Kusumalata is an original Sambalpuri cotton saree woven in mercerized cotton, carrying a grey ground offset by rust and blue — a handloom Sambalpuri saree that holds its colour and its character with equal steadiness. The body carries a Phula jala motif, the border a fish motif, and the pallu a spread of floral ikat — each element positioned where the weaver calculated it would land.

The Craft Behind Kusumalata

Kusumalata is made through the Bandha (double ikat) process, a technique known in Odisha as Bandhakala. Before a single thread passes through the loom, both warp and weft threads are resist-tied and dyed in precise sections. When the weaving begins, the motifs emerge simultaneously on both axes — the fish border, the Phula jala body, the floral pallu all surface from the thread itself, not from printing or embroidery. This is the work of Bhulia weavers in Odisha, who spend 10 to 15 days on the loom for a single cotton saree. Kusumalata carries the GI certified Sambalpuri saree designation, verified under the Sambalpuri Handloom GI tag and certified by the Government of India Handloom Mark.

Wearing Kusumalata

Mercerized cotton carries a quiet sheen and a firm drape — it does not cling, does not lose its pleat, and moves with a weight that feels grounded rather than heavy. The grey ground makes Kusumalata as appropriate as a Sambalpuri cotton saree for office wear as it is as a Sambalpuri saree for puja, where the rust and blue accents read with quiet precision against ritual settings. The fish motif border traces the hem with a regularity that anchors the drape, while the floral pallu opens fully when worn as a Sambalpuri saree for wedding occasions, giving the wearer the full reach of the Bandhakala pattern. The 43-inch breadth allows a generous pleat, and the 5.40-metre length accommodates most draping styles without adjustment.

Kusumalata is part of the Pasapali collection of authentic Sambalpuri handloom sarees, sourced directly from Bhulia weavers of Odisha.

Explore More Handloom Sarees

Kusumalata is part of Pasapali's collection of Sambalpuri Handloom sarees from Odisha. Read the story behind the brand and the weavers who make them.