MUMBAI, INDIA, October 25, 2002: It is not just a piece of fabric six yards long and 48 inches wide, says Bela Shanghvi, who for the past twenty years has worked tirelessly to promote the craftsmanship that goes into making an exquisite sari. As a result of changing lifestyles, demand for the sari has fallen along with the rich heritage of textile designs and weaving techniques. It is precisely this heritage that Shanghvi, President of the Maharashtra Crafts Council works to preserve. According to Shanghvi, paithani, the Maharashtran technique of brocade weaving, is a work of art. A sari made of this cloth would take one to one and a half years to complete and would cost at least US$140. Shanghvi has identified about 360 techniques of weaving that are indigenous to India.
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