Red Kanjivaram Saree - A Must Have for Your Bridal Trousseau

Getting married is one the most important occasions of a person’s life. Almost every person, particularly the women, fantasises about their wedding day. Which things to do, which things not to do and most importantly which outfit to wear. Naturally, it is a very vital decision for every women as they want to look gorgeous and perfect on their big day. A particular timeless bridal outfit which comes to the mind when you think about weddings is a red coloured Kanjivaram silk saree. Kanjivaram sarees are a traditional wedding outfit which has been a part of the Indian woman’s bridal trousseau generation after generation. The beauty and elegance, a kanjivaram silk saree provides to its wearer, is unmatched by any other outfit, traditional or modern, even today.

Kanjivaram saree has been around for more than 400 years now. They are a major part of the Indian history and culture. The sarees are not only popular in India but it is recognized all over the world. Kanjivaram silk sarees mainly comes from the small town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, famous for its high quality hand woven silk sarees. According to history, two weavers community, the Devangas and the Saligars who were believed to be the descendants of Sage Markanda, the master weaver of Gods, came down from Andhra Pradesh and settled in the town of Kanchipuram. They were the ones who started making Kanjivaram silk sarees using their skills and crafts, and soon after, the sarees gained massive popularity.

Kanjivaram silk sarees are made from pure mulberry silk, using hand weaving techniques. It is a very complex process. To maintain the overall fabric’s thickness, the silk threads are first dipped in rice water and is dried under the sun. This also helps to increases the strength of the sarees. Coming to the weaving technique, the pallu and the rest of the saree are made separately at first and is later joined together using a zig-zag weaving technique known as ’pitni’. As the whole process boosts the overall durability of the sarees, kanjivaram sarees are often passed down through the generations.

A very special characteristic of the Kanjivaram sarees is that these sarees feature beautiful and intricate ‘zari’ works along the wide borders which are made from threads dipped in actual liquid gold or silver. The ‘zari’ designs are inspired from human and animal figures or architectures like temples and towers. Interestingly, to the protect the the authenticity and sustenance of kanjivaram sarees, the Government of India has given Kanjivaram silk sarees a Geographical Indication label in 2005. According to the GI, a authentic Kanjivaram bridal saree needs to have at least 57% of silver and 0.6% of gold in the ‘zari’ designs which is why these sarees are massively popular as bridal wear since they provide a royal look.

Now coming to bridal Kanjivaram silk sarees, there are many different colors of sarees available but that one color which pops right into your head when hear wedding is the color red. This is because the color red is the symbol of love, strength, bravery, and commitment. It is very traditional to wear a red Kanjivaram silk saree on your wedding day which is why it is a must-have for your bridal trousseau.