Maheshwari saree
Also called: Maheshwar weaving · Topic: The Marathas · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 3 "The Marathas"
Meaning
Maheshwari sarees are handloom sarees (woven by hand on a loom) made in Maheshwar, a town on the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh. They are made of cotton and silk. The weaving grew under Ahilyabai Holkar in the 18th century. Maheshwar was her capital, and she promoted the Maheshwar weaving industry there. Today the saree has a GI tag (Geographical Indication), a legal label showing a product comes from a particular place.
Example
In the 18th century Ahilyabai Holkar ruled from Maheshwar for about thirty years. She encouraged weavers to settle in the town. The light cotton-silk sarees they made are still woven there today.
Don't confuse with
- Chanderi saree: Chanderi is another handloom saree from Madhya Pradesh. It comes from Chanderi town, not Maheshwar, and is not linked to Ahilyabai.