The Silkviz Story

The Silkviz story

Paithani is often called the “queen of silks,” and for good reason. From as early as the Satavahana era, these sarees—woven from fine silk and shot through with real gold and silver—were reserved for queens, courtesans, and later for the Peshwa rulers of Maharashtra. The peacock, lotus, and narali (coconut) borders that flash across Paithani drapes were more than decoration; they signaled status, wealth, and devotion to the arts. When a bride received a Paithani, families believed she was carrying a piece of royal heritage into her new home.

The Paithani was more than mere clothing; it was a symbol of prosperity, grace, and cultural refinement. Queens draped themselves in these golden threads during coronations, weddings, and festivals, each saree taking months to complete on traditional pit looms. The intricate technique of weaving, where weft threads were laboriously hand-picked to create elaborate borders and pallus, made each piece a work of art that could outlive generations.

From Paithan to Yeola

The art as we know it today, began in the town of Paithan on the banks of the Godavari. By the late 18th century, however, drought and political unrest pushed many master weavers north-east toward Yeola, a growing market town on a safer trade route. Over time, Yeola replaced Paithan as the centre of the craft. Here, among the rolling hills and fertile plains, a community of dedicated weavers preserved this ancient art form, passing down techniques through bloodlines like precious heirlooms. One such family that preserved the art was the Pahilwan family.

The Pahilwan Legacy Begins

In 1825, when the British Raj was tightening its grip over India, the Pahilwan family established their modest workshop in Yeola. With just a few looms and dreams larger than means, they began what would become a 200-year legacy. The Pahilwan family didn't just weave sarees; they wove stories, traditions, and the very essence of Maharashtrian culture into every thread.

Generation after generation, the Pahilwan looms hummed with purpose. Through famines and freedom struggles, through the partition of India and the birth of independent Maharashtra, the family's commitment to their craft never wavered. Each son learned the art from his father, understanding that they were not merely businessmen but custodians of an irreplaceable cultural treasure. By the time Ramakant Pahilwan was born in 1946, just months before India's independence, the family had become synonymous with authentic Paithani craftsmanship in Yeola. Ramakant grew up to the rhythmic sounds of looms, the gentle rustle of silk threads, and the passionate discussions about thread counts, motif placements, and the perfect shade of gold zari that would make a saree truly exceptional.

The Modern Heir

In 1979, Ramakant's first son, Manish, entered the world during a particularly prosperous period for the family business.

Manish embraced his destiny with the seriousness of someone much older than his years. Even as a teenager, he could distinguish between different qualities of silk by touch alone and spot imperfections in zari work that escaped even experienced weavers. Under his father's tutelage, he learned not just the technical aspects of the trade but also its soul – the patience required for perfection, the respect for tradition, and the responsibility that came with carrying forward a 200-year legacy.

A Different Path

Twelve years after Manish's birth, on November, 1991, during the auspicious festival of Diwali, Krishna entered the world on the blessed day of Bhau Beej. The age gap between the brothers was significant enough that Manish often felt more like a protective father figure than a sibling. While Manish was already helping with business decisions as a young adult, little Krishna was still discovering the world around him.

The India of Krishna's childhood was vastly different from the one Manish had known. Economic liberalization was opening new avenues, technology was beginning to transform daily life, and young minds were being exposed to possibilities that previous generations could never have imagined. While the Pahilwan workshop continued to produce exquisite Paithani sarees, Krishna found himself drawn to computers.

As Krishna grew older, the gulf between his interests and the family tradition became more apparent. While Manish seamlessly stepped into the business, learning every aspect from sourcing the finest mulberry silk to managing relationships with master weavers, Krishna dreamed of a world beyond the familiar boundaries of Yeola.

"Beta, our threads have connected generations," Ramakant would often say to Krishna. 

The family supported Krishna's academic pursuits with the same dedication they applied to their craft. When he expressed his desire to pursue higher studies abroad, Ramakant didn't hesitate to support his youngest son's dreams, even if it meant watching him move away from the family calling.

The Singapore Years

In 2015, Krishna left for Singapore to pursue his Master's degree in Information Systems from Nanyang Technological University. The bustling city-state, with its gleaming towers and multicultural tapestry, was a world away from the peaceful lanes of Yeola. As he immersed himself in the tech world learning about product management principles, the rhythmic sounds of his family's looms became distant memories. Upon completing his studies, Krishna secured a position as a product manager in Singapore and started working. Video calls with family became his primary connection to home, and visited during festivals, the daily reality of the Paithani business felt increasingly remote.

Meanwhile, back in Yeola, Manish was facing challenges that their ancestors could never have anticipated. The digital revolution that had given Krishna his career was simultaneously threatening their traditional business model.

Where things got rough

Around 2015, cheap imitations of Paithani sarees began flooding the market. Mass-produced versions, often made with synthetic silk and artificial gold threads, were being sold online at a fraction of the cost of authentic pieces. These imposters bore superficial resemblance to genuine Paithani sarees but lacked the soul, craftsmanship, and durability that had made the original so revered.

"Customers can't tell the difference in photographs," Manish confided to Krishna during one of their video calls. "They see the price difference and choose the cheaper option without understanding what they're actually buying."

The impact was devastating. Orders from traditional customers began declining as they were lured away by seemingly identical products available at impossibly low prices. Wedding families, once the backbone of their clientele, started opting for machine-made alternatives that looked acceptable in photographs but would fade and deteriorate within years.

Despite the mounting pressure, Manish refused to compromise. "Papa always said that our reputation is built thread by thread over 200 years," he would tell his master weavers during particularly difficult months. "We will not tarnish that legacy for short-term gains."

By 2018, the master wavers had moved away to start their own looms or had shifted to reselling, eyeing easier business than the labours of working hard each day on a paithani.

Then came 2020, and with it, the COVID-19 pandemic that would deliver what seemed like the final blow. Lockdowns meant that customers could no longer visit their workshop to touch the silk, examine the zari quality, or witness the craftsmanship firsthand – the very experiences that distinguished authentic Paithani from cheap imitations. Without the ability to physically feel the difference between genuine gold zari and artificial threads, between pure silk and synthetic blends, customers became even more susceptible to online sellers peddling inferior products. "People used to come here and immediately understand why our sarees cost more," Manish lamented during one of his video calls with Krishna. "They could feel the weight of real silk, see how the gold zari caught the light differently, touch the intricate hand-woven borders. Now, they're making decisions based solely on website photographs, and every saree looks the same on a screen."

The pandemic years of 2020-2022 were perhaps the darkest in the Pahilwan family's 200-year history. With wedding celebrations postponed or drastically scaled down, their primary customer base virtually disappeared. The few orders they received came with requests for cheaper alternatives, as families tightened their budgets in uncertain times.

The Awakening

It was during Krishna's visit home for Diwali in 2023 that the reality of the situation truly hit him. The shop that had always buzzed with activity seemed quieter, and he noticed the worry lines that had appeared on both his father's and brother's faces.

"We're not just losing business." Manish explained as they walked through the workshop one evening. "We're losing our weavers. The master craftsmen who spent decades perfecting their art are being forced to find other work. Many have moved to merely reselling via Instagram."

That night, Krishna lay in his childhood bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to the familiar sounds of Yeola settling into evening quiet. For the first time in years, he truly understood what his family had been preserving. This wasn't just about business – it was about cultural continuity, about keeping alive an art form that connected contemporary India to its glorious past.

He thought about the women who had worn Paithani sarees throughout history – queens and princesses, brides and new mothers, grandmothers passing down precious heirlooms to their granddaughters. Each saree carried stories, dreams, and blessings from one generation to the next. Could these stories really be replaced by mass-produced imitations that would fall apart after a few years?

Silkviz: Where Tradition Meets Innovation

In early 2025, Krishna made the decision that would change both his life and the trajectory of his family's business.

The name came to them during a late-night brainstorming session: Silkviz – a fusion of 'silk' and 'vision,' representing their goal to become the premier destination for authentic silk products while maintaining the integrity of traditional craftsmanship.