The Kota
Saree or the Kota Doria, as it is also known as, is a work of pure silk and
cotton. Popularly known as 'Masuria' in Kota and KotaDoria (Doria means
thread), outside of Rajasthan, Kota
Sarees are primarily made in Kota, Rajasthan, and Mau,Uttar Pradesh.
Kota sarees are
also called Masuria because they were once woven in Mysore. The
weavers migrated to Kaithoon, near
Kota, and the sarees came to be known as 'Kota-Masuria'.
The Saree is woven
on a traditional pit loom designed to produce check patterns on the fabric. The
square shaped checks are known as Khats. They are smeared with onion juice and
rice paste to make the yarn strong and durable.
The Kota Doria
weave employs the warp and the weft in a special combination of cotton and silk
threads. While the cotton threads provide the binding strength, the silk threads
together lend lustre to the fabric.
Cotton for
the Kota Saree comes from Madhya Pradesh while the silk, which once came from
Karnataka, is now imported from Korea.
The standard
Kota Doria Saree is woven in white and later dyed in different colours. In the
case of saris with designs, the threads are dyed prior to weaving.
For the sake of
economy, weavers take up three Sarees of the same design at a time. The
setting-up of the threads is complicated and time-consuming and could take up to
a day. More complicated the design, more the time taken for setting-up. It takes
close to a week to complete three saris in the basic pattern.
Weaving is
done mostly by women, while the dyeing of threads is taken care of by men. The
dyed thread is obtained by the weavers themselves or through wholesale dealers,
who are also willing to buy the finished product.
Rajasthan
Handloom Development Corporation (RHDC) has encouraged KotaDoria. An all-silk
saree on the Masuria handlooms is their joint effort with the weavers. Various
permutations and combinations of the silk and cotton threads, produce unique
and complicated designs.
The Kota
Cotton Saree is translucent muslin, preferred for its light weight, softness
and airy comfort.
Pure Cotton
with golden Zari threads woven in square patterns is a popular variety.
Variations in borders and a whole array of bright colours and shades like pink,
blue, saffron, orange etc. applied to traditional prints and beautiful
embroidery work create stunning effects.
A refreshing change
is the Rajasthani Kota Saree woven by coarse cotton or golden threads with zari
border and is preferred wear for daily casual, corporate offices, colleges and family
get-togethers.
Stylish block
floral or geometrical prints on the kota cotton sari with zari temple border is
lovely attire for corporate conferences, college meetings and traditional
occasions.
Designer Kota
Supernet Saree adorned by zari flower work and having zari brocade border with
elegant pallu is choice wear for weddings, bridal attire, corporate office
parties, college events.
The Masuria
Silks are grand affairs of pure silk, gold and silver threads or Zari. The
Katan Pure Silk Weaves are adorned with beautiful Jaipuri prints, traditional
motifs, fancy zari or printed borders, exquisite embroidery work on the pallu,
making them an exclusive must-have.
Other worthy
creations are designer Kota Katan Silk Saree richly woven in Meena work and
with suitable accompaniments and the Dabu block prints on Stylish Kota Sari for
formal conferences and meets and change for college events and daily
casual.
Unnati Silks
provides an impressive display of 300 plus varieties of traditional offerings, having
a website with the largest Indian ethnic collection of sarees and salwar kameez
materials. It includes a wide range of Kota Silks and Cottons in the latest
prints and eye-catching designs that are also available to order from its
offline stores.
Backing its
sales is the Unnati service which includes dispatch within 24 hours of
confirmed order, speedy and safe delivery through reputed couriers, free
delivery and COD for retail customers and attractive terms for its bulk and
international customers.