Silks and Silk Sarees of India

Hi Folks,

Recently I bought Silk Sarees ..I always get smitten by them....Though I do not get to where them much as I do not have relatives in my city ...

Anyways some research on silks types , styles of weaving ,styles of embroidery and much more.. will definitely put pics too in some time for which I have..

GIRLS , Please put pics of the sarees you own...I am looking forward for that...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Let me start with Sarees of India..what they are called..You may not even heard of them

sari or saree :
Tamil: புடவை puṭavai,
Bengali: শাড়ি shaṛi,
Hindi: साड़ी sāṛī,
Oriya: ଶାଢୀ sāddhi,
Kannada: ಸೀರೆ, sīre,
Konkani: साडी,कापड,चीरे,sāḍī,kāpaḍ,cīre,
Malayalam: സാരി sāri,
Marathi: साडी sāḍī,
Nepali: सारी sārī,
Punjabi: ਸਾਰੀ sārī,
Telugu: చీర cīra,
Urdu: ساڑى sāṛī) is a strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles.<sup id="cite_ref-Roshan_0-0" class="reference">[1]</sup> It is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Burma, and Malaysia.

Types of Sarees :
Northern styles

• Banarasi – Uttar Pradesh
• Shalu – Uttar Pradesh
• Tanchoi; Uttar Pradesh

Western styles

• Paithani – Maharashtra
• Bandhani – Gujarat and Rajasthan
• Kota doria Rajasthan
• Lugade – Maharashtra
• Patola – Gujarat

Central styles

• Chanderi – Madhya Pradesh
• Maheshwari – Madhya Pradesh
• Kosa silk – Chattisgarh

Southern styles

• Kanchipuram (locally called Kanjivaram) – Tamil Nadu
• Coimbatore – Tamil Nadu
• Chinnalapatti – Tamil Nadu
• Chettinad – Tamil Nadu
• Madurai – Tamil Nadu
• Arani – Tamil Nadu
• Pochampally – Andhra Pradesh (GI rights applied)<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference">[20]</sup>
• Venkatagiri – Andhra Pradesh
• Gadwal – Andhra Pradesh
• Guntur – Andhra Pradesh
• Narayanpet – Andhra Pradesh
• Mangalagiri – Andhra Pradesh
• Balarampuram – Kerala
• Mysore silk – Karnataka
• Ilkal saree – Karnataka

Eastern styles

• Tangail cotton – Bangladesh
• Jamdani – Bangladesh
• Muslin – Bangladesh
• Rajshahi Silk – Bangladesh
• Tussar Silk – Bihar
• Mooga silk – Assam
• Tant famous Bengali cotton – Shantipur, West Bengal
• Dhaniakhali cotton – West Bengal
• Murshidabad silk – West Bengal
• Baluchari silk – West Bengal
• Sambalpuri silk & Cotton –Sambalpur, Orissa
• Kataki or Khandua Silk & Cotton(Nuapatna & Maniabandh village,Cuttack) –Cuttack, Orissa
• Ikkat Silk & Cotton – Bargarh, Orissa
• Bomkai Silk & Cotton – Ganjam, Orissa
• Berhampuri Silk – Bramhapur, Orissa
• Sonepuri Sari Silk – Sonepur, Orissa
• Mattha or Tussar Silk –Mayurbhanj, Orissa
• Bapta Silk & Cotton –Koraput, Orissa
• Tanta Cotton –Balasore & Cuttack, Orissa

Styles of draping


Illustration of different styles of Sari & clothing worn by women in South Asia.





The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with the loose end of the drape to be worn over the shoulder, baring the stomach.<sup id="cite_ref-Roshan_0-4" class="reference">[1]</sup> However, the sari can be draped in several different styles, though some styles do require a sari of a particular length or form. <sup id="cite_ref-Boulanger_11-0" class="reference"></sup>

• Nivi – styles originally worn in Andhra Pradesh; besides the modern nivi, there is also the kaccha nivi, where the pleats are passed through the legs and tucked into the waist at the back. This allows free movement while covering the legs.
• Bengali and Oriya style.
• Gujarati – this style differs from the nivi only in the manner that the loose end is handled: in this style, the loose end is draped over the right shoulder rather than the left, and is also draped back-to-front rather than the other way around.
• Maharashtrian/Konkani/Kashta; this drape is very similar to that of the male Maharashtrian dhoti. The center of the sari (held lengthwise) is placed at the center back, the ends are brought forward and tied securely, then the two ends are wrapped around the legs. When worn as a sari, an extra-long cloth is used and the ends are then passed up over the shoulders and the upper body. They are primarily worn by Brahmin women of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa.
• Dravidian – sari drapes worn in Tamil Nadu; many feature a pinkosu, or pleated rosette, at the waist.
• Madisaara style – this drape is typical of Iyengar/Iyer Brahmin ladies from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala
• Kodagu style – this drape is confined to ladies hailing from the Kodagu district of Karnataka. In this style, the pleats are created in the rear, instead of the front. The loose end of the sari is draped back-to-front over the right shoulder, and is pinned to the rest of the sari.
• Gobbe Seere - This style is worn by women in the Malnad or Sahyadri and central region of Karnataka. It is worn with 18 molas saree with three four rounds at the waist and a knot after crisscrossing over shoulders.
• Gond – sari styles found in many parts of Central India. The cloth is first draped over the left shoulder, then arranged to cover the body.
• Malayali style - the two-piece sari, or Mundum Neryathum, worn in Kerala. Usually made of unbleached cotton and decorated with gold or colored stripes and/or borders. Also the Set-saree, a sort of mundum neryathum.
• Tribal styles – often secured by tying them firmly across the chest, covering the breasts.

The nivi style is today's most popular sari style.<sup id="cite_ref-Dongerkerry_12-0" class="reference"></sup>
<dl><dd>The nivi drape starts with one end of the sari tucked into the waistband of the petticoat, usually a plain skirt. The cloth is wrapped around the lower body once, then hand-gathered into even pleats just below the navel. The pleats are also tucked into the waistband of the petticoat.<sup id="cite_ref-Dongerkerry_12-1" class="reference"></sup> They create a graceful, decorative effect which poets have likened to the petals of a flower.<sup id="cite_ref-Dongerkerry_12-2" class="reference"></sup></dd></dl> <dl><dd>After one more turn around the waist, the loose end is draped over the shoulder.<sup id="cite_ref-Dongerkerry_12-3" class="reference"></sup> The loose end is called the pallu or pallav or seragu or paita depending on the language. It is draped diagonally in front of the torso. It is worn across the right hip to over the left shoulder, partly baring the midriff.<sup id="cite_ref-Dongerkerry_12-4" class="reference"></sup> The navel can be revealed or concealed by the wearer by adjusting the pallu, depending on the social setting in which the sari is being worn. The long end of the pallu hanging from the back of the shoulder is often intricately decorated. The pallau may either be left hanging freely,tucked in at the waist, used to cover the head, or just used to cover the neck, by draping it across the right shoulder as well. Some nivi styles are worn with the pallu draped from the back towards the front,coming from the back over the right shoulder with one corner of the pallu tucked by the left hip,</dd><dd>
</dd><dd>Types of Silk Fabric :


There are innumerable varieties of silk moths, but only four main types of commercially valuable natural silk:
</dd><dd>

• Tasar silk: This is a copperish colored silk. It is coarse and is used mainly for furnishings. It is produced by the silkworm Antheraea mylitta , which mainly thrives on the plants Asan and Arjun. It is reared on trees in the open.
• Muga silk: This is a golden yellow colored silk that is produced in Assam. It is obtained from the semi-domesticated silkworm, Antheraea assamensis which feeds on the aromatic leaves of Som and Soalu plants.
• Eri silk: This is got from the domesticated silkworm, Philosamia ricini that feeds mainly on castor leaves. The eri cocoons are open-mouthed.
• Mulberry silk : The bulk of the commercial silk produced in the world comes from this variety and often silk generally refers to mulberry silk. Mulberry silk comes from the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. which solely feeds on the leaves of mulberry plant. These silkworms are completely domesticated and reared indoors.
  
  Except mulberry, other varieties of silks are generally termed as non-mulberry silks. India has the unique distinction of producing all these commercial varieties of silk.

</dd><dd>
</dd><dd>
</dd><dd>In India, mulberry silk is produced in many states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal. The other types of silk are produced in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Orissa and the north-eastern states.
There are a wide variety of silk textiles made from these four kinds of natural silk. These may be handwoven or woven in power looms. In the mulberry silk variety, some of these silk fabrics are:

• Plain silk : This variety of silk textile may be produced on both the hand loom and the powerloom. Available in various shades and patterns, and an entire range of qualities.
• Organza : This is a very thin silk cloth that is made of highly twisted yarn.
• Crepe : This silk textile is woven from‘s' and ‘z' twisted yarn. The crepe sarees of Mysore are very beautiful.
• Satin : An extremely elegant type of mulberry silk fabric. Banarasi satin sarees are very popular.
• Matka silk : A thick kind of silk fabric, used for furnishing. By varying the amount of yarn used, the texture and thickness may be modified. It is produced in Bhagalpur in India.
• Murshidabad silk : Produced in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, this type of silk cloth is used to make sarees and scarves. It is available in varying qualities.
• Dupion : This type of Indian silk fabric, is a specialty of the handlooms in Bangalore, India. It is available in a number of shades; and used for both garments as well as soft furnishings.
• Charka silk : This is a thick variety of silk from India that is used to make zari sarees. It is woven on a handloom.
• Chiffon : A very soft and light variety of silk fabric, it is made of highly twisted yarn that is woven on a power loom. It is a very thin, but strong fabric.
• Chinnon : This is a very soft and crimped silk textile. It is woven of twisted yarn on a power loom.
• Tabby silk : This variety is produced in Kashmir and is used to make sarees and scarves.

<So I have some of these ...In the follow on reply post...
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hi vjbunny ,

do post some pics of them

-inc

 

Vjbunny,

I have put a link to this post in my blog for your valued inputs,

 

Thanks Shama,bunny, anu...for liking my post