Explore the Kanjivaram Sari Market

A Kanjivaram silk sari is usually considered to be an essential item in the wardrobe of the urban Indian woman.

The wedding, considered as one of the most important rites of passage, is a celebration of traditional textiles in all their glory.

In many parts of India, the Kanjivaram silk sari is considered to be quintessential to a wedding ceremony.

An old advertisement of a major retailer of Kanjivaram saris highlight its infinite possibilities of the Kanjivaram weave.

Former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, in a Kanjivaram sari on the cover of an old magazine.

An old advertisement of Cooptex (cooperative society for handloom weavers of Tamil Nadu) features a woman clad in a Kanjivaram sari.

The wedding season in particular sees an influx of customers coming into Kanchipuram to buy saris directly from the weavers and local traders.

The footwear removed outside a shop gives an indication to the number of visitors inside. As the day progresses, the shop gets busier, with customers coming from afar looking to buy wedding saris directly from the weaving town.

The importance of Kanjivaram to the local economy is reflected in the numerous showrooms and retail outlets dotting the entire city.

Kanchipuram is also frequented by buying agents and traders in order to source saris to supply to the larger sari stores and retail network across the country.

Read more about the weaving of Kanjivaram saris here:

- Kanjivaram Saris
- Infrastructure and Technology used in Kanjivaram Weaving