Kancheepuram Silk Sarees

Back ground

Kancheepuram, the silk city as well as temple city of Tamil Nadu, is about 70 km away from Chennai. The major variety of fabric manufactured in Kancheepuram is Silk Saree. The traditional Kancheepuram saree is woven in throw shuttle pit loom by using adai technique. It is carried with the help of two weavers for making solid border (Korvai) and petni technique for making contrast pallu. The sarees are woven the traditional designs inspired from the sculptures of temples in the town. Kancheepuram silk saree is the traditional wedding dress of the bride.

Materials used

The materials used for manufacturing of Kancheepuram silk sarees are mulberry silk yarn and gold zari. Normally 2 ply silk threads in warp and 3 ply in weft are used in these sarees.

The original gold zari used in the ration of 40% silver, Copper 35.5%, 24% silk and 0.5% of gold. Flattened silver wire is coiled to conceal the core silk thread. This silver thread is coated with gold to produce zari used in the production of silk sarees.

Technique applied

The speciality of Kanceepuram silk saree is contrast border with Korvai technique and contrast pallu with Petni technique. Contrast border is woven using three shuttles, two shuttles for both side border and one shuttle for body of the saree. Contrast Pallu is woven using Petni technique. After weaving of body of the saree, a separate warp as that of border colour is joined with the ground old warp by weaving both the warp about one inch. Then the ground warp is cut-off and fringes of new and old warp are neatly trimmed. Solid colour Pallu is then woven by using single shuttle. Nowadays Kancheepuram silk sarees are woven using two to three jacquards, each one for border, body and pallu with or without Korvai technique also.

How to distinguish genuine Kancheepuram Silk Sarees

• Kanchipuram saree is the heaviest among all other silk sarees.
• Separate set of warp threads are attached in the pallou using petni technique. Trimings are noticed in the joining.
• Solid borders of contrast colours are woven using ‘Korvoi’ technique. Interlocking of threads in the borders is noticed.

Source : India Handloom Brand