Kanchipuram silk sarees, an integral part of Indian culture and heritage has taken its name and also known to originate from a village called Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, India. The history of Kanjeevaram saree weaving ways back 400 years back when the king Krishnadevaraya gave much effort for the silk trade. It was during this period the two weaving groups- “Saligars” and “Devangas” settle in this district exhibiting their artistic talent. Now, Kancheepuram is known as the silk capital/ silk city and the silk sarees from there are said to be the best among all silks in the world.
Known to be the Queen of silk sarees, they are painstakingly hand woven by using raw materials such as pure mulberry fibre threads, which are got from Tamilnadu and Karnataka, interleaved designs made in metallic gold and silver thread (Zari woven), from Gujarat and vibrant colored dyes. 1 kg of zari has 50% silver, around 5-51/2 grams of gold and equal amount of silk fibre.
The silk threads are dyed (& sun dried) afterwards dipped in rice water and sun dried in order to increase the thickness and stiffness; they are then interlocked by first twisting the silk threads with a thin silver wire and after that gold thread is used. Since the zari is made of three silk threads, they are highly durable and lasts longer that enhances its beauty and value of the silk. The special feature of Kanchipuram saree is, in 1.2 inches warp frame will have 60 holes having 240 threads in warp and 250-300 threads in the weft. The quality of the saree is directly proportional to its weight. However these days lighter weighing sarees are also available and these are made using Korean and Chinese silk.
This luxurious yard of textile consists of three parts: the body, pallu and the border. The variations of designs and patterns are vast and usually come with contrasting colors. The most common patterns in the border are designs of chakras, elephants, mangoes, flowers, etc., in the pallu are the scriptures and figurines of temples (based on pallava temples, palaces and paintings). These three parts are usually woven separately and interlocked together. A zigzag pattern (Pitni) can be spotted at the meeting point of body and pallu. The joining of the 3 parts is done with such precision that it looks like a continuous weave and the interlinked portion is not visible. The weave was traditionally made into nine yards but over the years six yards is included too. To make it affordable to everyone these days Kanchipuram sarees are woven in artificial gold zari without losing its sheen.
Kanchipuram silk sarees adds a surplus attraction and impeccable effect when draped for auspicious occasions. Hence it is a tradition of wearing this artistic handloom for weddings or any festivals. Depending on its originality of pure silk, pure zari and its craftsmanship, the saree can cost up to lakhs of rupees. The cost increases with the amout of zari used for intertwining with silk thread.
Check the wide range of our Kanjeevaram sarees having vibrant colors and classy designs on our website Samyakk.com.
Sam Antwon is a B.Tech graduate in Fashion Technology, a fashion lover and provides information on latest trends in fashion. He has contributed several articles on Kanchipuram silk sarees
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