Shimmer of South India: Kanchipuram Sarees

Kanchipuram or Kanchi is a town located 72 km away from Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The place is known as the city of temples since it is a land having more than 1,000 temples. Kanchipuram or Kanjeevaram silk sarees have their roots here and the popularity is spread all over the world. The city generates a substantial amount of revenue through the production of these sarees, having 5,000 families who weave silk sarees.

Kanchipuram Silk Sarees dominates the world of South Indian sarees. They are a mark of culture for every ceremony and occasion there. The shimmer and durability of the saree makes it a popular attire even in the rest of India. If properly taken care, these sarees can last you a lifetime. As a tradition, Kanchipuram sarees are passed from mother to daughter for generations as an heirloom just like precious jewellery.

The History:

The Chola dynasty ruled over Kanchipuram between the years of 985 AD and 1014 AD and encouraged silk trade in the city. It was during the reign of the king Krishnadevaraya that the weaving communities of Andhra Pradesh known as Devangas and Saligars migrated to Kanchipuram in the 15th century. These two communities were extensively popular for their weaving skills of silk sarees. The industry suffered a setback during the French invasion of the 17th century, but the practice was introduced again in the 18th century. It was the British who started calling the product Conjeevaram, hence the saree is also known as Kanjeevaram as well now.

Process:

• Pure Mulberry silk is used to weave Kanchipuram sarees. The silk is obtained from South India itself, while pure gold and silver Zari comes from Gujarat.
• The silk thread used to weave the saree is dipped in rice water and sun-dried. This ensures its thickness and stiffness of the thread.
• The thread is then interlocked with a thin silver wire and thereafter, gold threads are used to complete the procedure.
• Traditional way of weaving Kanchipuram sarees uses a warp frame. This frame has 60 holes on it, in which there are 240 threads in the warp and 250-3000 threads in the weft, which makes it sturdy.
• The pallu, border and body of the saree are woven separately, and then joined together to form the final product, an intense process that requires work of precision.

Motifs and Colours:

Traditional Kanchipuram Sarees are heavy and can weigh up to 1 kg. There are fine silk counts in the saree that add to the weight. The wide borders have colours in contrast that look beautiful. Border and pallu also have aesthetically intricate motifs and they never fail to fascinate. The most popular motifs used in Kanchipuram sarees are inspired from the designs of their many temples and their environment. Other motifs include:

• Mayilkan - the peacock’s eye, Rudraksham - Rudraksha beads, Swans, Parrot.
• Mallinaggu – the jasmine motif scattered all over the body of the saree.
• The Ganga-Jamuni refers to two different coloured borders in one saree.
• Checks and stripes, flowers, leaves, fruits, peacocks, lions, sun, moon are also included in the motifs.

The contrast borders and pallus are tailored using the Petni and Korvai technique.

Varieties:

Kanchipuram silk was traditionally producing 9-yard sarees that were woven so the temple motifs could blend in well. Over a period of time, 6-yard sarees came in the market with gold Zari weaving. Nowadays, to fit budget constraints, the sarees are woven with artificial Zari, such so that the original glow of the textile is not faded.

The silk weaving is also done in some other parts of Tamil Nadu such as Rasipuram, Mannarkudi, Kumbakonam, Thirubuvanam and Arni. All these areas follow the weaving techniques of the Kanchipuram but they are lighter in weight when compared to Kanchipuram sarees.

Price range and Export:

The saree costs anywhere between anywhere Rs.2500 to Rs.1,00,000. Kanchipuram silk sarees are very popular and are exported to various countries like USA, Sri Lanka, Italy and Russia since 1960. Since it is noted for its shimmer and beauty, people travel long distances across India to buy this work of exquisite tailoring.

The Kanchipuram Silk Sarees take the credit of being one among the 18 Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products of the Tamil Nadu government. The label certifies the standards of the saree which reduces sale of replicas in the market.

Initiative by the Tamil Nadu government:

The Tamil Nadu Government and TIFAC (Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council) have together set up a testing unit in Kanchipuram for the purpose of checking gold and silver content in Zari. This facility can be used by co-operatives and individuals both by paying a nominal fee. They are also planning to create a special logo that certifies that authenticity of the sarees and protects that interest of the weavers. The government also undertook a campaign to eradicate child labour from the industry.

Current state of affairs:

Kanchipuram or Kanjeevaram Silk Saree is one of the most beautiful silk works of India and has a great market. However, with growing popularity and the income it generates, duplicate sarees are being sold to customers thus harming the reputation and interest of the industry. But the Tamil Nadu government has started taking commendable steps to curb and eradicate this problem, and hence play their part to avoid a black spot on the textile pride of South India.