Every year, December 21 is celebrated as World Saree Day, celebrating the traditional Indian outfit that has now transcended borders and has gone global. Contributing to the grand legacy of sarees are Gujarat’s own Gharchola, Patola, and Bandhani, some of the most sought after sarees.

Gharchola

The wedding saree of Gharchola of Gujarat has now got a Geographical Indication (GI) for its cultural heritage.

The coveted GI tag was presented during the “GI and Beyond – Virasat Se Vikas Tak” program in New Delhi, hosted by the handlooms development commissioner of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

The bright sarees worn on special occasions are believed to have originated in the Khambhat region of the state.

Patola

If you are a Gujarati, you are humming a special song about this Patan special as soon as you hear ‘Patola’.

This cultural treasure of Gujarat also boasts of a GI tag of its own. The Patolas are known for its silk dyed with vibrant ikat inks.

Another USP of Patola (Patolu as singular) is that you can wear it both ways. The unique weaving technique used for this saree makes it just as gorgeous when it is reversed!

Bandhani

Unlike the other sarees we discussed above, Bandhani is more of a dyeing technique than a saree category. It is a tie-dye technique where the fabric is tied with a string and then dyed, so it creates patterns with colour and empty spaces on fabric.

Gujarat’s Bhuj, Anjar, Mandvi, Rajkot, and Jamnagar are among the places where you can find traditional Bandhani sarees.

The Bandhni is believed to have been started by Khatri community in India, and dates back to Indus Valley civilisation in 4000 BC.

Surat, the modern-day saree manufacturer

Today, Surat is a hub for saree manufacturing in Gujarat, where 60% of fabric processed in the district is used for making a saree.

As per reports, the saree turnover of Surat touches around ₹60,000 crore annually.

The sarees made in Surat today include Madhya Pradesh's Chanderi, Odisha's Balucherry, Maharashtra's Paithani, Uttar Pradesh's Silk, Assam's Mekhela Chadar, Andhra Pradesh's Palda, and Bengal's Dhakatant, etc.