Kanchipuram sarees and dhoti: elegance and tradition of India

The kanchipuram saree is also called or known as kanjeevaram saree. The hand woven saree is found in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 75% of the population deals with weaving kanchipuram sarees and has been carrying on for over 400 years. The saree is woven with 3 strings of threads and the borders are completely different from the body.

Weavers are known to take time weaving the saree as it is entirely on the kind of design that has to be created on the saree. There have been times where the factories or the industries have had problems in terms of the cost of the kanchipuram sarees as it has been given a low price. Weavers believe that their children are not meant for stitching and crafting of sarees and are only meant to study and work to get a better income. The Kanchipuram saree has its original GI trademark that projects the purity of silk used in crafting the saree. The saree has been crafted and designed with various drawings like the sun, moon, peacock, swan, lions and mangoes. A simple line on the saree has given it elegance and style.

The Dhoti has improved upon its designs and textures. Something called Dhoti pants have come into fashion. It is a conservative, orthodox kind of clothing that has been worn by men over the years. The length of the dhoti is 5 yards. It is commonly worn in the south. A Dhoti is a rectangular piece of cloth that is not meant to be stitched. It is worn around the waist and it covers the lower half of the body. It offers the stomach muscles and the lower end of the body to relax. The ancient gurus wore dhotis and a lot of the pundits these days wear dhotis. In the south, no function or festival is complete without a dhoti. Dhoti has its importance in a country like India and is worn with elegance and style. It is a scared garment that has been named differently in various countries like Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Kannada and Chennai. Both the dhoti and the Kanchipuram sarees are dresses that can be worn by both men and women. The dhoti is a piece of cloth that is tied around the hips and tights and tucked in at the waist. A dress like the dhoti is quite a challenge to wear but at the same time it is very comfortable. It helps the muscles to relax and men find it easy and comfortable to walk around in with ease.

The dhoti is worn with a variety of combinations like for instance with pants, jackets, Kurta, shirt and sherwani. It has been worn ever since the Vedic period. The Mahabharata was fought wearing Dhotis. It can be washed and worn again the very next day. As the Kanchipuram sarees comes up with new and recent designs and textures, there is an increase in sale and does well for itself. The saree and dhoti have come a long way and the only thing that remained constant in style and design is the dhoti.

There are about a 100 and million ways of wearing a saree and a dhoti. Dhoti and sarees are often worn whilst giving a performance on stage especially when it comes to traditional dances. The pallu of a saree is often stitched separately and the put together with rest the saree later. Themes like flower drawing across a simple saree outline running across the stars or the temple has made its mark and its very famous amongst the designer sarees that women often buy.