Offering a silk saree that fits in a matchbox to Sri Kanaka Durgamma….. A wonderful creation by Siricilla handloom artist Vijay Kumar.. A design weighing 200 grams after working hard for a week. Indrakiladri, 16 June 2026: Nalla Vijay Kumar, a prominent handloom artist from Siricilla district of Telangana, Rajanna, and recipient of the ‘Chenetha Kala Ratna’ award, visited the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Warla temple located on Indrakiladri on Tuesday. Inspired by his father, the renowned handloom artist and recipient of the Late Nalla Parandhamulu garu, he handed over the most distinctive silk saree he had specially woven to Sri Kanaka Durga Amma, to the temple EO VK Seena Nayak, as a decoration for the temple. Specialties of the ‘Matchbox Silk Saree’: This silk saree, which has become a symbol of the handloom industry, was woven by Vijay Kumar on a loom day and night for a week. Size & Weight: This amazing silk saree is 5.5 meters (five and a half meters) long and 48 inches wide. Despite such a large size, it weighs only 200 grams. This silk saree has been expertly crafted to give it a traditional and attractive ‘Ikkat Design’. When folded, this saree can easily fit into a small matchbox. On this occasion, handloom artist Nalla Vijay Kumar said, “In the past, every new handloom creation I have made has received the blessings of Goddess Indrakiladri. I am very happy to present this new silk saree and be a recipient of the grace of Goddess Durga, wishing that the blessings of Goddess Durga may always be upon us. In the past, we made a wonderful shawl called ‘Operation Sindhu’ and presented it to the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and received great appreciation from his hands. In the same spirit that the Prime Minister praised, this saree was made by displaying the skill of handloom. Temple EO Seena Nayak inspected this wonderful handloom artwork presented to Goddess and praised the handloom artist for his extraordinary talent. Seena Nayak urged everyone to support our traditional arts in the way that the Central and State governments are promoting.
