All you need to know about Kanjeevaram Sarees

Saree is the most famous Indian attire worn by women not only in India but all over the world. It is because of its sensuality that it has grabbed attention since time immemorial. A saree makes women look gorgeous, elegant and stylish. All the forms of tradition and styles are being universally adopted and new designs are being constantly invented to captivate the style of loving women all over the world.

The story of Kanjeevaram silk sarees began with Hindu mythology. It is said that Kanchi silk weavers are descendants of Sage Markanda, who was considered as the “Master Weaver” for the God themselves.

The famous Kanjeevaram saree weave dates back 400 years ago when it first started in the small town of Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu). It was during the period time where Krishna Devraya was reigning from the Vijaynagara Empire that the art took off. The Devangas and Saligars where the two major weaving communities of Andhra Pradesh who migrated to the town of Kanchipuram. They used their excellent weaving skills to make the silk saree that bore images of scriptures and figurines which were found in the temples around the village.

This transformation did not take a long time for the saree to evolve in a must-wear for women at traditional ceremonies, weddings and other festivities, and the practices continue in South India.

Kanchipuram silk sarees are generally woven from pure mulberry silk. The pure gold and silver zari come from Gujarat while the silk belongs to South India. The silk thread that is used to weave the saree is first dipped in rice water and is sun-dried before it is used so that the thickness and stiffness increases. The interlocked silk thread is then woven with a thin silver wire through after which a golden thread is used to complete the procedure.

The warping frame has about 60 holes which are used to weave this fabric, in which there are 240 threads in the warp and 250 to 3000 threads in the weft, giving it a sturdy feel. The body of the saree along with pallu and the border is generally woven separately and then interlocked together with much precision and neatness.

Kanjeevaram sarees are distinguished by their wide contrast borders which include temple borders, checks, stripes and florals.

These are sarees having rich woven pallu showing paintings of Raja Ravi Varma and epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. Kanjeevaram sarees generally differ from other types of sarees as the colour and designs of the body are different and even the pallu differs, weavers weave both of them separately and eventually join them. Pitni can also be a spot it is a zig-zag pattern where the body meets the pallu. The common practice which is followed generally is to weave the border of the saree separately and then join the three together. The joining of the three which is also known as korvai is done with such precision that even if the saree tears, the border will not detach.

Also, since the zari is made up of three silk threads twisted with silver wire, the fabric is extremely strong and durable. This, however, adds up to the weight, making a regular Kanjeevaram saree as heavy as two kilos.

Kanchipuram silk sarees were initially a nine-yard weave but over the years it was included and brought to six-yard weave. The original gold and silver zari are now replaced by a cost-effective metal or copper zari.  

Thus, Kanjeevaram sarees have changed the landscape of Indian attire throughout the years and have consistently preserved the rich culture and tradition.