The Prakrit store in Pachmarhi is a treasure trove of beautiful handlooms including Tussar, Muga, Eri, and Mulberry silk weaves. Their Resham initiative is a silk seed production enterprise. The sprawling grounds behind the store are carpeted with host plants for the four types of silkworms sold in the store. Established in 1968 to rear silkworms, Pachmarhi’s silk seed unit is the starting point in the silk production process, providing raw material to Hoshangabad and other weaving units across Madhya Pradesh.
Not many visitors venture beyond the store, but the green grounds are a lovely location for a long walk in the crisp mountain sunshine. Christened the Silk Trek, the route takes you down a path flanked on both sides by acres of host plants. There is mulberry, castor plants for eri silk worms, som plants for muga silkworms, and Arjun trees for the tussar worms. The sericulture initiative has given rise to a thriving green patch of land with a variety of trees and plants, where bird song fills the air and butterflies abound. The route crosses a small lake and ends in a dense pine forest. You won’t find a more scenic setting for a sari shop.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Prakrit, Pachmarhi
Timings: 11am to 7pm; Closed on Mondays
Address: Prakrit, Bee Fall Road, Pachmarhi