Sarees’ are the core of Indian culture and silk is yet another pride of India. The two elements combined give us the finest work of art. Sarees are historic no doubt but so are the Indian silks. Silks in India are also termed as ‘pattu’ and recent archaeological survey has proved that sericulture existed even during the Indus Valley Civilization.
India is the second largest producer of silk in the world after China but is the largest consumer of silk. The prime reason being the value that is attached to this commodity. The tradition of wearing silk sarees for marriages and other auspicious ceremonies is a custom in India. Silk is considered as a symbol of royalty and historically, silk was used primarily by the upper classes.
Silk garments and sarees produced in kanchipuram, Mysore, Arani in the south, Banaras in the north, Murshidabad in the east are well recognized.
As soon as we talk about South India, silk sarees inevitably come to our mind. As Paris holds to be the fashion destination of the world, South India is deemed to be a Saree lover’s paradise especially if it is a silk one. It is but natural that these prestigious silk sarees will be the top priority of the Indian brides. Though it originated in the south it soon went viral to gain national and international recognition.
Indian brides in general and South Indian brides in particular do not consider pattu saree just as their valued possession but it holds a symbolic meaning of tradition passing on from one generation to another. Along with the brides and the weddings that have undergone change the saree too has evolved much over time. But in spite of evolving circumstances the pattu sarees still embody the age old tradition, purity and serenity.
The most popular Pattu sarees are those that are called ‘Kachivram’ sarees and are manufactured in the temple town of Kanchipuram, however today more fabrics are being used to create beautiful and vibrant South India pattu sarees. The new designs that flaunt the Indian market have already demonstrated the capacity of its charm, it has been universally loved.
Since pattu sarees are rich and luxurious it is usually preferred during the wedding or festivities. There are around fifteen types of silk sarees and Karnataka in the South is the silk hub of the country.
-Arani silk
-Banarasi silk
-Dharmavaram silk
-Gadwal silk
-Kanchipuram silk
-Karnataka silk
-Kora silk
-Mysore silk
-Narayanpet silk
-Patola Sarees
-Pochampally silk
-Seemavaram silk
-Uppada silk
-Valkalam silk
-Venkatagiri silk
are regionally produced silk sarees. However the major ones are:
* Kanchipuram Silk Sarees
These pattu sarees are the best ones because of its immense popularity and superior advantage over the rest. This saree as the name suggest finds its origin in the temple town/ district of Kanchipuram. They are renowned for the purity of silk, quality, durability, design, color pattern and elegance. It is the traditional bridal ensemble. It is highly colorful and the zari work in the pallu or the border or sometimes all over it makes this look beautiful and rich. It takes around 3-4 weeks to manufacture a sari and then it is succeeded to zari work. The task is laborious but it is fruitful. The weavers have been internationally recognized and the craze for Kanchipuram Sarees is widespread. The typical and famous designs for Kanchipuram pattu sarees are temple designs, designs of cluster of flowers, checks, stripes, floral designs, mango designs, etc. Today silk saris are affordable for all, where the cost of silk sari range from minimum of INR 1,500/- to several lakhs.
* Mysore Silk Sarees
Mysore is the city located in the state of Karnataka in South India. Mysore silks are another superior pride of the South, it is the trade mark of the silk sarees manufactured by Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation. The difference of Mysore Silk sarees and Kanchipuram is that the former is light-weight unlike the latter. Mysore sarees is characterized by contrasting colors like pink and green, red and grey, yellow and violet etcand has large and heavy embroidered boarders and pallu despite the body being plain and unicolor.
* Paithani Silk Sarees
It is famous for hand woven silk sarees and comes from a place called Aurangabad in Maharashtra. It is popular for graphic designs like slanted square, kaleidoscopic designs and peacock pallus. Three kinds of silks are used in the making of Paithani silks namely Charka, Ciddle and China silk, with China silk being rather expensive. Metallic yarn is used for that rich glaze it radiates.
Saree is the traditional wear of India. Indian Sarees, in particular silk sarees have global popularity and recognition, which is attributed to the quality, design, sheer and appealing appearance. Moreover, the credit should also be given to the silk sari weavers in India, who have contributed greatly towards producing a wide range of beautiful pattu saris.