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Showing posts from November 2, 2009


About The Weavers Who Weave Sesha Vastrams for Tirupati Balaji

The five-meter-long white vastrams (dhoti) with a maroon color silk border worn by Lord Venkateswara at the Tirupati Balaji Temple in Tirumala on the first day of the annual Brahmotsavam is known as Sesha Vastrams or Eruvada Jodi Panchalu. This holy dress for Lord Balaji is prepared by a group of weavers at Gadwal Town in Mahbubnagar District in Andhra Pradesh. The traditional loom used to weave the holy dress is only used for this purpose, The weavers perform special austerities and observe Vrata while weaving the dress, which is completed in six weeks. Brahmotsavam in Tirupati Balaji Temple coincides with the Navratri (September – October). S. Sandeep Kumar writes about this unique holy dress making in The Hindu The Konkathi family has been weaving ‘Sesha Vastrams’ for the past 10 generations, on a decree from the Gadwal royal family. Chief weaver K. Venkateswarlu makes the designs and all the five of them weave the vastrams on a traditional loom in their hou