Tana-Bana: The Metaphor of Life

If you've ever draped a saree, you might have noticed the fine threads running along its length. The vertical threads, forming the backbone, are called tana (warp), while the horizontal threads weaving through them are bana (weft). Together, they create the fabric of the saree—and metaphorically, the fabric of life.

Weaving is an ancient craft where patience and precision intertwine. The warp stands firm, giving structure and strength, while the weft dances through it, adding color, texture, and design. Without one, the other is incomplete—just as in life, where our experiences and relationships interlace to form a meaningful whole.

Like a weaver, life requires patience, passion, and care. Mistakes may happen, threads may misalign, but with attention and persistence, we adjust, correct, and continue. Each experience—joy or sorrow, triumph or setback—becomes part of the larger design, adding depth, texture, and beauty. Over time, these carefully interwoven moments create a tapestry uniquely our own, a story of resilience, intention, and love, much like a saree woven to perfection.

Under Mumma's Pallu

As a little girl, she’d hide under her mumma’s saree pallu, peeking at the world through delicate folds of silk and tiny, shimmering lights. The soft rustle of fabric and the warmth of her mother’s embrace felt like magic.

Those moments under that woven canopy of love and comfort sparked a lifelong romance with sarees. Now, every time she drapes one, she feels that same warmth—as if her mother’s blessings are wrapped around her.

The Silk Burning Test

At Purple Potli, ensuring the genuineness of our handloom silk sarees is essential. We use practical quality checks—like the classic silk thread burning test—to verify that our handloom silks are crafted from pure, authentic thread.

The test is simple yet effective in distinguishing pure silk from imitation fibers:

  • Smell: Pure silk emits a scent similar to burning hair or feathers
  • Burning Reaction: The thread burns slowly, often self-extinguishing
  • Residue: It leaves behind brittle black ash that crushes to powder (synthetics leave a hard bead or sticky residue)This hands-on test—performed in collaboration with our weavers—helps us maintain the authenticity and quality that our customers expect from handloom silk sarees.

By making authenticity a standard practice, we honor the skill of our artisans and preserve the trust our customers place in every drape from Purple Potli. The result is a collection grounded in heritage, quality, and integrity.

Saree as a tradition

Reports may show that the saree market in India is growing by many times, but as a lover of tradition, I feel both joy and heartache. Joy—because our six yards of heritage are gaining attention. Heartache—because the younger generation often says, “We don’t drape sarees anymore.”

If only I could take them through the lanes of Banaras, where an old kaka still weaves a priceless Banarasi saree, meant to be treasured for generations. If only I could show them a bride’s trousseau, where every fold of her bridal sarees in silk and zari carries her dreams in hues of red and gold.

If only I could show them an aspiring journalist, representing India internationally, wrapped in a neatly tied Tussar silk saree from Bhagalpur—a symbol of identity and pride. Or the shimmering zari of Banaras, the timeless Kanchipuram silk sarees, and the intricate soof embroidery of Kutch—each one a masterpiece of our handloom tradition.

The saree is not just an outfit. It is identity, history, and artistry—woven into six yards of grace. To drape a saree is to carry forward the story of Indian heritage, craftsmanship, and timeless elegance.

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