Deftly woven: Korvai connects the distinction and hues between the physique and the border of a sari. At the underside, the Cheddibutti design is a plant-like motif with vibrant flowers in opposition to a lighter shade.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Eagle-eyed textile and trend fanatics may have observed that Tamil Nadu was represented on the Dior present in Mumbai in March this 12 months. A mannequin walked the runway sporting a costume that includes the well-known Madras checks, a design that almost all of us would have seen and doubtless personal both as a handkerchief or garments.
Each sample and weave that originated in Tamil Nadu has a lengthy and fascinating history, typically intersecting with tales of commerce and colonialism. Commercialisation of these textiles has widened the hole between weaver and shopper and a glossing over of the State’s vibrant textile history.
Tamil Nadu, in the 1900s, produced painted cotton, muslins, embroidered cloths and rich saris and whereas most of us personal these merchandise immediately, we’re unaware of their origin. “The State’s textile traditions are at risk of becoming museum additions and the focus should be on organising the industry and reviving and continuing the traditions,” mentioned Sreemathy Mohan, a textile fanatic and researcher.
A ship with items
As customers immediately, we have little or no concept of the context of these textiles and their backgrounds. The Triplicane Palasarakku Ela Paatu is an announcement of the arrival of a ship laden with items and choices devoted to Vedavalli Thayar, the deity of Triplicane. The Paatu serves as a catalogue of objects aboard the ship and contains a prayer for the ship’s secure arrival. Interestingly, it even thanks the colonial authorities of the time, thereby portray a rich scene of colonialism, commerce and tradition.
Deftly woven: Korvai connects the distinction and hues between the physique and border of a sari. At backside, the Cheddibutti design is a plant-like motif with vibrant flowers in opposition to a lighter shade.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Arguably, the most well-liked and sought-after weave in Tamil Nadu is from Kancheepuram. According to a weaver from Kancheepuram who has been into weaving since he was 10 years previous, a Kanjeevaram sari can final 100 years if taken care of correctly. Kanjeevaram saris stand out for the korvai, a method that connects the distinction and hues between the physique and border of a sari. “Traditionally, executing the korvai requires two people at either end of a loom passing the shuttle deftly to each other,” he mentioned as he demonstrated the method on a smaller loom requiring just one individual. Saris with this design value greater than plain silk saris and will both consist of a stark distinction or a ‘gopuram’ design.
“There are duplicate Kanjeevarams in the market now that come from other parts of the State; but to an experienced eye, there is a clear difference in quality,” mentioned the weaver.
The Madras Checks that the Dior mannequin wore has a history relationship to the 16 th Century. Sreemathy, a textile fanatic and researcher, make clear the story behind the Real Madras Handkerchief at a discuss hosted by the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage. “It is a checked fabric that was exported from India to Africa beginning in the 16 th Century, particularly to Benin and Nigeria, and was used by the Kalabari tribes in all their important rituals,” she mentioned. Today, it is named ‘Bleeding Madras’ as the colors fade into one another on washing. Colonial retailers added the phrase, ‘real’, to the title to tell apart the handwoven material from imitations made in Europe.
Fibre and pigment
Kumbakonam mentioned Sreemathy, was well-known for dyeing the silk procured from Calcutta, Bombay and Mysore and weavers there develop into consultants in utilizing mordants to create an affinity between the fibre and the pigment. Borders to the material had photos of animals and florals and the city grew to become well-known for a design known as pitambaram, which was imported from Benaras.
A weaver from Tirunelveli who maintains a stall on the Co-optex National Handloom Expo this 12 months proudly displayed the saris in his assortment with the cheddibutti design, a plant-like motif with vibrant flowers in opposition to a lighter shade. Four individuals work collectively for 2 days to make one sari and it’s fully made by hand. Making the butta alone wants two individuals, he mentioned. “It is a hereditary skill and something my father taught me; for most of my life, this is what I have done,” he mentioned.
Sreemathy is a tome of trivia information just like the case of a jail carpet that ended up in Sotheby’s public sale home in London. It was commissioned in the Vellore jail in 1914 and the acquisition paperwork for it had been traced to Major-General William Burney Bannerman, a extremely adorned surgeon-general in the Indian Medical Service. The 17-foot carpet attracts inspiration from classical Persian searching carpets with animals and unique birds.
This is only one of the numerous nuggets of history that our textiles convey.
According to weavers, the issue immediately lies in the dearth of revenue in the enterprise and present generations preferring to work in a job that pays properly and commonly. Paneerselvam, a member of the Arignar Anna Silk Co-operative Society which has 2,000 members, says he adopted in his father’s footsteps, however his son selected to pursue engineering. Most weavers really feel that their work is simply regarded upon as labour and never for the worth they convey to the weave. “We are paid a fraction of the total cost a sari sells for us and that is probably why our numbers are dwindling,” one weaver mentioned.
