Reduced price for printed saris, not for original silk

It is not Mysore silk sari made of ‘Jari’, but Mysore printed saris that would be offered for Rs 4,500, officials at Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) have clarified.

Following Sericulture and Tourism minister Sa Ra Mahesh's recent announcement on his visit to the factory unit in Mysuru that the famous saris would be offered at a reduced price, WhatsApp and other social media have been abuzz with pictures of Mysore silk saris, as elated women dreamed of owning a sari with woven threads of silk.

On the other hand, KSIC officials worked overtime to streamline the offer while also staying true to the minister’s announcement, which triggered a flurry of phone calls to the KSIC showrooms. Officials said the staff had a hard time handling the customers.

“The announcement was sudden,” said a senior KSIC official. “The showroom staffs have been working hard to meet the customer expectations. Workers in Mysuru and Channapattana factories are working overtime (to stack up the saris), while sourcing raw materials is also proving arduous.”

Woven intricately with the finest quality of silk and gold thread, the 'Jhari' silk sarees are priced above Rs 25,000. The ‘regular’ printed saris have been priced reasonably at Rs 4,500. The department made the public announcement on the sale on Tuesday.

Sericulture minister Sa Ra Mahesh told DH that the sale for Varamahalakshmi festival has begun. He also said the department is trying its best to meet the growing demand for the saris.

"We have the infrastructure to make about 70,000 sarees. Considering the demand, we have been trying our best to manufacture at least one lakh sarees for this festive season," Mahesh said.

An official managing one of the KSIC showrooms in Bengaluru said printed saris will begin from Rs 4,500 onwards and customers must pay GST charges in addition.

Customers can avail the offer at all 16 KSIC stores in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Channapatna, Davangere and one showroom each in Hyderabad and Chennai.