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Dr Radhikaraje Gaekwad’s collection of exquisite Indian weaves shows how beautifully she blends traditional charm with a modern touch.
Her Highness Dr Radhikaraje Gaekwad, Maharani of Baroda, looked elegant in a yellow Ikat saree
Her Highness Dr Radhikaraje Gaekwad, Maharani of Baroda, is a journalist, textile revivalist, heritage conservationist and social entrepreneur who effortlessly blends timeless tradition with modern, progressive values. She has an exceptional eye for traditional crafts that embody India’s rich cultural heritage, and when it comes to draping sarees, it is no exception.
From Tamil Nadu’s Kanjeevaram and Maharashtra’s Paithani to Baroda Shalu and Gujarat’s Ashavali, the Maharani’s collection is vast and filled with variety. She often shares pictures of her breathtaking saree treasures, offering us a glimpse into the brilliance of India’s artisans and their exquisite weaves.
Dr Radhikaraje Gaekwad, Maharani of Baroda, Wears Boa Snake-inspired Saree
On Wednesday, she took to Instagram to share some pictures with her husband and the titular Maharaja of Baroda, Samarjitsinh Ranjitsinh Gaekwad, whom she refers to as Sam. The royal couple was celebrating 24 years of their engagement. While he makes a statement in yellow shoes, she is seen wearing a yellow Ikat saree with a rainbow boa snake-inspired print.
The saree, from the Secunderabad-based designer label Vara Shree, takes inspiration from the mesmerising rainbow boa, a Central and South American snake admired for its iridescent hues and geometric skin patterns. Crafted from mulberry silk, it features intricate detailing created using the Ikat resist-dyeing technique.
For those who are unaware, the Ikat resist-dyeing technique is a highly intricate and meticulous process. Double Ikat, in particular, is exceptionally rare and is practised in only three countries worldwide, which are India, Indonesia and Japan.
Vara Shree Designer On Making Ikat With Rainbow Boa Snake-Inspired Design
In an Instagram post, the designer behind the label Vara Shree shared the process behind this saree. They wrote in the caption, “The base idea of making snakeskin Ikats really gave me a great high, because it’s happening for the first time in handloom, that too in the world’s most laborious craft, ‘Ikat’ resist dyeing. It took a month to understand snake skin patterns, out of 50 snakes on my design table. This snake really caught my attention, as it is the most beautiful snake and has a geometric pattern on its skin which can be exactly depicted.”
The brand added, “But it really challenged all my expertise and exhausted me mentally. For any design in Ikat, it’s the graph paper (to better comprehend, like the blueprint of a building). There’s no reference of skin patterns anywhere, so all from scratch to perfection. Too many charts of designing, too many failures to achieve accuracy. Nearly took more than 15 days just to graph it, and then the colour palette was easy as I went with the original skin pattern palette.”
The designer went on to add, “The actual process of making Ikat took months of mishaps, etc. And finally, when I saw the first saree, I felt so happy. The dyeing session was so confusing for me and my team also, as there is no concrete design or motif repetition. I hope Kundalini makes a fashion statement.”
Dr Radhikaraje Gaekwad’s collection of exquisite Indian weaves shows how beautifully she blends traditional charm with a modern touch.
November 21, 2025, 09:21 IST
