Kanchipuram silk, also called Kanjivaram silk is a type of silk sari made in the Kanchipuram region in Tamil Nadu, India. These saris are worn as bridal saris by most women in South India.
The saris are woven from pure mulberry silk thread. To weave a Kanchipuram sari three shuttles are used. While the weaver works on the right side, his aide works on the left side shuttle. The border colour and design are usually quite different from the body. If the mundhi (the hanging end of the sari) has to be woven in a different shade, it is first separately woven and then delicately joined to the sair. The part where the body meets the mundhi is often denoted by a zigzag line. Kanchipuram saris are distinguished by their wide contrast borders. Temple borders, checks, stripes and floral motifs are commonly used as embellishments on the sari border a Kanchipuram saris. The patterns and designs on the sari borders are inspired by images and scriptures in South Indian temples and/or natural motifs like flowers, leaves, birds and animals.
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