The twin villages of Uppada-Kothawalli in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh are the home of Uppada saris. Often known as the Uppada Jamdani, these saris are considered the Jamdanis of the South, woven in silk and cotton. The name Jamdani is derived from Persian language in which "Jam" means flower and "Dani" translates to vase. It's also locally called "Ani Butta" weaving where "Ani" means "Shed", the fallen flower.

The Uppada pattu cheeralu, as it is known now, had a flourishing time during the 1950s. However, they lost some popularity to the glitzy Kanjeevaram of the South and the Ikats of Odisha and Gujarat. Dating back 300 years, they were patronised by the royals of Pithapuram, Venkatagiri, and Bobbili regions of Andhra Pradesh.

The Uppada-Kothawalli village currently has about 3000 weaving looms. Organisations including the government empower this craft with Weaver’s Centres, who use mulberry silk from Karnataka. The Bengal Jamdani patterns of jaal (lattice), flowers, vines, mixes with the South Indian motifs of mythical creatures, geometric and abstract patterns, and temple borders. The sari is an intricate weave, it takes many months to make an all-over Uppada. Today, the craft is threatened by mill-made versions.

Uppada sari tradition was certified with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2009.

A classic way to differentiate an authentic Uppada Jamdani sari from an inauthentic one is to notice the motifs on the sari on both the front and the back. Both sides should look the same in authentic versions. The Uppada, which carries the beauty of the muslin Jamdani of Bengal, and the sophistication of a South Indian weave, is among the most prized legendary weaves of the country.

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