Nilambari Sari originates from Shantipur in Nadia District of West Bengal. It was a seat of Sanskrit learning and literature, Vedic texts and scriptures during the ninth century.
Of late under the tutelage of UNESCO AwardWining MasterWeaver Writer Haripada Basak, Kalaboti Mudra and Bangiya Paramparik Karu O Bastra Shilpi Sangha jointly reviving the traditional skill-sets again. It is to remember that, invention of Chemical Blue Colour destructed the dyeing infrastructure of Bengal Cotton and Silk. We are also reviving charka weaved cotton thread again.
The word ‘nilambari’ literally means blue sky referring to the saree's deep navy-blue color. The ‘Aanchal’ is decorated with stripes of varying thickness. These stripes, called ‘sajanshoi,’ have colors that are complementary to those used on the borders. Some saris even include silver colored starry patterns embroidered on the border, giving it an appearance of a night sky. They often had flowing diagonal lines similar to the flow of a river. The colors were also typical-deep maroon, black, indigo blue and chrome yellow. There was also the famous Nilambari saree in which the midnight blue-black background was held together by star-like flowers, as a dark star-studded, moonless night.
These two organizations are reviving saris which are in four colours namely nilambari (blue), shwetambari (white), pitambari (yellow) and rakthambari (red). These are made in pure handcrafted cotton and woven sans jacquard m/c.
