The cotton that is used in these sarees is brought in from Coimbatore in South India, while the silk is from Bangalore and the wool is imported from Australia. The processing of the raw material is undertaken in Kolkata and the saree is woven by the women of Maheshwar.

An original Maheshwari saree can cost anywhere between Rs. 1500 to Rs. 5000.

‘Rehwa’ – an organization committed to the Maheshwari tradition

The Maheshwari sarees began losing their popularity and were almost on the verge of extinction at the time of Independence. During this period, the non-profit organization ‘Rehwa’ was created by Richard Shivaji Rao Holkar and Sally Holkar to provide a new life to this dying tradition.

Rehwa is located in the Fort of Maheshwar, from which Queen Ahilyabai Holkar used to rule Indore. It has its own retail outlets in Mumbai and New Delhi and most of its sales take place through other private retailers.

Rehwa plays a vital role in helping the workers produce these sarees and in marketing them nationally and internationally. Rehwa constitutes 160 weavers and has a staff of 300. It employs 1500 looms. The total turnover generated by this organization is Rs. 40-50 crore. The main national markets of Rehwa are Delhi and Mumbai, while the major export markets are France, Germany and U.K.

Besides sarees, Rehwa has also encouraged its weavers to produce dupattas and shawls, which have been accepted by patrons. It has also launched ‘Ahilya’ – a collection of traditional Maheshwari sarees and latest ones.

According to Mr. Holkar, Rehwa is all set to reach a great level with its new products, new markets and new ventures.

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