Uppada and the weaving skills of girls

Description

Context: Girls from the fishermen community in the villages of Uppada coast in East Godavari district for the past three and a half decades makes the saris with jamdani technique.

During the 17th century, the Uppada saris were woven by the local handloom weavers with jamdani technique with pure cotton, gold or silver zari, only to be worn by the royal families of Pithapuram, Bobbili, and Venkatagiri in Andhra Pradesh.
In jamdani technique of handloom weaving, the motif appears same on front and reverse side of the sari and it is woven by hand.
Uppada saree was registered by the Geographical Indications Registry tag (GI Tag) for the jamdani technique in 2009.

jamdani technique

In 2013, the traditional art of weaving jamdani was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Jamdani style of weaving is originated in Bangladesh.
In 18th Century, It was brought to south and in Uppada village of East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India Jamdani style of weaving recreated with a local resonance.
Though Jamdani has enjoyed immense popularity right from the beginning, the art form bloomed during the Mughal period.