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[[File:Original pattu saree trademark.jpg|thumb]]
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox geographical indication
| name = Kanchipuram silk
| image = Kanchipuram_silk_sareer.JPG
| image_size =
| caption = Kanchipuram silk saris
| description = [[Silk]] [[sari]]s weaved in [[Kanchipuram]]
| type = [[Handicraft]]
| area = [[Kanchipuram]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| country = [[India]]
| registered = 2005{{ndash}}2006
| material = [[Silk]]
| official website =
}}
The '''Kanchipuram silk sari''' is a type of [[silk]] [[sari]] made in the [[Kanchipuram]] region in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]].<ref name="Hindu">{{cite news|title=Weaving through the threads|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-editorialfeatures/weaving-through-threads-of-kancheepurams-history/article3264339.ece|access-date=7 March 2015}}</ref> These saris are worn as bridal & special occasion saris by most women in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh. It has been recognized as a [[Geographical indication]] by the [[Government of India]] in 2005{{ndash}}2006.<ref name="GI">{{cite web|url=http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/ |title=Geographical indication |publisher=Government of India |access-date=28 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826183844/http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/ |archive-date=26 August 2013 }}</ref><ref name="easenorms">{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-12-27/news/30561514_1_silk-sarees-kanchipuram-weavers|title=Government eases norms for gold-silver mix in Kanchipuram sarees|date=27 December 2011|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=14 May 2012|location=Chennai}}</ref><ref name="gitrails">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-08-29/chennai/28312502_1_gi-tag-gi-registry-gi-protection|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103144531/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-08-29/chennai/28312502_1_gi-tag-gi-registry-gi-protection|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 November 2012|title=GI tag: TN trails Karnataka with 18 products|date=29 August 2010|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=15 May 2012}}</ref>

As of 2008, an estimated 5,000 families were involved in sari production.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rao|first=P.V.L. Narasimha |title=Kanchipuram – Land of Legends, Saints & Temples|year=2008|publisher=Readworthy Publications (P) Ltd.|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-93-5018-104-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HJFldI75dRcC&pg=PA161}}</ref> There are 25 silk and cotton yarn industries and 60 dyeing units in the region.<ref>{{cite web|title=Industries in Kanchipuram|url=http://municipality.tn.gov.in/kancheepuram/srv_industry.htm|year=2011|publisher=Kanchipuram Municipality, Government of Tamil Nadu|access-date=26 June 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121219003842/http://municipality.tn.gov.in/kancheepuram/srv_industry.htm|archive-date=19 December 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Weaving==
The saris are woven from pure [[mulberry|mulberry silk]] thread. The pure mulberry silk and the Zari used in the making of Kanchipuram saris comes from South India.<ref name="Kanchi"/> 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 colour and design are usually quite different from the body. If the ''mundhi'' (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.<ref name="Kanchi">{{cite web|url=http://tamilnadu.com/fashion/kanchipuram-sari.html|title=Kanchipuram Sari|publisher=Tamilnadu.com|date=16 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411215318/http://tamilnadu.com/fashion/kanchipuram-sari.html|archive-date=11 April 2013}}</ref> The part where the body meets the ''mundhi'' is often denoted by a [[zigzag]] line.<ref name=textile /> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kolour.in/post/traditional-kanjivaram-sarees.html |title=Traditional kanjivaram sarees|publisher=kolour.in}}</ref> That differentiates the kanchivaram silk saris from the others.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aboutkanchipuram.com/Silk%20Sarees.html|title=Kanchipuram sarees|publisher=aboutkanchipuram.com}}</ref>

==Design==

Saris are distinguished by their wide contrast borders. Temple borders, checks, stripes and floral (buttas) are traditional designs found on a Kanchipuram saris.<ref name=textile>{{cite book|last=Sajnani|first=Manohar|title=Encyclopaedia of tourism resources in India|year=2001|publisher=Kalpaz Pub.|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788178350189|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nxtnsT8CdZ4C}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kanjivaramsilks.com|title=Kanchipuram Sari designs|date=22 October 2016}}</ref> These are saris with rich woven ''mundhi'' showing paintings of [[Raja Ravi Varma]] and epics of [[Mahabharata]] and [[Ramayana]]. Kanchipuram saris vary widely in cost depending upon the intricacy of work, colours, pattern, material used like [[zari]] (gold thread) etc. The silk is also known for its quality and craftsmanship, which has helped earn its name.<ref>{{cite book|last=de Bruyn|first=Pippa|author2=Keith Bain |author3=David Allardice |author4=Shonar Joshi |title=Frommer's India|year=2010|publisher=Wiley Publishing|location=Hoboken, NJ|isbn=9780470556108|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qG-9cwHOcCIC&q=Kanjivaram+Sari|edition=4th}}</ref>

==Significance==
Kanchipuram saris woven with heavy silk and gold cloth are considered to be special and are worn on occasions and festivities.<ref>{{cite book|last=Henderson|first=Carol E.|title=Culture and customs of India|year=2002|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, Conn.|isbn=9780313305139|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CaRVePXX6vEC}}</ref>

==Geographical Indication==
In 2005, the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] applied for [[Geographical Indication]] for Kanchipuram saris.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/GI-tag-TN-trails-Karnataka-with-18-products/articleshow/6458268.cms|title= GI tag: TN trails Karnataka with 18 products|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=29 August 2013}}</ref> The [[Government of India]] recognized it as a [[Geographical indication]] officially since the year 2005-06.<ref name="GI"/>

==In popular culture==
The Tamil film ''[[Kanchivaram]]'' released in 2008 depicts the struggles of silk weavers in Kanchipuram.

==See also==
*[[Mysore silk]]
*[[Ilkal sari]]
*[[Navalgund Durries]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Saree}}

[[Category:Saris]]
[[Category:Kanchipuram district]]
[[Category:Tamil clothing]]
[[Category:Indian handicrafts]]
[[Category:Geographical indications in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Textile industry in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Articles created or expanded during Women's History Month (India) - 2015]]
[[Category:Silk in India]]

Kanchipuram silk sari - Revision history

ImportMaster at 14:11, 2 May 2022