Paithani () is a variety of sari, named after the Paithan town in Aurangabad district from state of Maharashtra in India where the sari was first made by hand. Present day Yeola town in Nashik, Maharashtra is the largest manufacturer of Paithani. Paithani is characterised by borders of an oblique square design, and a padar with a peacock design. Plain as well as spotted designs are available. Among other varieties, single colored and kaleidoscope-colored designs are also popular. The kaleidoscopic effect is achieved by using one color for weaving lengthwise and another for weaving width wise. The History of Paithani Sarees The history of Paithani sarees can be traced back to 2nd century BC in Satvahana Dynasty, at that time the paithani was made with pure gold wire with cotton and silk. The greeko Romans were very fond of this paithani saree 2000 years ago. They use to exchange gold for this luxurious Paithani saree. At that time this paithani was only worn by royals. Paithani was also known as "Pratishthani" as it was originated in the ancient city of Pratishthan now known as Paithan. Paithani also has the traces in many ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts. Paithani is also known as "Dev vastra"(fabric of God). Paithani has a very rich history of 2500 years but still many of us are unaware. Historians have noted fine Paithani sarees with delicate gold and silver thread-work being sold in Greece in exchange for gold between 200 and 400 BC. In 18th century the Paithani thrived under the patronage of the Peshwas. It is believed that Madhavrao Peshwa had a special love for Paithani textiles. Legend also has it that the Paithani caught the fancy of the Nizam of Hyderabad too and that it was his daughter in law Nilofer who introduced new motifs to the border and pallav designs. Speciality of Paithani A pattan is a gold and silk sari. In the revival of Paithani weaving, the production was oriented towards export requirements, while saris were produced only for sophisticated buyers. Paithani evolved from a cotton base to a silk base. Silk was used in weft designs and in the borders, whereas cotton was used in the body of the fabric. Present day Paithani has no trace of cotton. There was a time when silk was imported from China. Now Yeola and Paithan buy silk from Bangalore. Technical details Paithani is a