. Later you have the woven checks and stripes. There are also the large squares in alternating color.
The Border – There is tremendous experiment with the border. You find them in the following variations.

•  Thread worked in simple and intricate design
•  broad shiny zari borders on silver color or golden color
• narrow to pencil line borders in golden zari
•  several parallel lines within the width of border in color contrast to its base
• plain colored border in contrast to color of body
• motif borders with motif in series over length of border
•  large designer booti in series over entire length of border like mango, peacock etc.

The Pallu or end piece
There is display of plain, simple lines in series, large bootis, designs in zari weaving etc.
Colors used mostly are soft pastel shades that are easy on the eyes. There are the deep shades of vibrant colors like blue, green, yellow, brown also. The combinations using these described above have been achieved with thought and good anticipation of allure.

Do explore to your heart’s content and purchase the ones that you believe would suit your personality.