KANCHIPU

RAM
WEAVES
INTRODUCTI
ON
− Kanchipuram is known as the
silk city of India
− It has always enjoyed a prime
place as one of the treasured
weaves of India
− Borrowing its name from the
village of its origin,
Kanchipuram aka
Kanjeevaram is essentially
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
The story of the Kanjeevaram silk saree begins in
HISTORY
Hindu mythology. Legend has it that the Kanchi silk
weavers are descendants of Sage Markanda, who
was considered to be the master weaver for the Gods
themselves. Settled in the small town of Kanchipuram
(Tamil Nadu), the famous Kanjeevaram saree weave
goes back 400 years. It was during the reign of
Krishna Devaraya (from the Vijayanagara Empire)
that the art really took off. Two major weaving
communities of Andhra Pradesh, the Devangas and
Saligars migrated to the town of Kanchipuram. They
used their excellent weaving skills to make the silk
saree that bore images of scriptures and figurines
found on the temples around the village. Even till
 DISTINCT FACTORS OF PURE
KANJEEVARAM
− Mulberry silk warp - 2x2 ply of 18/20 denier
− Mulberry silk weft - 3x2 ply of 20/22 denier
− Zari - Usually 4 G and above (e.g.: 5G zari contains 40% silver, copper
35.5%, 24% silk and 0.5% of gold)
− All the extra weft designs were made using adai (Jala) technique
− Traditionally most of the sarees were made with Korvai - where the border of
the body is joined to the body using a third shuttle
− Petni - where the pallu is joined to the body separately
− The width of the saree would be 48-50 inches
 CRAFTMANSHIP - KORVAI
− Korvai the illusive term that means to loop or interlock. In Tamil Korvai is a
shortform of kothu vangirath ( interlock).
− This is a technique used in handloom weaving ( sarees and dhotis) and is used
widely in different parts of the country in different ways. It is called by different
term like kuttu, kondi, kumbha, etc.
− This technique is used to interlock the border to the body of the saree especially
where they are two separate colors to produce a stark contrast between the two
− The technique is now uncommon as it requires two people to throw the weft
shuttle from end to end and
 CONT.

- Here the body colour of the saree is red and the border is green. Red warp for the body,
green warp for the border. In a normal shot colour saree red x green, or green x red there will
be only one colour weft running from end to end either green or red or it can be a completely
different colour that is complementary to the two.
- Speciality of Korvai – Korvai enhances the depth of colour and gives an intense contrast
between saree and border– so here the weft of the body will be red and the weft of the border
THREE KINDS OF KORVAI
KATTUSA PETNI
YAM
 CLASSIC DESIGNS OF
KANJEEVARAM
- Aayiram butta( 1000 buttas)
- Vaira Oosi ( Diamond needles)
- Veldari ( a curved line with dots on either side)
- Double korvai with two pallus and two borders ( a design that is hardly
done, but was not uncommon a few decades ago)
- Muttu kattam – Checks formed with dotted lines
- Mayil Chakram- Peacock and chakram
Aayiram Vanasingaram – Hunting
butta scenes
Vaira Veld
Oosi ari
Muttu Mayil
 KATTAM

Palam Pazhamum Podi Kasa kasa

Kattam kattam kattam
 Payadai (Matte
weave)

Kannadi visiri (zari kattam +

Vairi oosi)
Rudraksh – referred to shiva’s teardrops, traditionally used as
prayer beads
Malli Moggu with
Temple reku
MOTIFS
 ANIMAL/BIRD MOTIFS

Mayil(Peac Visir Kili(Parr Annapa

ock) Mayil ot) kshi Ganda
Berunda
( 2 headed
eagle)

Kuthirai(Horse) Yaanai(Elep Mayilkann (peacock

Singam(Lion)
hant) eyes)
Yaazhi- a mythological animal a confluence of the lion, the horse
and elephant
Ganda Berunda - a mythical two headed bird believed to
possess supreme power and luck
Singham- The Lion Annam-/Hamsam - a mythological
bird that could fly- talk etc. the vaahan
of goddess Saraswati and identified
with the supreme spirit. Here it literally
translated as a swan but it is more a
mythological bird that has an
extraordinary plumage
Mayil- Chakram- Symbol of
Peacock Vishnu
 FLORAL MOTIFS
Mango – it is woven in
different sizes; not just on
the border and pallu but
also as small buttas dotting
the body
Reku (Thazhampoo Reku) –
The rows of large triangles,
interlocked in korvai,
resemble the
temple gopurams and are
referred to as reku (a bundle
of grass) or mottu (flower
buds) in the case of smaller
triangles.
 Rudraksha– Rudra is the
Vedic name of Siva and
Aksha means tears. This
motif looks striking when
woven along the border of a
sari as an accompaniment
to the main thematic design.
Sometimes bigger
rudraksham motifs are
woven in the body as buttis
Kamalam - a small, but
too.
stylised eight-petal floral
motif which invokes the
Goddess of wealth.

Kodi visiri(creeper) - These floral
creeper designs elegantly link motifs
and buttis. One can see a
resemblance between the floral
patterns on the sari and those
adorning the South Indian temple
lintels. The term kodi visiri in Tamil
aptly describes the gentleness, and
Malli Moggu– Malligai poo
or jasmine is the single most
used flower in Tamil Nadu,
and these delicate long buds
are always represented as
buttas on the body of a
kanjivaram. Referred to as
‘rain drops’, these were
traditional designs which
made the art of weaving
truly original, drawing on
local culture.
POPULAR PALLU & BORDER
DESIGNS
Seeppu Reku

Pillaiyar
Mokku

Arai Maadam

Kuyilkann

Mayilkann
Seeppu Reku
Pillaiyar
Mokku
Mayilkann Kuyilkann
Arai Maadam
 TRADITIONAL COLOURS

− V.Paaku (Dark brown of beetle − Kathiripu(Brinjal)

nuts) − Simham(warp –arakku, weft –
− Nagapazham (Deep purple jamun mustard)
fruit) − Kanakambaram
− Kanchana( Deep brown) − Krishna Megha Varnam (Blue
− Karuppu (Black) purple shot)

− Mambalam(mango colour) − MS Blue (Royal blue)

 Simham (Lion
skin colour)

Kanchana

Mambalam
MS Rama Kanakamb
Blue green aram
 Kathiripu Manthulir Mayilkalathu
(Brinjal flower) (Tender mango leaf (Peacock’s neck –
– green blue & green shot)
& red shot)
 Peethambaram (Lord Vishnu’s
garments colour
- Purple + Magenta Shot)

Arakku ( govt.
wax seal)
 KANJEEVARAM TODAY
− Mulberry silk warp - 2x2 ply of 18/20 denier
− Mulberry silk weft - 4x2 ply of 20/22 denier
− Zari – Low quality zari is also seen in the market nowadays other than 4g,
5g, 6g zari
− Korvai, Petni – very few sarees are made with these techniques today
because of the complexity and cost involved
− Double korvai sarees almost extinct in the market
− Majority of weavers use Jacquard looms and very few weave with the
Adai(Jala) Technique
− Adai vs Jacquard : Designs in between the standard jacquard hooks are
THANK YOU