Tag 'Patola'

Lay a Kanjivaram, a Banarasi, and a Patola side by side and you'd be forgiven for thinking three different countries made them. Same raw material — silk — and almost nothing else in common. The technique, the rhythm of the loom, the time it takes, even the families who weave them, are worlds apart. Here's what actually separates the three, and how to spot each one at a glance.