Anjali Khot, Asst. Prof., MGM IFD

Have you ever visited South states of India? If yes, then you must know South India is famous for its silk sarees.

Kanjeevaram – is one of the beautiful silk handloom sarees that every single Indian woman wanted to have in her plies of colorful silk sarees. Kanjeevaram or also called Kanchipuram saree, it borrows its name from the village origin Kanchipuram, in the Tamilnadu state of India. Going back to history, it was originally a cotton weave saree. The influence of Banarsi weavers makes these sarees playing in silk & gold!!

Now, these beautiful traditional silk Kanjeevaram sarees are dreams for every bride in the south region of India.  

IMPORTANT FACT ABOUT KANJEEIVARAM SAREE-

The government of India recognized it as a Geographical Indication since the year 2005-2006!!!   

SPECIAL FEATURE –

The saree is woven from Mulberry Silk from South India & zari from Gujarat. The color and designs of the body and the pallu are quite different. The border and pallu are separately woven & then delicately joined to the saree.

You can spot a zigzag pattern where the body meets pallu!! The join is woven so strongly that even if the saree tears, the border will not detach.

Kanchipuram silk sarees border pallu

WHAT YOU GET ATTRACTED MORE –

TRADITIONAL DESIGNS-

Being separately woven, these have wide contrast borders. The borders have motifs from temples, palaces & general paintings.

The body includes pyramidal temple designs, checks, stripes & floral butties.

Pallu features images and scriptures inspired by temples and natural elements like leaves, birds, and animals.

The stories of Mahabharata & Ramayana woven on pallu are the most fascinating feature of this saree.

Kanchipuram silk sarees motifs

Nowadays, the traditional stripes, checks, dot designs are replaced by more symbolic motifs such as fruits, animals, birds, the sun and the moon, and even stories from mythology.

Image result for kanjivaram motifs

COLORS –

These sarees are known for their vibrant colors and eye-catching designs. You can get more variety of contrasting shades!!!

Image result for kanchipuram saree motifs

WHAT IS ABOUT PRICE RANGE?

An original saree with pure silk and pure zari can cost anywhere between Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 2, 00,000!!!

To reduce cost-cutting, the golden & silver zari is now replaced by a metal or copper zari.

SO TIPS FOR YOU TO 

IDENTIFY ORIGINAL KANJEEIVARAM SILK –

  • Border and body will be in total contrast.
  • If you burn a few loose threads from the saree, you will find ash & it smells like leather or hair. Artificial one does not left ash.
  • Find a loose bit of zari. Pure zari has a red silk thread covered with silver dipped in 22-carat gold. So when you pull out the gold covering, the inner thread is red irrespective of saree color. If the thread is white, then it is not a pure zari.

 So. Like the most silk sarees, you can count on Kanjeevaram silk sarees to be the perfect outfit choice when you are looking for a classy Ethnic Outfit!!

Do You Know?

 This is the most expensive silk saree made in Kanchipuram.  Navratan stones and gold thread is used to weave most expensive saree in the world at Rs. 40 lakh, and entered the Guinness world Records. It features the reproduction of 11 paintings by Indian art icon Raja Ravi Verma!!!