KANCHIPURAM SILK SAREES

LAKKARS Silk Saris made in the Kanchipuram region in Tamil Nadu, India. These saris are worn as bridal & special occasion saris by most women in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka& Andhra Pradesh. Silk Saris it has been recognized as a Geographical indication by the Government of India in 2005-06. As of 2008, an estimated 5,000 families were involved in sari production. The saris are woven from pure mulberry silk thread. LAKKARS pure mulberry silk used in the making of Kanchipuram saris comes from South India and the zari comes from Gujarat. To weave a Kanchipuram sari three shuttles are used. While the weaver works on the right side, his aide works on the left side shuttle. The border color and design are usually quite different from the body. If the pallu (the hanging end of the sari) has to be woven in a different shade, it is first separately woven and then delicately joined to the Sari. In a genuine Kanchipuram Silk Sari, body and border are woven separately and then interlocked together. The joint is woven so strongly that even if the saris tears, the border will not detach. Saris are distinguished by their wide contrast borders. Temple borders, checks, stripes and floral (buttas) are traditional designs found on a Kanchipuram saris. The patterns and designs in the kanchipuram saris were inspired with images and scriptures in South Indian temples or natural features like leaves, birds and animals. These are saris with rich woven pallu showing paintings of Raja Ravi Varma and epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. Kanchipuram saris vary widely in cost depending upon the intricacy of work, colors, pattern, material used like zari (gold thread) etc. The silk is also known for its quality and craftsmanship, which has helped earn its name.Kanchipuram saris woven with heavy silk and gold cloth are considered to be special and are worn on occasions and festivities. Borrowing its name from the village of its origin, Kanchipuram aka Kanjeevaram is essentially a silk sari that can well be considered South India’s answer to the more popular Banarasi sari. Owing to the thick fabric and deep colors mixed with hints of gold, this sari is preferred for festive occasions and celebrations. Like with most silk saris, you can count on Kanjeevaram or Kanchipuram silk saris to be the perfect outfit choice when you are looking for a classy ethnic option.

LAKKARS two major weaving communities of TELANGANA are migrated to the town of Kanchipuram. They used their excellent weaving skills to make the silk sari that bore images of scriptures and figurines found on the temples around the village. It didn’t take long for the sari to evolve into a must-wear for women at traditional ceremonies, weddings and other festivities, and the practice still continues in South India.The warp frame use to weave this fabric has about 60 holes, in which there are 240 threads in the warp and 250 to 3000 threads in the west, giving it a sturdy feel. The pallu, the border and the body of the sari are generally woven separately, and then interlocked together with much precision and neatness. The saris are known for their vibrant colors and eye catching designs, which are mainly inspired from the scriptures and figurines from the very many temples in this small village. Since the pallu and the body of the sari differ in color and design, you can expect a variety of contrasting shades too.The border of the sari comprises of motifs from the temples, palaces and general paintings, and the body includes pyramidal temple designs, checks, stripes and floral buttas. Over the years, the traditional and much preferred stripes or golden dot designs have given way to more symbolic motifs such as fruits, animals, birds, the sun and the moon, and even stories from mythology.