Pallava is a Kotpad handloom saree you can buy online from Pasapali — woven in Tussar Cotton Silk, dyed in aal bark gold, and carrying macha and pharsa motifs across its body, border, and pallu. The golden field rests against an off-white ground, producing a quiet depth that comes only from organic vegetable dye weaving.

The Craft Behind Pallava

Pallava belongs to the GI certified Kotpad textile tradition of Odisha, practised by Mirgan tribal weavers who have worked this craft for generations. The dyeing begins with aal bark — the inner bark of the Morinda citrifolia tree — which is harvested, boiled, and reduced into a warm, tannin-rich bath. Pre-mordanted fibres are immersed and soaked at controlled intervals, allowing the colour to bond with the fibre at a molecular level without any synthetic fixative or chemical accelerant. The resulting golden tone is stable, breathable, and deepens slightly with age and sunlight. This vegetable dye tradition, combined with handspun cotton integrated into the Tussar base, is what defines authentic Kotpad handloom and separates it from machine-processed alternatives.

Wearing Pallava

Tussar Cotton Silk carries a characteristic body — neither stiff nor fluid — that holds a pleat cleanly and moves with a low rustle when walking. Pallava drapes with enough weight to fall in defined folds while remaining light enough for several hours of wear. The handspun texture gives the surface a faint irregularity that is a direct record of how the yarn was made. As a Kotpad saree for ethnic wear, it sits well with a plain silk blouse that lets the tribal motifs hold attention. As a Kotpad saree for festivals, the macha and pharsa motifs on the body and the raised Kumbha border carry cultural meaning that feels appropriate to the occasion. As a natural dyed saree for gifting, the aal bark colour and the weave time of 25–30 days give it a weight of intention that a printed textile cannot replicate. The pharsa motif at the pallu draws the eye, and the wearer carries that symbol with them through the drape.

Pallava is documented and made available through Pasapali — a record of what natural dyed saree traditions in India look like when sourced directly from the weaving community.

Explore More Handloom Sarees

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