Saree / BAWAN BUTTI / SILK

"Bawan buti is a Buddhist art form of weaving that originated in Nalanda, Bihar, India. Bawan buti sarees are woven with silk and cotton, and feature 52 motifs, or baavan buti, that run along the body of the sari. The motifs are added using an extra weft, and the process is similar to satin-stitch embroidery. Motifs often include Buddhist iconographies such as the lotus, peepal, bull, stupa, deer, elephant, and Bodhi tree leaf. The art of bawan buti is associated with the Buddhist period, and the history of the saree is linked to Nalanda, which has been an important Buddhist center since the fifth century. The art of bawan buti is slowly dying, but some are working to preserve it. "