Over
the ages, India has conjured up different images at different times, but one
constant through the centuries has been its textiles and one region, which
has always been in the picture in this regard, has been Tamil Nadu.
History :
Early records speak of fine muslin and silks and hand painted calicos that
the Greeks came to buy from Tamizhagam, the home of Tamil. Uraiyur/Karur and
Madurai, situated close to the cotton fields, were major centres of weaving.
They still are the most prominent centers for the exquisite weaving
products.
Weaving was a highly regarded profession. It is said the Chola princes wore
only cotton. The king's robe was of quilted cotton, with a garment worked
with gold. Soldiers also used quilted cotton fabrics.
Raw Material :
The raw materials used in the silk weaving centres are not indigenous to
Tamil Nadu for 'Zari' comes all the way from Surat while neighbouring
Karnataka supplies the silk. Indeed Karnataka meets the silk needs of not
just Kanchipuram but the whole of India.
Wide Range Of Textiles :
Tanjavour is well known for its cotton weaving with several centres around
the state. Cotton has long been the mainstay of the textiles of Tamil Nadu
and one sees a wide range here. Madurai and Salem specialise in fine
gold-bordered Dhotis, with Madurai's Dhotis considered a little superior in
their weaving and Zari to those of Salem.
Tamil Nadu Arts :
From the coarse Chettinad saris (also spelt as sarees), to the saris of
Salem, Rasipuram and Coimbatore, to the fine gold bordered muslins of
Madurai or its more recent medium weight reasonable saris that are printed
or resist-dyed and are popularly referred to as the "Madurai Sungudi",
the weaves of Tamil Nadu offer wide choices.
The Chettinad saris are mainly mustard, brick red and black, of 91 cms
width instead of the standard 120 cms of other regions, which reach only
till the calves to allow the women to display their anklets.
The State has also emerged as one of the leading producers of household
furnishings and linen and contributes a significant share to the textile
exports of India. One sees the weaves of Karur in some of the best stores of
the world.
Kanchipuram
Silks :
Kanchipuram is famous for its silks. As the vast range of cottons are not
withstanding, these textiles are overshadowed by their glamorous
counterpart, the silks and more specifically those from Kanchipuram.
From Cotton To Silk :
Research suggests that silk was a new entrant into Kanchipuram, for till a
century and a half back, Kanchipuram was primarily a cotton-weaving centre.
It was the Thanjavur -Kumbakonam belt and 'Arni' along with Salem that
produced the "Pattu Pudavai" Today the finer, better-woven and
more expensive silk saris are from Kanchipuram.
Kanchipuram silk saris are woven in two parts. The Pallu-and-border are
woven as one unit and attached to the body of the sari, which is woven
separately. The motifs used are derived from traditional temple
architectural forms.
Specialising in heavy weight "Murukku Pattu" the weaves of
Kanchipuram weave three ply, high denier threads, using thick Zari threads
for supplementary warp and weft patterning. The main characteristic of this
sari lies in the time consuming method of interlocking its weft colours as
well as its end piece and in the process creating solid borders and a solid
'Mundhi' (end pieces). If well done one hardly sees where one colour ends
and the other begins.
Over the years inputs from weavers, designers and the weaver service
centres have led to an increasing variety of designs and colours and created
a special market niche for the Kanchipuram silks.
Thanjavur And Kumbakonam Silks :
Thanjavur is another silk center, which specialises in the use of Zari and
brocade work. These saris are heavy and opulent. Thanjavur and Kumbakonam
create saris similar to Kanchipuram but the Mundhi or end pieces are
finished differently. Using a technique called "Porai" the weavers
pull the warp threads, at the join of two colours, into loops at the back
and then cut it close.
Arni - Centre Of Silk Fabrics :
Arni, a town near Kanchipuram, produces light silk, often shot fabric,
mainly in checks of orange and red. This town once wove very expensive silks
but now concentrates on single colour lightweight textiles with zari borders
and zari 'Pallus'. But with increasing labour costs pushing up the prices of
Kanchipurams, Arni is slowly coming into its own with attempts to weave the
Kanchipuram at competitive prices.
Tamil Nadu silks are long lasting. Traditionally, they were washed by being
beaten on a granite stone (it is so even today in many homes) and they
survived many a generation.
