South India heritage ‐ Kanchipuram Saris of Tamil Nadu

8/3/2019 South India heritage Kanchipuram Saris of Tamil Nadu

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SouthIndiaheritage KanchipuramSarisofTamil

Nadu

By:JyotiBhasinINTRODUCTION-

Sari -the 6 yard, unstitched, runny garment over and around the body, fiddle with little tucks andpulls is the perfect Indian female piece of clothing which speaks of the beauty, grace, dignity,poise and also the power hidden in every single Indian woman. The origin of this splendidgarment is a bit ambiguous due to lack of appropriate historical records in India but one thing's forsure - the sari swank the oldest subsistence and is more than 5000 years old, as mentioned inthe Vedas. The sari is one of the most feminine outfits ever. The common types of saris areKanjeevaram, Paithani, Banarasi, Bhagalpuri, Orissa Ikkat, Maheshwari, Chanderi, Gujrati Patola,and Jaipuri Leheriya.

The material and the print on the sari can vary according to choice and the occasion. Thecommon materials for a sari are silks (the queen of textiles), cottons; chiffons, organza and


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georgettes. Out of these the ethnic traditional wear that is worn in most parts of the country iscolorful silk sarees.

In collection of sarees of Indian woman all around the world is incomplete without a Kanchipuram(Kanjeevaram) saree, one of India's most precious traditional treasures. This Sari depicts theessence of womanhood and adds special charm to it. A Kanjeevaram sari is bound to be a crowdpuller and it can woo anybody with its absolute beauty. It continues to hold arrogance among thevarious silk sari varieties available in the country

The rich weave and feel of Kancheepuram Sarees also known as Kanchipuram andKancheevaram and sometimes Kanchivaram saris hold everyone in their wave for the past 150years. This saree is a tremendous instigation of the craftsmen living in a small town, Kanchi(Kanchipuram) a famous historical and mythological town 60 km from Chennai, the capital ofTamilnadu. These saris are truly the South India heritage. Silk weaving in the handloom sectoris clustered in and around Kanchipuram. It can be worn by women of all ages.

ORIGIN OF KANCHIPURAM SAREES-

Kanchipuram historical records divulge that it was during the sovereignty of Krishnadeva Raya

that silk weaving ascends to prominence. During that time, the Devanga and Saligar weavers,claim to descent from Sage Markanda, the weaver of the gods, were alleged for their weavingexpertise in silk drifted from Andhra Pradesh and settled in Kancheepuram.

This tradition of silk saree weaving at Kanchipuram arose out of temple-traditions with therenowned Kamakshi temple situated there. In older days these sarees were worn by Maharanis,wives of Zamindars, nobles and other wealthy people and during the weddings and festivals.

Many of today's reputable Kanchipuram Silk weavers trained in the cultural centre of"Kalakshetra" during the 1970's when the Maharaja of Mysore descended on the Varadarajatemple, was influenced by the occupants of the temple city producing sarees with designs thatare heavy in style and fabric weight, with very wide borders. The silk weavers of Kanchi settledmore than 400 years ago and kept up an unflinching tradition of producing impeccable silksarees.

It was find out by various experts that silk is a new arrival into Kanchipuram, for till a century anda half back, Kanchipuram was primarily a cotton weaving centre. But, today the improved, better-woven and more expensive silk saris are from Kanchipuram.

THREADS USE IN WEAVING-

About 75% of Kanchipuram's population is dependent on the Silk Saree industry, either directly orindirectly. Yet, the city does not manufacture Silk or any other raw material that is used tomanufacture silk sarees. The Silk industry is entirely made up of Handloom weavers andmerchants.

Silk Threads - The mulberry silk is enormously fine as well as tough andcomes from Karnataka and washed in the enriched water of the Palar River,which provides it astounding luster, typical texture, sturdiness and finish.The silk thread used for weaving the Kanchipuram Sarees is made up ofthree single threads twisted together but now, the three-fold silk thread hadbeen refurbished with a two-fold one in order to cut down the productioncost.

The tedious procedure of making a Kanjeevaram saree starts with the chore of preparing the Silkthreads. The first step is to twist the thread and then dyed them in a variety of color as silk is very
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amenable to dyes and will maintain its sheen after dyeing. The threads are dipped in rice waterand dried in Sun. The twisted yarn is said to be much stronger than crepe and guaranteed to last30 to 40 years. This is basically due to the fact that India has the exclusive feature of producingdiverse varieties of silk. The heavier the silk, longer is its durability.

Golden zari- The State of Gujarat holds an implicit cartel in the manufacture of

'Zari' especially, the City of Surat. Zari is used while making a saree. It is a Silkthread twisted with thin Silver wire and then immersed in pure gold. It is believedthis tradition started during the Mughal period. First, gold is made into a liquidform and then coated on the silver. This will add on to the beauty and the valueof the silk. The quality of zari also determines the quality of the saree. If quality ofzari is good, then the luster of saree would linger for a longer extent or else thesaree would be firm and hard. The saree is unique in itself since it is entirelyhand woven with dyed silk yarn with interleaved designs made with Zari.

Earlier, the zari was supplied from Surat. But now the Padiyur Sarvodaya Sangh (PSS), acertified unit of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) near Kangayam, is thedistinct unit in South India where dyeing, weaving and zari production of silk saris are done. Fromcocoon to attractive silks, the unit practices everything under one roof. Every year it manufacturefive crore silk sarees, and of these, 2.5 crore saris are distributed in the local market.

PROCEDURE-

The main characteristic of the Kanchipuram sari l ies in the time consuming method of interlockingits weft colours as well as its end piece and in the process creating solid borders and a solidMundhi. Simple saris can take up to 10-12 days for preparation and up to 20 days ofworkmanship for decorative ones. This technique is called as the Korvai techniqueof attachingthe additional warp threads (in contrasting colors) at definite preset point along the length andwidth of the warp, thereby developing a well segregated and pleasant separation from the mainfield using two or three shuttles to create a sari. In simple weaving operation the shuttle carriesweft yarns across the entire width of the warp. In korvai weaving, however three ( two if a singleborder is woven) separate shuttles ply the weft yarn, not across the entire width but individually,

one at each border and one across the width of the center of the warp. Three shuttles areoperated by two weavers and the assistant moves the third. The children are often employed asassistants in this labour-intensive industry. A child is able to perform the tasks required ascompetently as an adult, can be paid much lower rates, and is likely to stay with the weaver forlonger periods than a mature person, who will acquire skills and can start his own business.

The product of the single warp is a homogenous fabric length with a group of sari each of whichis cut from the warp and is completed and weaving of the next sari begun on the same warp. Thelength of the rectangular warp is determinedby the number of saris to be woven and ismarked at standard intervals accordingly. InKanchipuram three saris per warp are woven,the length is approximately nineteen and a halfyards (each sari is six yards and extra for

wastage). Interlocked Zari borders arecommon down both sides of the sari and thegarment is finished with matching gold ZariPallu. This joint is woven so strongly that even if the saree tears, the pallu or border will notdetach. If nicely done one hardly sees where one colour ends and the other begin.


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MOTIFS-

The traditional motifs found in Kancheepuram saris include pyramidaltemple (Pallava) borders, checks, stripes, floral buttas, Rudraksham

(representing Rudraksha beads), Gopuram (representing temples),mallinaggu, mayilkan (peacocks eye), Kuyilkan (nightingale eye)borders. Patterns are also formed by lines and squares and when the

jasmine motif is found either inside a square or scattered all over, it iscalled mallinaggu. The Thandavalam motif has parallel-line motifsrunning all over the body of the sari. In the pattu motif, the pallu andthe border alone have floral motifs independently woven on them.

Emblematical motifs such as, fresh mango, sweet grapes elephant,the sun, moon, chariots, yali, swans, elegant peacocks, parrots, lions,

coins, the graceful three bells of an anklet diamond, lotus, pot, creeper, flower, parrot, and henare very common in these sarees. However, these days depiction of stories from mythologyscenes likes great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, along with the Bhagwad Gita being

used as motifs. Tribal designs as well as modern patterns are also seen.

COLORS-

These sarees are usually made in bright or earthy-crimson, brilliant reds, saffron, orange, brightgreen, henna green, maroon, black, peacock blue, turquoise and ochrewith bright divergent borders. Even the color combinations are vibrant. Amango yellow body is set out by a deep maroon border. A parrot greenbody is matched with a bright pink border. These days silver is being usedin addition to gold. Weavers also make tissue sarees, using only gold orsilver metal threads.With their alluring colors and wonderful designs, Kanchipuram silk sarees

are worn by the rich and prosperous across India.

COST-

The sheer magnitude of textures, colors and designs of Kanjivaram silksaris of India is inconceivable. Kanjeevarams are expensive and can costanywhere between Rs. 2000 to Rs. 50,000. The cost of the saree depends upon the amount ofzari intertwined with the silk. The more the zari work, the more expensive the sari will be.

CHANGES/ RECENT DEVELOPMENT-

The Kanchipuram silk industry has dealt with many highs and lows and has made its charismafelt internationally. However, the customary challenges faced by it today are undertakingamendments to suit shifting customer inclinations, use of modern technology, merchandise mixand value-added products.

The consumers are now apprehensive about the price and the weight and prefer pastel shadesand simple designs. The market for such high cost silk sarees is dwindling and mainly restrictedto wedding purchases. In order to attain these requirements the kanjivaram silk saree hasundergone a revolution.


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The recent development in the designing field shows the introduction of Jacquard loom. Inorder to bring changes according to modern time. The weaving of complex and more difficultmotifs on the pallu has been made easier and thus reasonable in affordable rate. The recentarray in the pallu is - Krishna in different phases, Krishna with Radhaji, the motifs are stillconformist and conservative in order to hold the custom and tradition of a Kanchipuram sari.Even computerized Jacquard borders are made and attach to the main field.

It has kept thrash with modern prints and its rich and splendid prosperity prolongs to providea festive touch to any occasion. Today the designer silk sarees with embroidery or evenembellished with cystals are made to fulfill the taste of the customers. Even the weddingsarees are made with rich woven pallavs depicting paintings of Raja Ravi Varma. One of thehottest trends in these sarees is using ancient paintings and the images of gods andgoddesses in the pallu

The weavers have started unification of silk and cotton for producing the body of the saree.Sometimes, the body of the saree is made in cotton and the border in silk. Weaving bordersusing a combination of silk and polyester is also undertaken by some weavers. This is due tothe fact that the shift in demand is not just because of the high price, but also because in thismodern world, women are opting for l ight-weight and subtle sarees

The gold and silver content in the zari is also being reduced. This brings down the cost of thesaree to a great extent. These practices have adversely affected the status of theKanchipuram silk sarees and are disturbing their sales in a negative manner.

As an substitute, the use of texturised zari in the place of pure zari has also encouraged sothat the intricacy in designs in Kancheepuram silk sarees weaving is maintained and at thesame time the cost of silk sarees is brought down to the economical price range.

The new designs are inculcated in the saree with collaboration with several design centers inIndia, including the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, Kalakshetra in Chennai,Institute of Fashion Technology, Chennai, the Co-optex design division and several private

designers to cater to the changing design needs.

To gratify the varying likings of consumers, the traditional silk units, have begun weavingchuridar sets. It will not be long before they start making furnishings

Initiative by Tamil Nadu Government for Silk Industry-

The Tamilnadu government and TIFAC (Technology Information Forecasting and AssessmentCouncil) have mutually set up a testing unit for zari in Kanchipuram, which checks the content ofgold and silver in zari. This facility can be used by both co-operatives and individuals by paying anominal fee. Any saree sold as a Kanchipuram saree should follow certain set quality standardsregarding weight and zari and the saree should have been produced in the region according to

the Geographical Indication Act. Legal action can be taken against anyone selling a duplicatesarees as a Kanchipuram saree.

The Tamilnadu Government in order to protect the interests of the weavers is planning to assigna special logo to Kanchipuram silk sarees to certify their authenticity. This industry has recentlyfaced some cases related to the selling of fake Kanchi silk sarees. It is also made compulsory topurchase the silk yarn from Tan Silk, the government's shop to ensure its quality. Also the dyehouse is run by the government in order to ensure the quality of the colours. Throughout the yearthe government gives a rebate of 20 per cent or Rs.200 on all saris with the purpose of cleaningtheir old stocks.


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The zari is made in the government-run Tamil Nadu Zari factory in Kancheepuram, but the silverwire needed for its production still comes from Surat as this technique is a secret of few familiesout there. The NFDDC, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organization inHyderabad, is now working hard so that they will be able to draw wire from silver. With thesuccess of this project the dependency on Surat for silver wire will be reduced which will fetchdown the cost of the production drastically.

The government has undertaken a campaign to eradicate child labour from the Kanchipuram silkindustry. Under this campaign, committees have been formed to charge the loom owners forusing child labour. In order to overcome this problem the government has developed equipment,costing Rs.500 to perform the job of the helper.

Until now the silk sari has not been reproduced by the power looms due to its uniqueness, butsoon that may also happen and the industry should be geared to take on the power looms aswell. It is important that this sector, which provides livelihood to thousands of families, is backedby the Government in these tough times.

Trade-

In Kanchipuram, Silk Sarees are sold either through Co-operative societies or by privatemerchants.

In the year 1949, the first co-operative society of weavers was formed, called the KamatchiAmman Society. About 24 co-operative societies were formed over the course of time, most ofwhich are managed by the Tamilnadu government. Some of the reputed co-operative societiesof weavers are the Kamatchi Amman Silk Society, Murugan Silk Society, Varadharaja SwamySilk Society, Kanchipuram Silk Society and others.The Kamatchi Amman Society now has about 2000members and is one of the largest. Totally, there areabout 50000 weavers who work through various co-operative societies with around 60000 silk looms. Theyearly turnover of the town exceeds Rs. 200 crores,with exports of approximately Rs. 3 crores. Accordingto experts, the exports have not risen to their fullprospective, as the demand for sarees outside India istrifling. Product diversification is being considered bythe industry, which would definitely lead to a rise inexports.

In the private sector, there are over 200 manufacturers in Kanchipuram alone. These privatemanufacturers procure sarees from independent weavers in Kanchipuram and export them toother cities in India as well as abroad. Some of the more famous ones are Sri Kumaran Silks, andNalli Silks in Chennai. The large cooperative societies are government-run and hence have avery small profit margin and moreover the profits reach the weaver directly. Hence, cooperativesocieties are usually less expensive. Private merchants commonly have a larger profit margin andalso have other costs like advertising, middle agents, etc.

Normally, the cooperative societies do not conductexperiments with new colors or grand designs. Privatemerchants, on the other hand, offer a much wider choice.Such sarees usually start at Rs.15, 000 and go as high as acouple of hundred thousands. The RMKV and Sons arenowned shop for kanchipuram saris located in Tirunelveli


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and at Chennai had manufactured the world's first kanchipuram sari with 50,000 colours on it.

CONCLUSION-

The Kanchipuram sarees reflect a weaving and dyeing tradition hundreds of years old. They areknown to be worn by the Indian women, who reveal the gratifying beauty of graceful spectacular

creations of the weavers. With its startling color and texture, this clothing reflects the high statusand classic choice of the wearer. The demand and recognition of the sarees has reachedglobally.

A unique feature of the Kancheepuram silk sari is its strength, which is made possible by thetwisted yarn - double warp and double weft that gives it the weight; its vibrant colour contrastsand its exquisite design beautifully integrating the different colours of the body and the borderand pallu.

Kancheepuram sarees is one of the inimitable arts of India and its legitimacy should bedefended. This craft of making saree are definitely facing problems due to changing marketdemand. This artifact is changing; still the traditional style remains intact. It is believe, that this isone industry that will not be affected relentlessly by the global financial crisis. At the same time,

it is vital that authorities start preparing for confronts and keep this industry from fading as onecan only predict the future but cant be certain about it.

References:1. www.craftandartisans.com2. www.flonnet.com3. www.indiamart.com4. www.indianheritage.com

About the Author:

The author is Senior Faculty, CRM at FDDI (Footwear Design & Development Institute), Noida,India
http://www.craftandartisans.com/http://www.flonnet.com/http://www.indiamart.com/http://www.indiamart.com/http://www.flonnet.com/http://www.craftandartisans.com/

South India heritage ‐ Kanchipuram Saris of Tamil Nadu

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