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Banarasi Bridal sari, circa 1900
This magenta sari was among the few I acquired from my jeweler.
Old saris with precious metal content usually end up at the jewelers
who burn the sari to extract the silver content.
This sari has distinct english elements - bows & ribbons.
It is the only piece that I have come across that has text woven in.
This is clearly a bridal sari, as it has the blessing 'sada saubhagyavati' -
this blessing is given to brides, young or old -
" may you live your entire life as a bride"
(the underlying tenet is that may she never be widowed...
there's lots of background to this ...)
