Silk fabrics were meant for the rich and powerful in India since the ancient times. Ancient texts and mythological tales tell us that for a long time, silk fabrics were specially cultured and developed for the use of the royalty. Times have changed, and anybody who can buy silk products can use them without reservation. However, silk still remains one of the most sought after and expensive fabrics and even now, most of the common masses cannot afford silk fabrics.
Silk fabrics are valued chiefly due to their luster and drapability. It is used not only in garments, but also in draperies, ribbons and head gear.
India has been cultivating silk moths and producing silk since the ancient times. The fabric is derived from the cocoon formed by the caterpillar of the silk moth. The caterpillar feeds on mulberry leaves and forms the cocoon by a single thread of silk which is its saliva. This strand of silk is later unwound and converted into a usable thread. Production of silk in this process is known as sericulture.
Among the silk garments worn in India, the most famous is undoubtedly the silk sari. Sari is the most common outfit for Indian women and silk saris have a special meaning for women of all social status. Different zones of India have given birth to their own unique styles of silk saris. The most prominent silk sari centers in India are Banaras, Kancheepuram, Chanderi, Surat, Murshidabad, Tanjore, Assam, and Dharmavaram. Each of these saris has distinctive features. These include weave, patterns, texture, motifs, border width and colors. Much of these distinctive features originate from the cultural background of these places. One can clearly make out the difference between north Indian and South Indian silk saris. The chief varieties of Indian silk saris are – Banarasi, Muga, Patola, Paithani, Tussar/ Kosa, Sambhalpuri, Baluchori, Chanderi, Maheshwari. Most of the expensive silk saris are adorned by handcrafted intricate embroidery using golden threads called Zardosi.
Silk fabrics are also used to make a variety of other garments and dress materials like gowns, shirts, ties, scarves, and furnishing materials.
Production Centers
Banaras is one of the leading silk sari
producing centers of India. It is known
for its heavy gold-silver brocades. Hair
thin wires of gold and silver are obtained
by heating the metal and passing it through
minute holes. These wires are then used
with silk yarn for weaving. The Amru silk
brocades of Banaras are not only famous
in India but also abroad. Jamvar, Navrangi
(nine colors), Jamdani etc are other brocade
types from the range of Banarasi saris.
Patola silk saris are the pride of Gujarat.
These saris are created by using the resist
dying technique . There are two types of
Patola saris. The Rajkot patola is only
vertically-resist dyed (single ikat), while
the Patan patola is horizontally-resist
dyed (double ikat). The yarn is resist dyed
before it is used in weaving. Patola saris
are known for their flaming bright colors
and geometric designs interspersed with
folk motifs.
Maharashtra is known for its Paithani silk
saris, which generally come in kum-kum colors
in combination with a contrasting color.
Paithani are generally decorated with the
gold dot or coin motif.
Ganeshpur, a village in Bhandara district
in Maharashtra is famous for the Kosa silk.
(The word Kosa means cocoon in the local
language). In this village silk has been
produced and exported ever since 1871.
The state of Madhya Pradesh is famous for
Chanderi, Maheshwari and Tussar silk saris.
Chanderi sari is known for soft colors
and the harmonious balance between the border
and the body of the sari. These saris are
also known for their contrasting colors
and the depiction of animal and human figures
on them.
Maheshwari sari is known for its elaborate
patterns and border. These saris have exotic
motifs done in zari and pleasant colors,
both inspired by nature.
Tussar silk or Kosa silk is valued for
its purity and texture as it is available
naturally in shades of gold-pale, dark,
honey, tawny, beige, creamy, etc. Tussar
silk saris are considered auspicious. It
is a special variety of silk, as the cocoons
are raised on Arjun and Sal trees. They
come in a range of colors and are decorated
with a variety of natural motifs. Tussar
silk is also produced in Bihar.
Silk Bomkai Sambalpuri saris from Orissa
are also in single and double ikat. In contrast
to the ikats of Gujarat, theses saris are
sober in color and decorated with curved
forms. The pallav of these saris have floral
and animal patterns on them.
Murshidabad in West Bengal is the home
of the famous Baluchari sari. The Baluchar
technique of weaving uses untwisted silk
thread for weaving brocades. The pallav
of this sari has patterns that resemble
miniature paintings.
Heavy silk saris from Tanjore, Kumbakonam
and Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu are known
for their broad decorative borders and contrasting
colors. Kolegal and Molkalmoru in Karntaka
are known for their simple ikat weave with
parrot motif on the borders, the ikat always
being white. Sangareddy and Dharmaswaram
in Andhra Pradesh specializes in ikat silk
weave.
Producing Silk
Silk is a fibrous substance produced by
many insects principally in the form of
a cocoon or covering within which the creature
is enclosed and protected during the period
of its principal transformation. Usually
there are three crops per year of cocoons.
Starting from July-August, September-October
and November-December.
Each crop acts as a seed cocoon for the
next one till the third one has matured.
There are two varieties of silk- pure silk
and blended silk. The process before the
silk is obtained starts with the laying
of the egg by the mother moth followed by
the emergence of the caterpillar or larvae
which weaves a cocoon (also known as pupa
or chrysalis) and then the yarn is procured.
Silk worms are reared in different parts
of India. There are various species of silk
worms that are cultivated in India, the
most popular being the mulberry silk moth
of China-Bombay Mori - besides the Mooga,
Tasar and Eri.
The tasar yarn is procured from a fully
matured worm while pure silk is obtained
from a cultivated one. Tussore (spelt and
pronounced in various ways) is the fabric
made from the fiber of the Antheraea Paphia
which is found in the forest areas of different
parts of India.
Today silk is not just restricted to saris.
A wide range of ladies' and men's wear like
dupattas, garments, fabrics, caps, handkerchiefs,
scarves, dhotis, turbans, shawls, ghagras
or lehengas, and even quilts, bedcovers,
cushions, table-cloths curtains are made
of silk.
Banaras is one of the leading silk sari
producing centers of India. It is known
for its heavy gold-silver brocades. Hair
thin wires of gold and silver are obtained
by heating the metal and passing it through
minute holes. These wires are then used
with silk yarn for weaving. The Amru silk
brocades of Banaras are not only famous
in India but also abroad. Jamvar, Navrangi
(nine colors), Jamdani etc are other brocade
types from the range of Banarasi saris.
Patola silk saris are the pride of .
These saris are created by using the resist
dying technique. There are two types of
Patola saris. The Rajkot patola is only
vertically-resist dyed (single ikat), while
the Patan patola is horizontally-resist
dyed (double ikat). The yarn is resist dyed
before it is used in weaving. Patola saris
are known for their flaming bright colors
and geometric designs interspersed with
folk motifs.
Maharashtra is known for its Paithani silk
saris, which generally come in kum-kum colors
in combination with a contrasting color.
Paithani are generally decorated with the
gold dot or coin motif.
Ganeshpur, a village in Bhandara district
in Maharashtra is famous for the Kosa silk.
(The word Kosa means cocoon in the local
language). In this village silk has been
produced and exported ever since 1871.
The state of is famous for
Chanderi, Maheshwari and Tussar silk saris.
Chanderi sari is known for soft colors
and the harmonious balance between the border
and the body of the sari. These saris are
also known for their contrasting colors
and the depiction of animal and human figures
on them.
Maheshwari sari is known for its elaborate
patterns and border. These saris have exotic
motifs done in zari and pleasant colors,
both inspired by nature.
Tussar silk or Kosa silk is valued for
its purity and texture as it is available
naturally in shades of gold-pale, dark,
honey, tawny, beige, creamy, etc. Tussar
silk saris are considered auspicious. It
is a special variety of silk, as the cocoons
are raised on Arjun and Sal trees. They
come in a range of colors and are decorated
with a variety of natural motifs. Tussar
silk is also produced in Bihar.
Silk Bomkai Sambalpuri saris from Orissa
are also in single and double ikat. In contrast
to the ikats of Gujarat, theses saris are
sober in color and decorated with curved
forms. The pallav of these saris have floral
and animal patterns on them.
Murshidabad in West Bengal is the home
of the famous Baluchari sari. The Baluchar
technique of weaving uses untwisted silk
thread for weaving brocades. The pallav
of this sari has patterns that resemble
miniature paintings.
Heavy silk saris from Tanjore, Kumbakonam
and Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu are known
for their broad decorative borders and contrasting
colors. Kolegal and Molkalmoru in Karntaka
are known for their simple ikat weave with
parrot motif on the borders, the ikat always
being white. Sangareddy and Dharmaswaram
in Andhra Pradesh specializes in ikat silk
weave.
Grading Silk
Unlike cotton, which is graded in counts,
silk is graded in deniers. In cotton the
lesser the count the thicker the material
and the higher the count the thinner the
material. While in silk it is the opposite
with the lesser denier yearn producing a
finer silk and a thicker denier producing
a heavier silk.
Today silk is not just restricted to saris.
A wide range of ladies' and men's wear like
dupattas, garments, fabrics, caps, handkerchiefs,
scarves, dhotis, turbans, shawls, ghagras
or lehengas, and even quilts, bedcovers,
cushions, table-cloths curtains are made
of silk | 