Aditi Rao Hydari Instagram – The revival of the wanaparthy saree!
A saree that has multicultural roots, much like me!
My grandfather Raja J Rameshwar Rao worked towards this revival as a yong man.
He encouraged the weavers, ordered for the family from them. Had old designs sent to them to re learn and re create
His ancestors, the art loving rulers of Wanaparthy had brought Paithani weavers to settle in their kingdom and the saree and weaving then adapted to the region as it evolved.
I remember one specific saree that my grandmother mother and her sisters have, inspired by a famous Ravi Varma painting, the black asharfi saree.
And now I realise that I was inspired by that saree too. Firmly locked and sealed in my subconscious mind, and it all emerged when the genius Sabyasachi was creating the half saree for Siddharth and my wedding at the wanaparthy temple!
There is so much to write and family histories are so interesting, I’ll have to ask my Amma for more!
For now I’ll leave you with this exhibition… I’m so proud to bring this to you all.
I hope the weavers of wanaparthy reclaim
their rich legacy.
❤️
Slide 1,2,3,4 – The exhibition
Slide 5 the Raja Ravi Varma painting of the lady in the asharfi saree with the striped brocade blouse
Slide 6- @sabyasachiofficial created this half saree for our Wanaparthy temple wedding
Slide 7 – my mother with her mother, my Ammamma in a Wanaparthy saree ( this was a colour picture that I enthusiastically converted to black and white and can’t find the OG
You can’t see the saree properly, It’s a classic ivory and Kumkum border saree.
Slide 8 – moi wearing a wanaparthy saree in high school
the music is a collaboration of my ammas singing and a French musician….✨ | Posted on 13/Oct/2025 13:22:54
