Kanchipuram sari
 | |
| Type | Sari |
|---|---|
| Material | Silk |
A Kanchipuram Sari is a type of sari traditionally made by weavers from Kanchipuram located in Tamil Nadu, India. Popularly known as Kanjivaram Sari, Kanchipuram Sari is referred to as South India's answer to Banarasi saris.[1]
These are woven naturally and distinguished by their wide contrast borders. Temple borders, checks, stripes and floral (buttas) are traditional designs found on a Kanchipuram sarees.[2]
Kanchipuram saris vary widely in cost depending upon the intricacy of work, colors, pattern, material used like zari (gold thread) etc. The silk is also known for its quality and craftsmanship, which has helped earn its name.[3]
Since 2005, Kanchipuram saris are protected by a Geographical Indication label, certifying their origin.[4][5]
Legend and history
According to legends in Hindu mythology, Kanchi silk weavers are the descendants of Sage Markanda, the master weaver of Gods who is supposed to have woven tissue from lotus fibre. Also, while cotton is considered to be the favourite fabric of Lord Shiva, silk was preferred by Lord Vishnu.[6]
kanchipuram became prestigious during Krishnadevaraya's time. There were two weaving communities, Devangas and Saligars. Even today the people living around Kanchipuram take weaving as their main profession.[7]
Weaving method
kanchipuram saries are wovened by pure mulberry silk. This industry comprises weavers and handloom weavers.[7] The pure mulberry silk used in the making of Kanchipuram saris comes from the neighboring state of karnataka and the zari comes from the state of Gujarat and the sari weaving process is done in kanchipuram.[8] To weave a Kanchipuram sari three shuttles are used. While the weaver works on the right side, his aide works on the left side shuttle. The border color and design are usually quite different from the body. If the pallu (the hanging end of the sari) has to be woven in a different shade, it is first separately woven and then delicately joined to the Sari.[9] The part where the body meets the pallu is often denoted by a zig zag line.[2]
In a genuine Kanchipuram Silk Sari, body and border are woven separately and then interlocked together. The joint is woven so strongly that even if the sarees tears, the border will not detach.[10]
Themes and motifs
Suns, moons, chariots, peacocks, parrots, swans, lions, coins, mangoes, leaves and many such motifs are woven into Kanchipuram patterns. Other common motifs include a jasmine bud within a square or a round frame, locally known as mallinaggu. Another is Thandavalam where parallel lines run across the body of the Sari.[2]
These are saries with rich woven pallu showing paintings of Raja Ravi Varma and epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana.[11]
Significance
Kanchipuram saris woven with heavy silk and gold cloth are considered to be special and are worn on occasions and festivities only.[12]
Social Culture
The Tamil film Kanchivaram' was released in the year 2008. It is a period movie set in the pre-independence era in a small town of Kanchivaram in Tamil Nadu. The movie depicts the pitiable state of the silk weavers in the town of Kanchipuram as they were unorganized and marginalized to live a perpetual ‘hand-to-mouth’ existence. The movie depicts their struggles and ends with a comment about the cooperative movement that emerged to take care of the interests of the workers.
References
- ^ "The Hindu". Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ a b c Sajnani, Manohar (2001). Encyclopaedia of tourism resources in India. New Delhi: Kalpaz Pub. ISBN 9788178350189.
- ^ de Bruyn, Pippa; Keith Bain; David Allardice; Shonar Joshi (2010). Frommer's India (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing. ISBN 9780470556108.
- ^ SANGEETHA KANDAVEL, SANJAY VIJAYAKUMAR (27 December 2011). "Government eases norms for gold-silver mix in Kanchipuram sarees". Chennai: The Economic Times. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
- ^ "GI tag: TN trails Karnataka with 18 products". Chennai: The Times of India. 29 August 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
- ^ Narasimha Rao, P.V.L. Kanchipuram – Land of Legends, Saints & Temples. Readworthy. ISBN 9350181045.
- ^ a b http://www.sandhyamanne.com/blogs/kanchipuram-silk-sarees
- ^ http://kanjivaramsilks.com/
- ^ "Kanchipuram Sari – Tamilnadu". Tamilnadu.com. 16 October 2012.
- ^ http://www.aboutkanchipuram.com/Silk%20Sarees.html
- ^ https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kanchipuram_sari&actiRon=edit§ion=3
- ^ Henderson, Carol E. (2002). Culture and customs of India. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313305139.
External links
