The Legend of the Traditional Kanchipuram Silk Sarees through the Decades

Kanchipuram sarees come from a village named Kanchipuram in the interiors of Tamil Nadu, India. The traditional Kanchipuram silk sarees dominate the market of South Indian silk and traditional sarees. These sarees mark the culture and richness of every ceremony, wedding and for the celebration of elegance. During the reign of Chola dynasty, the silk trade initiative was taken, and that was the mark of the development of this lasting tradition of gorgeous creations. Kanchipuram silk sarees have transcended the boundaries and are famous all over the world for its finesse, durability and the excellent finish.  

The Kanchipuram Silk Saree: Fabric

• The Kanchipuram silk sarees hold the scriptures which are embossed across the walls of various temples in Kanchipuram village.
• The Kanchipuram silk has evolved over many decades with the introduction of various patterns and new designs. Even with the introduction of all these designs, the charm and essence of the tradition have remained intact.

The Kanchipuram Silk Saree: Making

• The making of traditional Kanchipuram silk sarees has quite a nice style. Through the sericulture of mulberry worm, the silk is obtained for the sarees and then converted into yarns to produce such charming sarees.
• The sarees are made by double weft and double warp, a remarkable known fact about these sarees is that there are 1.2 inches of warp frame which has the capacity to 60 holes which are used to weave 240 warp threads.
• About 250 to 300 threads are woven into weft. This process helps to the durability of the saree.
• Predominantly, gold and silver zari is used for the designs and patterns in the Kanchipuram silk sarees and after the running of zari is over, it is coated with gold in the end.

The Kanchipuram Silk Saree: Diversity

• Initially, these sarees were 9 yards of elegance with a blend of culture and patterns like the temple stories.
• The patterns evolved, and the length of the saree became 6 yards, and zari weaving was introduced.
• The make the sarees pocket-friendly, artificial gold zari replaced the pure 22 karat gold zari. The charm and finesse of the saree remained unmoved with this change.
• The historic scripture and temple work was replaced by different designs of shapes and textures. One such pattern is the Thandavalam which means a design of parallel lines on the saree.

The Kanchipuram Silk Saree: Modern Designs

• Half-Whites

Half-white Kanchipuram sarees is an ode to the simplicity and sheer elegance of Indian feminine beauty. This is a hybrid style of Kanchipuram sarees with combined fabrics like silk-net or silk-georgette for instance. Half of the saree is pure white with bare minimal design and embellishments, and the other half has some contrasting and elegant colors with motifs. These sarees are really liked by the modern Indian women and have a great online market.

• Geometric

Geometric patterns on Kanchipuram sarees are used to elaborate the traditional designs and motifs. Nowadays, one geometric pattern is selected to be demonstrated all over the Kanchipuram sarees. These patterns can be used in the body of the saree or for the pallu. This kind of sarees serves really well for wedding ceremonies and festivals.

The Kanchipuram sarees hold the honor of traditional Indian wear and has withstood the changes over decades and has adapted a lot with the changing taste of consumers. The elegance and beauty of these sarees are vibrant to this very day.