Who will guard our borders?

Yes, Indian handloom is getting expensive. No, don't complain. With fewer artisans, rising prices of silk and zari, and cheap knock-offs, finding (and making) the real thing is harder. Hold on to Nani's saris. But save up for your own

- Noor Anand Chawla

Pritha Dasmahapatra (@TipTopped on the gram), is a doctor in London.

But in her superhero avatar, she's a champion of Indian crafts. She's used her vacation time to tour India and document its exquisite handloom traditions. She posts Reels titled What Actual Raja Betas Of The 1900s Used To Wear, How the French Influenced Bengali Sari Styling, and How Jacquard Changed Weaving In India. So far, so good.

Then, in October 2025, Dasmahapatra shared a post that got everyone hot under their Banarasi collar. "Indian handicrafts have become out of reach of the average Indian," she claimed. "Items that were once ubiquitous in middle-class homes, evade them now... Can we please acknowledge it, instead of blaming Indians for not buying handmade in India?" In the comments, war broke out. Some called Dasmahapatra elitist for expecting cheap labour from artisans. Others felt personally attacked for their decision to stay within a modest budget.

A few even blamed artisans for upping their prices to appeal only to foreign buyers.

There's more to Dasmahapatra's rant than just pricing. Open your wardrobe at home for the data. There's Indianwear, sure. But the bulk of it is probably from a mall or chic studio - woven on a power loom, machine printed, embroid ered by automation. There are saris, but the best ones are the heirlooms - seems like Dadima got better value on her modest budget than we currently do. There's the odd East-West collab - sneakers covered in block-print motifs, a bandhani wrap dress, a floor-length gown with zardosi trim - tradition in bite-size doses. How did we get so out of touch with India's fabulous handloom tradition?

A wrinkle in time