The Timeless Charm of Chanderi Sarees

Saree is one such attire that never goes out of fashion. Indian women love to wear sarees on any occasion. The Chanderi saree is quite popular among saree lovers around the world. Chanderi saree is produced from different kinds of fabric - cotton, silk and blend of both - cotton silk fabric.

Chanderi is a traditional ethnic fabric known for being lightweight, sheer textured and luxurious feel. Chanderi saree is woven using silk threads and golden zari in the traditional cotton yarn that results in the making of a shimmering texture. Chanderi sarees are appreciated for being user-friendly, lightweight and give a regal feel. It is well suited for every climatic condition in India.

Origin and History

The Chanderi silk saree is most appreciated around the world. The name of the saree comes from the place of its origin. The town of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh is the hub of handwoven Chanderi sarees. The Chanderi town is also known for its historical significance as it was one of the most important trade routes to ports of Malwa, Mewar, Gujarat, Deccan, and Central India. The weaving of the Chanderi saree dates back between the 7th century and 2nd century BC. In the 13th century, the Chanderi saree was considered a symbol of royalty. Women of royal families and bureaucrats loved the fabric because of its lightweight, soft and luxurious feel.

The evolution of the Chanderi saree began in the 19th century, when weavers changed from handspun yarn to mill yarn. The royal family of Scindia promoted the Chanderi sarees, and during that period gold zari motifs and the use of cotton were introduced that resulted in the making of Chanderi cotton sarees. This further led to the introduction of Japanese silk, and weavers began replacing cotton sarees with it. That’s how the silk variant of Chanderi saree came into existence.

The Chanderi Weave

Chanderi weaving tradition has been practised in many families for generations. The weaving of Chanderi saree requires skilled and experienced weavers. The craftsmanship cannot be replaced by power looms. The sarees are woven using handspun cotton yarn. The finest cotton yarn is extracted from the Kolikanda root, which is lightweight yet extremely strong and gives a glossy shine to a piece of the finished fabric.

The Chanderi saree is woven using the traditional method of hand spinning cotton warps and wefts. The only thread used in the warp is handspun cotton yarn, while the raw silk, mill cotton, and other fibres are in the weft. The entire saree is woven on the handloom, only the motifs and the designs are added later using silver, gold or copper zari threads. It takes more than 3 days to make a Chanderi saree, and sometimes more time depending on the complexity of the design. Keeping in view the changing demand scenario, weavers are also making Chanderi tissue saree to meet the market needs.

Fabrics to Showcase Chanderi

Chanderi sarees are produced from three different varieties of fabrics - Chanderi cotton, pure silk and cotton silk.

Cotton

Chanderi saree is typically available in white cotton with heavy golden or silver embroidery work and with checkered patterns on the border. The most popular Chanderi cotton saree designs are a broad striped gold embroidered saree, with silver Chanderi and gold chequered Chanderi saree.

Silk

Chanderi silk saree is one of the finest and the most luxurious silk sarees available in India. The silk yarn which is used to make these sarees are of exceptional quality. The Chanderi silk saree is handwoven and has unmatched transparency, sheer feel that can’t be easily found in any other fabric.

Tissue

Chanderi tissue silk sarees are one of the most exquisite forms of silk sarees. They are woven with an extremely fine thread of silk. The zari is woven with a shiny thread of gold or silver, that lends it the appearance and texture of tissue paper.

Cotton Silk

Chanderi cotton silk sarees are a blend of both the finest cotton and pure silk yarns. The saree is woven using both fibres wrapped around each other. The cotton silk saree gives the comfortability of cotton and the elegance of silk.

Linen

Linen is an organic fabric and is one of a kind and comes in various types, styles and materials. Chanderi linen sarees come in several designs and are embroidered, printed with flora, geometric patterns and designs.

Buy Chanderi Silk Sarees Online

Kankatala has a legacy of over 75 years of weaving silk sarees and selling handwoven sarees online. You can find the traditional Chanderi sarees online at Kankatala online store as well as in exclusive outlets in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.

We are one of the top online ethnic stores in India, where you can find a wide variety of Chanderi silk sarees online. At Kankatala, find your favourite Chanderi saree in huge design options like floral motifs, geometric patterns, traditional block print, and handloom cotton.

At Kankatala, Chanderi saree price starts from Rs. 2500, while the handloom Chanderi silk sarees price can go up to Rs. 20,000. We also offer the most popular silk sarees like Kanchipuram silk, Banaras silk, Patan Patola, Tussar Silk Kota silk, and more.

What is special about Chanderi sarees?

The speciality of Chanderi sarees is that it uses a high-quality and extra fine yarn which gives the fabric a unique shine and texture. Chanderi sarees use handspun cotton yarn which is lightweight, offers a glossy texture and is comfortable to wear. Another distinguishing factor of Chanderi sarees is the use of motifs such as floral patterns, birds, animals, geometric patterns, celestial figures and artistic intertwining lines.

How can you tell a real Chanderi saree?

Authentic Chanderi sarees are typically woven using soft colours. You can identify the real Chanderi saree by its glossy texture that has an uneven surface because of the use of handloom yarns. The motifs are exclusively handwoven and often use gold, silver or copper threads.

What is Chanderi Katan silk saree?

Chanderi Katan silk saree is one among several varieties of sarees. Katan is a local term used in Varanasi, where renowned Banarasi silk sarees are made. Katan refers to preparing yarn by twisting many silk filaments making it very strong and durable. Chanderi Katan is a plain-woven fabric with pure silk threads and is extremely soft and lustrous.