Weaving refers to the process of interlacing yarn to produce textiles and fabrics. India is home to more than 136 unique weaves, mostly in the form of sarees. The origin of Indian textiles can be traced to the Indus valley civilization as early as 5th millennium BC.
Kanchipuram sarees are considered one of the most beautiful sarees across the country. These beautiful sarees are made with a beautiful blend of colours, and thick fabric with a touch of gold. Kanchipuram weaves have a history of more than 400 years and it is said that the two major weaving communities Devangas and the Saligars came from Andhra Pradesh and settled in Kanchipuram, utilizing their weaving skills by weaving silk sarees. Kanchipuram fabrics are considered one of the strong fabrics because the saree is made of three silk threads twisted together.
These sarees have borders and pallu in a contrasting colour with heavy gold weaving. Kanchipuram sarees traditionally had designs representing simple gold lines or gold dots. The designs on these sarees were inspired by the designs in South Indian temples or natural elements like birds, leaves, etc. Some of the best-known patterns in Kanchipuram saree borders are Rudraksham (representing Rudraksha beads), Gopuram (representing temples), Mayilkan (Peacock eye) and Kuyilkan(Nightingale’s eye). In an authentic Kanchipuram silk saree, the body of the saree and the pallu are woven separately and then stitched together.