 Walk
with the stars. Bangalore has a silk house that caters to the
likes of Hema Malini, Jayaprada and Rekha to name a few.
Vijayalakshmi Silks and Saris on M.G. Road, Bangalore,
is one of the oldest outlets for silks in the city. For over
seven decades, Vijayalakshmi has upheld its tradition
of stocking the finest collection of silk saris to suit every
occasion.
Beautiful designs, elegant drapes, exquisite colours - masterpieces
of skilled Indian weavers - are available here. It's an endeavour
to capture the rich legacy of Indian art, culture and heritage
in saris. Infinite care is taken before a sari is purchased
from the weavers. It is checked carefully for defects.
Known for its personalised customer care, Govardhan, proprietor
of Vijayalakshmi Silks and Saris says, "Once a customer,
always a customer for us. We treat them very personally."
When was Vijayalakshmi Silks and Saris established and who
was the founder?
In 1920. Our grand father, Ratnam Shetty was the founder. It
was started in Chickpet then. This M.G. Road shop was established
by my father, C.S. Venkataram in 1963.
How did your grandfather get into this silk business?
We are Vysyas, a business community, and our forefathers were
already into the business of food grains and jewellery. My grandfather
started this textile business.
Where do you get the silk from?
We source a variety of saris from all over India, from Kanyakumari
to Kashmir.
Is this the only outlet in Bangalore or do you have branches
in other states?
We have only two outlets in Bangalore. One on M.G. Road and
the other is at Vijayalakshmi Hall in Chickpet. We have no branches
in any other state in India.
Which of your saris is the most popular?
The most popular varieties in silks are silk embroideries. It
also depends on the season. During summer, light weight silks
have good sales. During winter, heavy silks like Kanjivaram
sell well.
What type of garments do young lady customers look for?
We stock silks for all ages, from grandmamma to granddaughter.
Our sales personnel are trained to sense the pulse of the customer
and to show them just the type of sari or cloth they are seeking.
What does Vijayalakshmi Silks and Saris specialise in? 
We are renowned as 'The most trusted shop'. We give what we
promise to.
Which is the most expensive sari you have for sale?
The most expensive sari we have is of the Kanjivaram type. It
costs Rs 40,000. We have silk and cotton saris that range from
Rs 200 to Rs 40,000.
Who are your celebrity customers?
Celebrities like the late Protima Gauri Bedi, Rekha, Hema
Malini, Jayaprada, Madhavi to name a few. Vijayalakshmi
Pandit, Nehru's sister and Indira Gandhi have also visited
our shop. Many traditional families in Bangalore are our committed
customers.
How can a customer judge the quality of silk fabric?
The best way to test the purity of a silk sari is to pull out
a strand of silk thread from the fabric and burn it. If the
string changes into a melted lump it is not pure silk. But if
the string burns into ash it is real silk. The smell of burnt
silk is also different.
 How
can one prevent the sari's zari from becoming black?
Pure zari is made of genuine gold and silver thread and it should
not turn black. But nowadays, for silk saris, a material called
'tested zari' is being used extensively which does not contain
any gold or silver. But the costly varieties like Kanjivaram
saris are still being woven with gold and silver zari. In Banaras
varieties of silk saris also pure gold and silver zari is used.
What type of sari border designs are popular these days?
There are no specific border designs for saris nowadays. There
are numerous sari border designs to choose from.
What tips would you give to customers on the care of silk
saris?
While the silk clothes are not in use, they should be preserved
in the ward robe in a way that permits air to enter into the
folds of the sari. It's best to wrap the sari in 'mul-mul' cloth.
If one follows this procedure, a silk sari can last for more
than 40 years.
Which are the potential silk weaving areas in Bangalore?
Cubbonpet is one of the main weaving centres in Bangalore.
Click here for tips on
good care of silk saris.
Address:
Vijayalakshmi Silks and Saris,
Blumoon complex, M.G. road,
Bangalore - 560 001.
Phone: 2558 7395, 2558 7900, 2558 7937
E-mail: silks@vijayalakshmisilks.com
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