Chanderi |
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A town in northern Madhya Pradesh renowned for its exquisite saris.
Set in wild forest-covered Vindyachal hills, Chanderi dates from the 11th century when it was an important military stronghold. On a prominence in the centre of town is Chanderi fort, built by the Mughals, whose main gate is sinisterly known as khooni darwaaza, or "gateway of blood". It earned its name from the fact that criminals were executed by hurling them from the battlements above the gate.
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Chanderi saris of gossamer-fine silk are said to be created through the "hole in the fingernail". The process by which they are woven is unique to the town and the Indian government has moved to trademark the name.
In the eighteenth century and earlier, Chanderi saris were made of cotton, but the cotton trade was all but wiped out by the industrial revolution in England which swamped the country with cheap Manchester imports. In the 1930s Japanese silk was introduced into the warp, while cotton was retained in the weft of the weave. This cross-weaving combination of different materials is what characterises the Chanderi sari, and it is practised to this day, using varieties of silk.
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Chanderi colours are soft and make constant reference to nature. Motifs drawn from earth and sky. Hunting scenes, the tree of life. Man, woman, birds, fruits, flowers, heavenly bodies. Weavers generally aim for a subtle harmoney between the border and the body of the sari. However, there are also traditional contrasting combinations like black against red. Ganga-Jamuna sarees are green on one border and red or Kumkum on the other with a natural offwhite body. Chanderi is also famous for extremely fine zari work which is done in gold and silver thread and used chiefly in sari borders. |
