Textiles, Motifs and Fashion

The allure of textiles often defies time and geography. Mrs. Medapa, wife of the Chief Justice of the erstwhile state of Mysore, had the saree commissioned in honour of a celebratory function to commemorate her husband’s appointment at the court of Mysore. It was 1924, and he was the first Kodava to have gained such recognition by the Maharaja of Mysore. The Kodavas, a small tribal community from Coorg, had no weaving traditions of their own. The women drape their sarees with the pleats behind them as a tribute to the river Cauvery, who figures prominently in their oral traditions. Their language is unique to them and carries no script.

Mrs. Medapa was required to be presentable and a good hostess. In accordance with the times, she chose to have a chevron-patterned saree akin to the 1920s art deco style prevalent in “Ephemera Fashion Magazine” for women. The Mysore court had established looms in Benares and in Kanchipuram; therefore, it remains uncertain which loom this first design was created on.

The saree, with 99.8% silver zari on a pale field of silk, is 100 years old, yet remains timeless in its aesthetic and relevance. We can be certain that even a century ago, women were “curating” their wardrobes—determining choices of colour and motif, placement, and form. The saree was passed down, worn, and much loved by her daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter before it found a home in the design archives of The Registry of Sarees.