Chanderi, a small town in Madhya Pradesh of historic importance is also the most popular handloom locations in the country. This Indian treasure’s history dates back to 22th Century. Surrounded by exotic hills, lakes, and forest, this attractive destination is incredibly famous for Chanderi saris.

 The historic monuments, Jain temples and their fascinating culture, Chanderi Fort, Chanderi Museum, breath-taking lakes make Chanderi one of the most preferred tourist destinations in this central state of India.  

Chanderi town has an ancient weaving expertise that produces intricately textured cotton and silk fabrics embellished with rich zardozi work. Centuries back, Chanderi was a major route for trading because of its proximity to the old ports of the Deccan and Central India (particularly Malwa).

 The Chanderi Fabric

Known for its luxurious drape, light weight and sheer texture, the traditional Chanderi Fabric are mainly of three types: pure silk, silk cotton and chanderi cotton. Today, in addition to peacocks, florals and ancient coin patterns, Chanderi is also seen in modern geometric designs. There has been a significant transformation in the motif designs of Chanderi over the years.

The manufacturing of Chanderi fabric takes place with the weaving in of silk and zari. It is mostly done in old-fashioned cotton yarns and the end product is a glorious and shimmering textured fabric!

 The Famous Chanderi Silk Saree

One can find references of the famous silk saree in the ancient Sanskrit literature, including the 1200 B.C Rig Veda and the Mahabharata. The Scindian royal family patronized Chanderi sarees in 1910. However, the love for this fabric was greatly intensified in the Mughal era. The queens in the country were often seen flaunting Chanderi silk garments in courts and on special occasions.

It was in the 1930s that Chanderi weavers got their hands on Japanese silk and started substituting it in cotton saree warps. They also managed to develop a special silk-by-silk variant since it earned them higher profits.

 The Chanderi fabric has certain key features that lend it its distinctive feel and appearance: 

• The characteristic translucency in the Chanderi fabric is due to a special feature of the yarn called ‘Single Falture’. When the raw yarn glue is not removed from the yarn, the non-degumming gives a certain amount of translucency and shine to the final fabric. Only Chanderi fabric has this exclusive quality and this makes it even more desirable among local and international buyers.

• Raw silk i.e. 20-22 deniers in thickness, is utilized in all saree warps today. Silk thread lends strength to the yarn and is a lot easier to weave with. It also offers a beautiful finish to the final fabric.

• The motifs or buttis seen on Chanderi silk (and other Chanderi fabrics) are hand woven. Artisans use separate needles for creating different motifs on handloom. Some of the beautiful striking motifs on Chanderi fabric include ‘Nalferma’, ‘Chatai’, ‘Dandidar’, ‘Jangla’, ‘Ashrafi’, ‘Bundi’, ‘Churi’ and ‘Keri’.

Chanderi Fabric today:

Chanderi silk sarees have always been popular for their light pastel hues. But modern times have called for brighter combinations of turquoise, fuchsia, navy blue, white, red and black. . In the piping border, a single colour is alternated with fine strips of a different colour. The popular borders on Chanderi garments include the nakshi and adda border. These have very intricate designs. You can also find the simple zari patela and piping borders.

Today, both the older and younger generation are seen adorning their beautiful heritage and not just as saree drapes, but also as tunics, kurtas, scarves and bottom-wear. Chanderi silk is a highly versatile fabric and can be easily adapted to create new and trendy styles for fashion enthusiasts across the globe.

If you’re looking to embrace ethnic vintage fashion, get your hands on a beautiful handspun Chanderi now!

SOME WEBSITES THAT YOU CAN BUY THE CHANDERI SAREES FROM INCLUDE:

https://www.taneira.com/shop/chanderi

http://www.chanderisarees.co.in/

https://www.craftsvilla.com/sarees/chanderi-sarees/

https://www.nalli.com/woman/saree/chanderi

https://motamalhandlooms.com/portfolio-items/chanderisarees1/