Budget 2021: Nirmala Sitharaman wears red and white handloom saree

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stepped out today to present the Union Budget 2021-22 in the Parliament. For the occasion, Sitharaman wore a red and off-white silk Pochampally sari with ikat patterns around the pallu, with a green border. This was paired with a matching red blouse.

Pochampally ikat is traditionally made in Bhoodan Pochampally, in Telangana, and is popularly known as the ‘silk city of India’. According to pochampally.com, the manufacture is this style of silk sari goes back to 1970s when it was decided by some village headmen of Pochampally to weave silk along with cotton.

Pochampally is known by various names locally, in Telangana, like Pogudubandhu, Chitki and Buddabhashi. The fabric is cotton, silk and sico — a mix of silk and cotton.

Meanwhile, the Indian government, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, have been urging citizens to promote traditional handloom and weaving sectors by wearing locally manufactured garments, as part of the “vocal for local” initiative.

Celebrities, from Kangana Ranaut to Priyanka Chopra, also recently encouraged citizens to wear handloom attire.