Dubai: Sircilla-based Indian handloom weaver Veldi Hariprasad has created a unique silk shawl featuring portraits of members of the Dubai royal family. The shawl will be presented to the Dubai royal family by the Emirates Telangana Cultural & Welfare Association (ETCA) during its Bathukamma celebrations in Dubai.

ETCA commissioned Hariprasad to weave the special shawl as a gesture of gratitude to the Dubai royal family for the opportunities and employment provided to thousands of people from Telangana.

Based on the association's request, Hariprasad incorporated portraits of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum into the shawl.

The two-metre-long and 48-inch-wide shawl has been woven using silk fabric along with 26 grams of silver. It also features a geographical map of Telangana and the words “Telangana Migrants.”

The special shawl will be displayed during the Bathukamma celebrations organised by ETCA at Al Ahli Sports Club in Dubai on October 11. ETCA members are expected to later present the shawl to a member of the Dubai royal family, who has consented to attend the celebrations.

Speaking to MAA Gulf News, Hariprasad said it took him 15 days to complete the shawl. He worked on a handloom for nearly 18 to 20 hours a day to complete the intricate work.

“I am very happy to have received the opportunity to create this special shawl,” Hariprasad said.

Weaver Known for Unique Handloom Creations

Hariprasad has previously earned national recognition for his extraordinary handloom creations. In 2022, he wove the G20 logo on a single piece of cloth, earning appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Mann Ki Baat radio programme in November that year.

He also recently created a 5.50-metre silk saree in just 170 minutes on National Handlooms Day. The saree was designed so that it could be folded and placed inside a matchbox.

For the consecration of the Sri Rama temple in Ayodhya, Hariprasad created a special gold saree for Goddess Sita and handed it over to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

His other notable creations include a saree featuring images of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and his wife, a Pattu Peethambaram saree for Goddess Sita at Bhadrachalam, and the Indian national anthem woven onto a single piece of cloth.

Hariprasad has also previously created a saree that could be folded into a matchbox and was fine enough to pass through the eye of a needle, showcasing the exceptional skill and precision of Sircilla's traditional handloom craftsmanship.