Maharani Radhika Raje Gaekwad Stuns In A Rare 1964 Baroda Shalu Saree Woven With Real Gold Tissue News24 –

Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad of Lakshmi Vilas Palace is not just celebrated for her royal heritage but also for her remarkable online presence, making her one of the most searched personalities today. In this article, we take a closer look at her journey—her education, passions, career, the story of how she met and fell in love with Maharaja Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, and the staggering wealth they share.

Maharani Radhika Raje Gaekwad of Baroda is a proud saree connoisseur, and her choice of attire always garners attention. Recently, she shared a series of photos wearing a rare Baroda Shalu saree woven with real gold tissue. This exquisite piece was originally worn by Rajmata Shubhangini Raje Gaekwad at her wedding to Maharaja Ranjitsinhrao Gaekwad in 1964. Radhika’s latest Instagram post, shared six days ago, has become a sensation, amassing nearly 20,000 likes.

Maharani Radhika Raje Gaekwad is seen wearing the exquisite saree as she shares its rich history. She wrote, “Baroda Shalu, one of the least known and researched textiles of royal India, received its patronage and thus its name from the Royal Gaekwads of Baroda.” She added that, the saree is exclusively for the royal family, “Woven exclusively for the royal family, its visual documentation is amost entirely restricted to Maharani Shantadevi and her immediate family, beginning with the Rajyabhishek or coronation of her husband, Maharaja Pratapsinh Gaekwad in 1939.” She had earlier also shared snaps wearing the Baroda Shalu saree.

The Beautiful Blend Of Baroda Shalu

The Baroda Shalu, woven in Benaras from the finest gossamer cotton and tissue, closely resembled Chanderi in its drape and elegance. However, it stood apart with its intricate craftsmanship and distinctive motifs, often geometric and contemporary in design. “The Baroda Shalu was woven in Benaras [Varanasi] from the finest gossamer cotton and tissue, closely mimicking the Chanderi in its drape and demeanour. However, it was distinguished by its complexity of workmanship and motifs, often geometric and contemporary.”- She wrote on Instagram.

How The Saree Is Ordered And Delivered

She wrote that the saree is woven exclusively for the royal family, “its visual documentation is amost entirely restricted to Maharani Shantadevi and her immediate family, beginning with the Rajyabhishek or coronation of her husband, Maharaja Pratapsinh Gaekwad in 1939.”

For special occasions like weddings, new designs were specially commissioned. “A middleman from Benaras would regularly arrive, carrying bundles of these exquisite sarees,” she reminisces. “Once the immediate family had procured their picks, the residue would be shown via house calls to the other Maratha noblewomen. Naturally, the royal-commissioned and endorsed Baroda Shalu was coveted by the women in both court and community. By the mid-1970s, the demand and supply of this textile entirely disappeared—no one clearly remembers why,” added Radhika Raje.

By the mid-1970s, the demand and supply of this exquisite textile had completely vanished, though no one quite remembers why. Fortunately for the Gaekwads, Ayee—Rajmata Shubhangini Raje—has preserved a deep love for Baroda textiles, carefully archiving them over the years. In 2019, Radhika Raje, in collaboration with Asif Shaikh of the CDS Art Foundation, embarked on a journey to revive the lost art of the Baroda Shalu saree. The craftsmanship is so intricate that the zari work appears almost embossed, creating a mesmerizing, fluid 3D effect.