Project Kancheepuram for designer Gaurang Shah

KANCHEEPURAM-through my eyes

Kancheepuram, the city blessed with thousand temples ,witnessed the rule of different empires in history from the powerful Pallavas to the mighty Cholas along-with many others but unlike other places which faced the tyranny of different kingdoms, Kanchipuram was only glorified by them in every way possible-culture, architecture, lifestyle and textiles. While the name kept on transforming from Kanchipuram to Kanjeevaram to Conjeevaram, its authenticity remained the same. With the grand temples of Kamakshi Amman, Varadaraja Perumal, Kailashanathar temple, Vaikuntha Perumal still standing tall and strong witnessing its growth from a small village to a world famous city,  the lanes being busier than before thronged with small shops to big emporiums selling Kanchi Pattu, a ride to the interiors surrounded by the weaving villages being spectacular with clean roads, paddy fields and greenery all around , the mesmerizing sounds of the handloom in almost every household with the involvement of every member trying heartily to bring alive a culture in the form of a sari, indeed grants the title of paradise to Kanchipuram.

A name synonymous to Kanchipuram is Kachipuram saree which is considered equally sacred as its birthplace. Kanchipuram saree is an heirloom whose charm increases with passing of years and is preciously taken care of even after ages of owning it, which projects its importance in a woman’s life.Rightfully  given its status , every element portrayed in a Kanchipuram saree illustrates the richness of the place. With motifs derived from temple walls and rock pillars sculpted into perfection more than thousand years ago and the symbolic temple borders inspired from the silhouettes of the magnificent gopurams, a Kanchipuram sari embodies the grandeur of its birthplace in volumes.

The Kanchipuram sari(Kanchi Pattu as is locally known) is a quintessence of brocading extravaganza which has transcended the autocrasy of time and  has preserved its age old weaving techniques and motifs and placed itself in the league of classic textiles. Gaurang’s intervention into it is a supplemented effort to magnify it further reaching out to a wider audience, incorporating newer methodologies fulfilling the demands of changing times.While the local market is saturated with the same old rendering of color combinations and layouts with tested zari to make it affordable to more people losing out on its real flavor, Gaurang’s ideals of a kanjeevaram sari is still very royal and elegant with intricate elaborate designs and layouts highlighted with contemporary color combinations brocaded with pure gold and silver zari making a woman feel like a queen which they most deserve and desire.

The technicality : The dawn of a Gaurang’s kanjeevaram sari begins with the mulberry silk yarn being winded in a big bobbin in a particular manner measuring the length of 3 sarees  spanning a width of 50” of the sari. After this phase is the journey towards the extremely organized dyeing unit where the warp sheet after being removed as hanks from the bobbin are carried for degumming and dyeing.A big rectangular tall furnace is being heated up for boiling water at 100 degree Celsius.The water mixed with adequate amounts of soda and soap oil forms the base for degumming in which the wet silk hank is dipped and tossed.After sometime the dyeing particle is added to it which dyes the hank  and it is squeezed and taken out. Following this is the process of washing which removes all the superficial stains and a tinge of lemon drops into the water helps in color fastness, yarn strengthening and uniform application of color.For few colors degumming and dyeing happen simultaneously while for few it happens entirely at different duration. After this the hank is dried first in the drier and then under the sun. For dyeing the warp sheet of the same saree with different colored layouts the entire process undergoes alternately for different colors wrapping the undyed or already dyed hank with plastic and rubber patches.After this Shedding happens spreading out the dyed hank yarn in the pattern they would be winded up in the weavers’ beam(suttukol)which involves 4-5 people. After this it is dipped in rice starch again for strength and shedded again and beaten up for sheen and polish.The warp sheet is then winded in the weavers beam fitted to the loom.For the extra warp zari brocading which is a trademark of kanjeevarams, the zari warp is wrapped in another beam to maintain the same tension while weaving with the silk yarns. Gaurang’s incorporation of other yarn varieties like organza alongwith zari and silk compels the weaver to process them again in another beam which describes the finer nuances of Gaurang’s Kanjeevarams. The yarns in the new warp sheet is joined to yarns in the old warp sheet of the loom(tadi) using a particular technique numute and this process takes an entire day and finally the yarns are all drafted and dented through its heald eyes (viridu), plain weave shafts (Achikol viridu),reed(mungil pannai)with the jacquards fitted with punch cards(attai)constructed with the digital instructions received from the graphic designs. The intricacies of gaurangs sarees is  possible with 120 hooks to a maximum of 480 hooks jacquard while a normal saree uses anywhere between 80-400 hooks jacquard.The weft yarns are also processed and winded up in small tillis (Taad kuchi) inserted in bobbins(nada)  using a charkha(rattinam)and rocket winder(parutlam).The tale of weaving the ‘traditions’ begins thereon.

The process of Korvai is a unique feature of this sarees with solid colored contrast borders possible with the intertwining of three base wefts. While a normal saree lacks other interesting detailing with Korvai, Gaurang strives to add various technicalities in the same sari which lends his unique sensibilities into them differentiating from the rest like the brocading of elaborate borders using extra weft technique in border alongwith the usual extra warp border brocading methods and then again using extra warp brocading in body alongwith the usual extra weft zari brocading in body. To lend a grander look to his sarees Gaurang uses 3 ply yarns for brocading unlike 2 ply in normal sarees. His huge zari borders with geometric patterns, chequered body with detailed motifs of peacock, elephant, tiger etc., elaborate jungle designs , involvement of various patterns and designs in the same saree, ganga januma border with korvai technique in different yarn variety,big and small border together, use of both silver and golden zari for brocading and other innovations involving the use of 2-3 jacquards in one saree unlike the usual 1-2 jacquard alongwith the addition of more shafts for fine weaving gives a distinctive look.While a normal  saree is woven between 7-15 days , his sarees take up a time of 30-60 days depending on the intricacy.Quite a task!!