Soumya Sunil, a resident of Race Course road, was enthralled when her mother-in-law’s 57-year-old sari was amongst the three entries which won at the Vintage Saris Exhibition organised by the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Ltd. (KSIC) on Tuesday.
“My mother-in-law bought the sari when she got married in 1962 and has taken immense care of it since then,” said Ms. Sunil. The bottle-green sari is dotted with elephant motifs that were famous then, which have now been replaced by gandaberunda .
There was also an exhibition-cum-sale brimming with yards of woven elegance ranging from simple plain saris with minimal borders to embroidered saris with ornate zaris . Priced between ₹6,000 and ₹3 lakh, the exhibition houses hundreds of options and has customers spoilt for choice.
H.S. Jayanthi, a resident of Mysuru, has been participating for over eight years, and this was the first time she won the first prize. “Having born and brought up in Mysuru, this is a very proud moment. I have received the consolation prize before,” she said, adding that her 69-year-old sari was passed on to her by her mother-in-law.
Roopavathi from Chennai was among the three who won the prize for her well-maintained 45-year-old sari.
KSIC is planning to organise the 14-year-old competition competition in Kalaburagi, Dharwad, and Belagavi as well this festive season. “We have had over 70 entries from all over the State, some coming in from Hyderabad and Chennai as well,” said an official.
The top three entries received ₹18,000 cash each and consolation prizes of ₹5,000 were awarded to five entries.
New factory
Rajendra Kumar Kataria, Secretary, Horticulture and Sericulture Department, said a new factory for silk production is likely to come up in Mysuru to fulfil the increasing demand and fuel diversification. The recruitment process for the factory is under way, and is expected to be up and running by early January next year, he added.
The exhibition is scheduled to go on till 27th of this month at Karnataka Secretariat Club, Cubbon Park.