Handloom saree drive in city a big draw

Facebook campaign, Six Yards and 365 Days, aimed at supporting the weaving community and Indian handlooms, launched its Odisha chapter on Tuesday here amid much fanfare.

Sunita Budhiraja, who has conceptualised the campaign, flaunted her 800th handloom saree in rare green master weaver Banarasi cotton Shikargah in line with the theme of the evening.  Women adorned in their most exquisite green handloom sarees were a treat.

Arjun Pal, a national awardee weaver from Cuttack and Vishnu from Maniabandha, besides two other weavers were present. Also present at the meet was designer-artist Ramuli or Rama Krishna Patnaik.

Several members of the campaign also came here from Delhi, NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ranchi, Rourkela, Cuttack and other areas in Odisha, to join.

Khimji Jewellers provided with silver articles for the milestone achievers. Preetijyotsna Deo received a cotton Patola saree woven in Rajkot in Gujarat for her 665 sarees and Sunita a cotton Paithani woven in Paithan in Maharashtra for 800 sarees.

Both the sarees were sponsored by Artisan Saga, an online portal of traditional sarees and Dupattas.

A ramp walk was held and a quiz was also conducted on handlooms. Six women shared their experience of how joining Six Yards and 365 Days changed their life.