Want to dress up like a Queen?? Here are some Saree Inspirations from The Era of Queens!!

Saree Inspirations from The Era of Queens

Queens  are mostly famous for their mesmerizing beauty and  Royalty.  More than that they are known for Intelligence, kindness,  courage,  bravery and self respect as well.  Our Ancient history talks more about Great Kings who ruled our India. However, there are still several tales of beautiful and brave queens who had shaped history of India. Most of  our Indian queens were described in historic books as epitome  of Beauty with Brains during their time.

Saree Inspirations from Andhra Queens

Be it a wedding or any other occasion,  Every girl wants to dress up like a queen at least once in her life time.  But, most of us unaware of how the queen's were looking and what kind of jewelry they were wearing during their era. The Movie Epic BahuBali  given some spot light on our Indian queens through  the roles Raajamata Sivagami and Queen Devasena.  To fulfill that goal of  every goal, I came up with some of the Andhra queen's dressing inspiration with their gestures from the fashion show conducted by Kankatala.

A bride  dress up like a queen for her wedding

Lets see  some of Andhra queen's who made a mark in our Indian history with their bravery and brains.  Very thankful to Kankatala, A clothing store with a threshold of 75 years in India,   who presented in collaboration with KASA , a never-before Regal Collection of Sarees  inspired by the Bold & Beautiful Queens of Andhra. Each of their Collection reflects a queen’s distinctive character. Experience their historical journey which is a great tribute to all brave and beautiful queens who are true inspirations towards the leadership and royalty to today's modern women.

The queens are a personage of great reputation in the land of Telugu people and have been a source of inspiration for generations. These portraits are an artistic interpretation which depict their iconic presence during their stage of stature. Their historic life events, social and cultural evidence aided the visualization process for each queen.

Models in Andhra Queens Postures

Rani Akkadevi - Gunadabedangi (Beauty of virtues)

The Bhairavi (Courageous warrior)
Chalukya Dynasty - 11th Century

 Chalukya dynasty’s pride…the lady who not only fought with great valor and bagged the title of Bhairavi, but was also was a beauty with brains. She fought many battles fiercely and expanded provinces, subjugating enemies with elan. She also had a softer side, which earned her the title of Gunadabedangi, the beauty of virtues. She built many Hindu and Jain temples and encouraged education by providing grants. An inscription dated A.D 1021 says that she made a gift of large plots of land to feed and clothe five hundred students. She was known to be true to her words and keep up promises.

A Model Dressed up like a Rani Akkadevi

        A Model is disguised as Rani Akkadevi,  she is draped in a rich pink kanchi-pattu saree with heavy zari work . Pink denotes a sense of sophistication, benevolence and calmness. Perfect for a brave warrior who had a good head on her shoulders. The saree is richly woven with royal peacock and elephants, motifs inspired by the inscriptions on the temples. Elephants denote her strength and peacocks her grace... Truly a Queen’s collection.

Rani Bhagmati

The Mystic Queen of Hyderabad
Qutb Shahi Dynasty of Golkonda - 16th Century

Beloved of Quli Qutub Shah, the king who originated the city of Hyderabad, was so fond of his beloved Queen that he named the city he founded after as Bhagyanagaram and upon religious conversion of the Queen’s name to Hydermahal, the city was named Hyderabad. A beauty from the Chichelum village with whom the king fell in love at first sight. So much so that the king’s true love and romance for her made him transcended all social and religious barriers. As cinematic as it sounds, the king’s father builds a Puranapul bridge to facilitate his son meet his lady love. Lucky in love and showered with admiration, this queen for her mesmerizing beauty is one up for our Queen’s collection.

Queen of Hyderabad Rani Bhagmati

Our Hyderabad queen has been draped in the classic Banarasi - a weave older than history and tradition, with heavy antique zari work. Royal blue for the blue-blooded princess. Flowers have always been a wonderful tribute to woman and their beauty, been an expression of love and as a symbolic offering to the deities. Floral motifs echo positivity and purity reflected very frequently on a lot of Banarasi weaves. Classic beauty for the classic Queen’s collection.

Nayakuralu Nagamma - The Stateswoman

Palanadu, Guntur - 12th Century

  Nayakuralu Nagamma – a powerful woman from the medieval times, an astute military strategist and legendary administrator. The super warrior along with Brahma Naidu at the famous Palanati war, she had been tutored in all crafts of warfare, including sword fight and horse riding. She was also trained in conducting government affairs by her mentor Gopanna. She was a minister to king Nalagamma, and later became a renowned stateswoman and the Prime minister of Palnadu. One of the first women to be a minister in medieval times, she was very proficient in linguistics too. Many ballads singing the glories of Palnadu mention her. A temple has been dedicated to her in the Aravalli region.

A model dressed up like a Palnadu Nagamma

A model is styled in a nine-yards yellow saree with goodness of Kanchi to resemble the looks of Nayakuralu Nagamma . Yellow epitomises confidence, extraversion and great emotional strength - perfect to describe our able stateswoman. Checks and zamindari border add to the grandeur. The background is a barn to showcase her love for horses. Known for her street style approach in dealing with things, she still displayed panache and grandeur in her style. The bold and beautiful lady for our Queen’s collection.

Rani Rudramma Devi

The Queen ahead of her times - Kakatiya’s pride
Kakatiya Dynasty - 13th Century

    Rudrama Devi- the 13th century game changer. At a time when women were suppressed, she changed societal rules and proved that she was as good as any man. She won a war to prove her mettle and establish that she was a worthy successor to the Kakatiya kingdom. So much so, that her father designated her as his son through the “Putrika” ceremony.


       Despite being able, valorous, and a Despite being able, valorous, and a just human being, her coronation was not an easy process. She faced a great deal of opposition for the simple reason that the men resisted a woman's authority. Intelligent and diplomatic, she successfully asserted her sovereignty and quelled the rebellious rulers with support from citizens and numerous small rulers. She completed the Warangal fort started by her father. Marco Polo, the Venetian traveller, who paid a visit during her rule, described her as a lover of justice, equity and peace.

 Kakatiya Rani Rudrama devi Look

        A model was disguised as Rudramma Devi in a majestic kanchi-pattu in rich red, adorned with royal animals. Animals used in warfare like the horse and the elephants are a regular feature in kanchi pattu weaves. Another common feature is the noble peacock, which is seen as a guardian of royalty. The zamindari border in gold tissue was a status symbol worn only by those from a royal lineage. Rani Rudramma has been set against a backdrop of the Kakatiya dynasty’s map, with pins pointing at Orugallu (current day Warangal) and strategic plan drafts - to endorse the fact that she is an able administrator, warrior, diplomat, and earned the right to be a queen by proving her mettle.  The queen with grit, for our Queen’s collection.

Rani Chandramani Devi

The Noble Queen of Visakhapatanam
Chemudu dynasty - 1906-1957

If our other queens were known to fight battles and guard their kingdoms, our very own Visakha Queen made a difference by working for the underprivileged. The Florence Nightingale of Vizag donated most of her property to establish hospitals. When there was no orthopedic centre in Visakhapatnam, Rani Chandramani donated her palace Lakshmi Vilas and surrounding lands to set up one. From a small hospital, it rose to a mid-sized one after she got in additional grants from the state government. Now popularly known as the RCD (Rani Chandramani Devi hospital), it caters to both polio and orthopedic patients. The magnanimous lady also donated a building for patients afflicted with leprosy and was closely associated with managing Prema Samajam. She was also spiritual, and donated her Ambica Bagh palace to be converted into a temple. She was a staunch devotee of Lord Rama.

Visakha queen Rani Chandramani Devi look

        Our Visakha Queen is shot against the backdrop of her palace and we depict her as an elderly woman, as she rose to fame for her noble intentions late in life. Draped in a humble khadi with rich Jamdani work, edged with rich kaddi border in gold, the choice reflects her simplicity and grace. The floral Jamdani was chosen to mirror the nature and beauty of Visakhapatnam, where she lived her life. The lady who won hearts and has been etched in the minds of people forever - a perfect choice for our Queen’s collection.

Maharani Adi Laxmi Devamma - Gadwal’s identity

Gadwal Samsthanam - 20th Century

Adi Laxmi Devamma was one of the most popular queens of the Deccan plateau during the pre-Independence era. Married at a young age, she lost her husband, the King of Gadwal, in 1902, when her son was very young - leaving the kingdom without a ruling heir. The neighboring Nizam of Hyderabad wanted to interfere in the kingdom’s affairs and take strategic advantage of the void. The son was taken by the court of wards, and during this period, Adi Laxmi Devamma stood against the Nizam emperor like steel, and protected her kingdom. Later, post-independence, she donated a large amount of her wealth and the now famous Gadwal fort, to educate the kids around the area. The fort is now a polytechnic college for women.

Gadwal Queen Adi Laxmi Devamma Look

        Adi Laxmi Devamma has been photographed against a backdrop of books, showing her passion for education and development of her subjects. New innovations evolving with time are visible, with the toggle switches in the background. Our reformist queen has been power dressed to match her persona, in dual shades of turquoise blue and green with timeless checks. For one whose noble gesture has been mending lives till date, an educationist for the Queen’s collection.
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Behind the Scenes 

It was not  so easy to bringing  up the concept  of 'Queens era' to life. Lot of research was happened for years to collect the information on each queens gesture, bravery and their lifestyle to be portrayed , lot of people worked to bring up the queen's look on the models and to prepare the background to simulate each queen's look. It was not just a imagination in this dreaming world, every thing was conceptualized  and each and every minute detail was drafted on the paper before going on to the shoot.

Gadwal Rani Sketch to Life.

 Palnati Nagamma gesture Imagination to reality

Sketch of  Rani Bhagmati

Lets see some of the ground work done by models every thing was pin pointed starting from their kingdom background,  outfits to their heritage jewelry.

Weavers of saree

Make up behind the scene

Behind the scenes 

Over 6 months went into planning the shoot. Every aspect from saree to the set was custom made for this shoot based on inspiration from the era of the Queen.

Project Credits -

Client : Kankatala Silks, Vizag
Concept and Character Development : Mourya Dandu & Bala
Photography : Mourya Dandu
Art Direction & Sketches : Bala
Styling : Bala & Suman Misra
HMUA : Jitin Rathore & Supriya Misra
BTS (photo & video) : Vishakha Jindal
Retouching : Irene Velweiss
Video Editing : Harsh Parmar
Production : Vimal Kumar

Models as Queens of Andhra

Sherin Sam as Akka Devi
Aishwarya Singh as Rudrama Devi
Preeti Dhata as Nayakarallu Nagamma
Pallavi Dutta as Adi Laxmi Devi
Preeti Arya as Rani Bagmati
Anjula Bedi as Chandramani Devi

  Have a glance of eye catching kanchipuram silk sarees 

Kanchipuram weaving is one of the ancient weaves of India. The silk comes in from mulberry and is interwoven with silver threads dipped in gold for the lovely zari. For the 'Queens of Andhra' campaign the colors, motifs, borders and pallu were inspired by each queen to match their persona. Also,  lets see glimpses of the Queen's Royal draping styles with the unique collection of sarees from KANKALA  with vintage jewelry which takes us into the era of Queens for sure. Since 1943, Kankatala has been a sought after store with an exclusive collection of sarees for every celebration.

The royal sarees - stately, rich and regal - gracefully worn and carried with panache by our confident models, created a breath-taking impact. Every look painstakingly created after thorough research, the results were an incredible tribute to these noble ladies.

Rare peachy pink Kanchipuram silk saree with silver Nandi Bull motifs on the body. Zamindari border with silver elephant motifs, and a grand silver zari pallu with peacock & tiny floral motifs multiply the grandeur quotient of the sari manifold.

Unbeatable traditional combination of deep green with bright pink in a Kanchipuram silk saree. The intricate gold paisleys on the border & the peacocks on either side of the sheet of gold zari add grandeur to a creation that's a timeless favourite.

Auspicious red Kanchipuram silk saree, with gold window-pane checks bearing rudraksh and peacock motifs. Unique cream Zamindari border with gold vine motifs skyrocket the grandiose quotient! Rich gold zari pallu completes the regal creation.
Some  more Kanjeevaram saree collections here.

Diaphanous Kota silk, classy pastel pista green, silver & gold zari - a combination that's royal and stately! The silver window pane checks frame peacock & elephant motifs in copper & silver.

Light & floaty, this yellow Banarasi organza with leheriya design on the body. The border & pallu bear silver flower and leaf silver motifs. Silver zari border spiked with a pink edge adds an unexpected sprinkling of colour.

Cream & gold Uppada silk with floral jaal jamdani. The gold and pink paisley motifs add richness and warmth. A kaddi border completes the look of this beautiful creation, styled on a lehenga..
Some Latest Bridal Lehenga Ideas here.

 Beautiful combination of Cream & yellow Kanjeevaram  pattu with contrast deep purple colored blouse blended so well looks  elegant. Heavy Guttapusala Harams with these beautiful draping style given queen's  royalty look. some Guttapusala Jewelry Designs here.

 Delighted Blue kanjeevaram saree with Red border gives stunning appearance and completed her look with bold Gold long haram.

Light weight uppada silk saree with  small motifs through out the saree, pale  golden color border  gives uniqueness to the saree. With her gold jewelry and beautiful saree she just looks like Raaja Maata.

 One more beautiful Yellow saree with window-pane silver zari checks thorough out and self intrinsic flowers motif in each check  and she was bearing Mango Mala  necklace  which was giving dazzling appearance.

 Light weight pattu saree draped in a fusion style on legging which was giving feminine but modish look. With her high neck blouse she looks spectacular. Some Latest Dupatta Draping Ideas here.

Here one more silk  saree with checks draped  on legging. Her wing styled  blouse and beads necklane  made her  look unique and modern.

A model with grace and confidence

Dressing up like a queen is not just enough, you need the carry the outfit as a queen with confidence  and grace that should reflect in every angle  in your walking style  and the way you behave that brings up the queen's statement look.

Hope you like this small tour to our Andhra Queen's royal saree looks with elegance and grace. Also, hoping that you get some inspiration on how to dress up like a queen and make your statement look at every occasion you present.

Don't forget to give your suggestions in comments!!

Also, See  #Bridal #DupattaDrapes   #Lehenga   #Kurta  #Sarees   #BlouseDesigns  #Jewelry

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