All that glitters is not a pure zari silk saree anymore. Here is why and how they are vanishing from looms, stores, and your shelves.

LAD in a green saree, Keerthy Suresh's Savitri in Mahanati sits quietly in a taxi, listening as the driver speaks of his daughter's wedding and his worry of affording it.

- NIDHARSHANA RAJU

Upon reaching home, goes inside, lifts a purse from beneath her pillow, only to find a few coins. She turns to her once overflowing cupboard, and finds nothing but rows of sarees. She selects a gold zari-laced saree slips to a neighbour and asks to pawn it. Then, she presses a bundle of notes into the driver's hands - her kindness wrapped in silk and her downfall traded in silence.

This scene lingers long after the credits roll, serving as a reminder that once, a silk saree was wealth itself. Even two decades ago, it helped settle debts or fund a wedding. But today, it's merely fabric that may not draw any returns, say retailers, weavers and pawnbrokers.