Nirjhari is a natural dyed Kotpad handloom saree woven in off-white handspun cotton, offered as an original Kotpad saree online by Pasapali. The body carries tribal macha (fish) and pharsa (axe) motifs rendered in muted earthy tones, and the drape holds a grounded, unhurried weight.

The Craft Behind Nirjhari

The colour in Nirjhari comes entirely from the bark of the aal tree — a root-bark dye source native to the forest belt of Kotpad, Odisha. Weavers of the Mirgan tribal community harvest the bark, boil it to release its pigment, and soak the handspun cotton fibres in the dye bath over measured intervals. No synthetic mordants or chemical fixatives are used; the colour is set through a natural tannin-fixing process that gives the cloth its characteristic earthy warmth. This vegetable dye tradition has been practised continuously by Mirgan weavers across generations and is protected under the GI certified Kotpad textile designation. Each length of cloth in this authentic Kotpad handloom carries the full imprint of that process — the slight tonal variation from skein to skein is a mark of the hand, not a defect.

Wearing Nirjhari

Nirjhari drapes with a soft, even hand. Handspun cotton at this weight breathes well through the day and settles close to the body without stiffness. The raised kumbha border, built through the multi-shuttle interlocking method, holds its structure across repeated wearing and washing. The macha and pharsa motifs that run through body and pallu connect the wearer directly to the symbolic vocabulary of Kotpad's forest-dwelling communities — fish for abundance, the axe for craft and strength. This is a Kotpad saree for ethnic wear that carries its meaning quietly. It works equally as a Kotpad saree for festivals where the occasion calls for restraint rather than spectacle, and as a natural dyed saree for gifting — particularly to someone who values the story behind cloth.

Nirjhari is part of Pasapali's commitment to vegetable dyed saree Odisha traditions, sourced directly from Mirgan weavers to preserve the line between maker and wearer.

Explore More Handloom Sarees

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