The Cultural Elegance of Kanjeevaram Sarees

Indian handlooms are windows to India’s rich cultural impact, giving view to a vibrant range of heritage and exceptional craftsmanship. Every nook and corner of India represents a diversity in weaving techniques and a variety of beautifully distinct patterns, from the tie and dye techniques of Bandhani sarees of Gujrat to the exquisite Banarasi brocades of Uttar Pradesh. These weaves along with their artistic excellence have been passed down through generations preserving their essence while adapting with a modern touch connecting the present to the past one thread at a time.

Kanjeevaram saris, one of India’s most elegant silk works, which appears as though traces of sunlight has been woven alongside gold threads giving way to an ethereal fabric made from pure mulberry silk. This weave which is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Silks’ derives its name from the small town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu and is crafted in pure silk yarn with real Zari.

History of Kanjeevaram Saris

The history of kanjeevaram saris can be traced back to the Hindu mythology with stories narrating the silk weavers of Kanchipuram to be the descendants of Sage Markanda, master weaver of the God. Over the years the importance of Kanjeevaram saris increased, significantly in the state of Tamil Nadu with being considered auspicious, they also became an integral part of weddings, festivals as well as special occasions. Kanjeevaram sarees are the finest examples of Indian handicraft which makes a memorable space in any woman’s wardrobe as well as her heart.

weaving process of the saris

The weaving process of these saris is a very labor-intensive task, it could take 3 weeks to even months in delivering these astounding products. After extraction, the silk is dyed into rich colors and weaved along the Zari threads. Before beginning the weaving process, silk threads are soaked in rice water and sun-dried to increase its thickness and strength, each of these threads after drying are colored separately in accordance with the requirement. Zari threads and colored threads are manually separated before the onset of weaving. The silk thread is then entwined with Zari threads to create the sari’s exceptional patterns. The sari’s borders are woven separately and later attached to the body using an age-old knotting technique.

The most unique element of the Kanjeevaram sarees are the embellished motifs which represent a splendid history of patterns which extend its sources from beyond the textile. Many of these are attained from the designs of temples, paintings, scriptures, dance, etc. peacocks, swans, lions, leaves, sun and moon are some of the commonly found motifs while depictions from the epics of The Mahabharata as well as The Ramayana representing some of its major events have also been woven into many pieces of these saris. Weavers at times also use several geometric patterns to break the monotony of the sari using elements such as Diagonal lines (vari), circular shapes (buttis), checks (kattam).

Through recent years the weavers have incorporated a mix of contemporary styles along with color combinations proving to the modern preferences of people. Despite such innovations the Kanjeevaram saris maintains its roots in traditional craftsmanship and its timeless appeal.

Even with its widespread popularity the craftsman involved in delivering such extraordinary pieces suffer with a variety of challenges. High-cost of raw materials stringed together with labor-intensive requirements of building these sarees serve as a hurdle for the weavers. In addition to that machine made imitations of the craft imposes a threat of losing the traditional craftsmanship that renders a pure Kanjeevaram saree.

However these generational crafts are still being forwarded to the young generations in hopes of its preservation, through a variety or workshops and training programs.