Kanjivaram Sari

The golden thread, imported from Surat, is especially used for borders and pallu of the sari. Pure silver and gold is used to make this zari thread.

The workers keep turning the yarn so that the colour is evenly mixed.

The dyed yarn is then put out to dry naturally.

Starch is then applied to the dyed yarn for the warp.

Excess starch is squeezed out of the yarn.

The starched and dyed yarn is then stretched out using a bamboo frame to keep it untangled.

Once the warp threads are ready, they are rolled into a bundle to keep them unraveled.

Warp bundles will soon become Kanjivaram saris.

To begin the process of weaving, a warping drum is used for transferring the yarn to a warp beam.

The yarn is transferred on to the warp beams, on the loom.

Spindles of yarn which are used for the weft.

A typical loom.

The weaver checks the warp threads on the loom.

The contrast borders are achieved using the Korvai (in sync) technique, which is used to interlace the borders with the body of the sari.

The contrasting colours of the borders in the weaving of the weft are interlinked with the body of the weft with each throw of the shuttle.

To weave a typical Kanjivaram sari, two weavers are required. One to operate the threads for the central portion and another to operate the border colours.

The elaborate pallus are linked to the main body of the sari using a special interlinking weave known as ‘petni’. When woven by a skilled craftsman, this petni looks like one continuous weave with the rest of the sari.

This sari shows the unfinished ends to demonstrate the use of different yarns in the warp body and the pallu (the end-piece).

The old Jaala or Adai technique gives the design an embossed look.

Different yarns used for the sari's body, border, and pallu is a hallmark of Kanjivaram weaving.

Read more about the weaving of Kanjivaram saris here:

- Infrastructure and Technology used in Kanjivaram Weaving
- Kanchipuram, the City of Temples and Silk