But what is it about Sarees that makes it a favourite of the ladies? Even as each woman may present her case of why she prefers the Saree over other garment pieces, a common reason stands out is how it makes them feel. Most women agree that sarees make them feel sensual besides adding the usual touch of elegance, resplendent and stylish, of course.
Sarees' journey began with cotton fabric, eventually moving on to other fabrics like silk, georgette, chiffon, satin and lycra. However, cotton sarees still stand triumphant amongst the lot even today. Why? Cotton sarees of any kind are softer on the skin, allows women to breathe freely and even go easy on the pocket.
Among all-cotton sarees, Kanchi Cotton Sarees are a fashion favourite of women of all ages. When you Google Kanchi Sarees, you will come across information that is primarily around silk. But, Kanchi Cotton sarees have their own charm. Kanchi Cotton Sarees are fluffier than its silk variant and have an oxidised shine along the saree border.
Are you curious to find out more? It’s time to tick off your list of questions as we go about addressing them all in the article below. So let's go!
Origin & History
Historians believe that Kanchi cotton weavers were descendants of Sage Markanda, who specialised in weaving fabrics for the Gods. Lord Shiva's favourite, cotton, was used by his weavers to weave this fibre using lotuses. Legend has it that this fabric originated during the reign of the Lords while they were on earth.
However, the Kancheevaram weavers are in this profession since the reign of the Chola King since the Chola dynasty. These expert weavers passed down this skill from one generation to the next, preserving this knowledge without letting it go scarce. Many others have witnessed this saree originate from the village Kanchipuram located in Chennai, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Kanchi Cotton Sarees Or Kanchi Silk Sarees?
Best Kanchi cotton sarees made from a brilliantly handspun variety of cotton fill the gap for people who like the richness of silk woven Kanchi saree with a dash of comfort and elegance. Cotton brings in the element of comfort and the grace, elegance and simplicity of a Kanchi cotton sarees. Some of the best Kanchi cotton sarees have received global recognition with newer reputation levels for being one of India's finest sarees.
You can identify premium Kanchi Cotton sarees from the shine of Zari, the breadth of the Zari border and the overall weaving technique used, famously known as the three shuttle weave. The saree is also quite thick and heavier compared to silk.
Style And Design
When you step out to shop for a Kanchi cotton saree, you may be met with designs that are either striped or checkered. Kanchi cotton sarees have a heavy influence on the temple design inspired by the temples of Kanchipuram city. The huge and specific designs being imprinted on the temples are drawn along the length of the saree.
A general style of Kanchi cotton saree is similar to its silk counterpart with earthen colours, contrast borders, stripes and checkered patterns, small temple motifs on weaving derived from temple-like lotus, peacock, parrot etc! Nowadays, some of the best Kanchi cotton sarees weaved are keeping in mind the current generation trend.
Weave
Yarns are starched using rice starch to give a good fall and easy weaving. They are handwoven using hand spun superior cotton. The weave is brought to life by korvai, a knotting and interlocking technique that seamlessly blends the body and the pallu, which are woven separately. The border of the saree and its pallu are woven separately, interlocking in the end before the final look. This is done without missing its actual look, originality and authenticity of a Kanchi cotton saree.
Innovations
Best Kanchi cotton sarees found in various shades include the regular pattu saree colours that usually define the colourful saga of Tamil Nadu. The sarees that initially began with earthy tones have slowly made a shift towards brighter shades today. Many of these sarees bear the original shades of colours keeping in line with their silk counterparts. The style of these sarees too has evolved to match the likes of the current generation. Today, Kanchi cotton sarees are more than simplistic garments; instead, they are fashionable and designer like sarees created to match the present era's interests.
Global Appeal
The look and feel of a Kanchi cotton saree have been doing the round of likes of women worldwide. The handlooms of Kanchipuram are doing great globally, with the demands of these sarees reaching new heights. The fabric too is making its way towards the world of dress materials. This exquisite fabric, with its power, brilliance and comfort, is swooning ladies worldwide.
Conclusion
Kanchi cotton sarees are the brilliant hand-woven fabric that originated from Tamil Nadu's city only to reach global grounds. These fabrics have indeed swept the world off their feet. Every part of this woven fabric gives out exquisitely beautiful cotton wear. The Kanchi cotton sarees are undoubtedly the most fashionable wear in the state of Tamil Nadu. When are you stepping out to buy one?
Did you find this article useful? We would love to hear from you and don't forget to share this among your friends and family.
]]>
Origin and History
Here’s an interesting story behind this royal saree. The history of Kanjivaram Silk Sarees can be traced back to Hindu mythology. As per legends, Kanjivaram silk weavers are the descendants of Sage Markanda, the master weaver of God. Many centuries later, his descendants settled in the small town of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, and continued to weave silk with bold, vibrant colors like their ancestors. Due to its otherworldly craftsmanship, Kanjivaram silk sarees have stood the test of time and are family heirlooms that last for generations. A Kanjivaram saree in everyday parlance is originally called as Kanchipuram saree, as it originated in a small town of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.
Weaving Process
Kanjivaram silk saree weaving, a highly skilled craft, is valued as one of the finest examples of hand-crafted textiles all over the world. These sarees are hand-woven with mulberry silk. The silk yarn, after careful extraction, is dyed in the richest of colors and weaved with the zari threads. While the silk is from South India, the pure gold and the silver zari are from Gujarat. The zari threads that give life to this beautiful artwork are said to contain a government-mandated amount of pure silver and gold, ensuring you a timeless investment for your ethnic wardrobe collection. Weaving a kanjivaram saree from start to finish takes 3-4 weeks. It is a labor-intensive process and the final product is astounding.
Before weaving the saree, silk threads are dipped in rice water and sun-dried to increase both its thickness and stiffness. After these off-white threads are dried, they are colored separately as per requirement. The border and pallu of the silk saree are dyed by hand in one color whereas the body is dyed in a contrast color.
Colored threads and zari are carefully separated manually before being sent to the weaving room. This is done to avoid any tangles that leave uneven surfaces in the finished product. The separate threads are attached to the weaving loom from one end to the other. Here the painstaking process of drawing the warp ends and attaching them to the previous warp on the loom is done manually. There are continuous pages of cardboard stencils that move with the design above the weaving loom. These designs are first hand-drawn, as required, and then designed on a computer. Using a cutting machine, the design is cut into a cardboard sheet that acts as a stencil on the weaving loom. The threads are hand-woven as per the shape of the design. This manual weaving process of a Kanjivaram saree is an art that has passed from one generation to another in South India.
The ornate pallus and borders of the saree are woven separately and are attached to the main saree body using an age-old, unique knot and an interlocking technique called Korvai.
If you notice it closely, the part where the body meets the border has a slightly zigzag line. But the precision of this technique is such that even if the saree tears, the border wouldn't detach. This traditional weaving technique is deeply rooted in the Kanchipuram culture that any saree made in Kanchipuram will always have this birthmark.
Motifs and Varieties
Several patterns have become characteristic of Kanjivaram saree designs over the years. These patterns and motifs are not merely decorative, but have strong symbolic connotations, both in mythology and folklore. The motifs play a twin role – an aesthetic appeal and a reflection of symbolic meaning.
These motifs show a rich history of patterns, drawing from sources beyond textiles. Many of these symbols recur across art forms—from painting and temple architecture to sculpture, Tamil literature, and dance.
Chariots, peacocks, swans, lions, coins, mangoes, leaves, sun, moon, and other motifs are also integrated into Kanjivaram sarees. Additionally, some important events of epics like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana have also been incorporated in these sarees. The focus of design with changing times has shifted from traditional to more contemporary patterns. However, the appeal of the saree has remained the same. At times, Kanjivaram sarees are devoid of any patterns or motifs, deriving an elegant look from the use of fine quality silk.
Apart from using motifs on sarees, weavers also use several geometric patterns to break the monotony of a single color. Diagonal lines (vari), circular shapes (buttis), checks (kattam) are used in the background of the embellishment of the motif.
Types of Kanjivaram saree
While many of us choose the Kanchipuram silk we like, there are different types of sarees that you can choose depending on the type of occasion you're planning to attend.
This saree has a woven contrast border or a golden zari border with a single base color. This saree will surely give you a rich look and could be perfect for your friend's upcoming engagement ceremony.
The design and patterns blended in newer colors and motifs form a modern kanjivaram saree that is perfect for new-age brides.
Beautiful checks, coins, chakras, temple borders symbolize the traditional saree of Kanjivaram, making it the richest weave among others. This evergreen drape is perfect for every age and occasion.
As the name suggests, these sarees have a zigzag temple border - a cheron styled peaks’ design known as a temple, which makes it stand out from the rest. Perfect for an anniversary party, or even your wedding!
If you aren’t a fan of the grand and glorious saree borders, you can opt for a borderless Kanjivaram silk saree. This borderless saree with majestic motifs and weaving patterns can be worn for festivities of any and every nature.
Kanjivaram Sarees speaks a volume of South Indian art history. Beautiful designs and vibrant colors evoke reverence in every saree connoisseur, exuding a beautiful aura of elegance and heritage.
So whether you are getting married or planning to attend someone else’s wedding, a Kanjivaram saree should be your go-to option.
Thamboori's Kanjivaram Silk Sarees are sourced directly from handloom weavers across south of India and come with a Silk mark. We ship across the US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, and other countries.