Kodali Karuppur Silk Sari

Kodali Karuppur Silk Sari Latest News

The iconic Kodali Karuppur silk sari, a luxury garment once patronised by the Maratha kings of Thanjavur is facing a crisis as its traditional handloom weavers dwindle in number.

About Kodali Karuppur Silk Sari

• It derived its name from Karuppur, a village near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.
• The handwoven silk saris, dhotis, and furnishings of Karuppur that combined hand painting, block printing, and brocade-weaving were popular up to the 19th Century.
• History of Kodali Karuppur Silk Sari
  • These evolved under the patronage of the Maratha ruler Serfoji Raja Bhonsle Chhatrapati II in 1787-1832 and were made exclusively for the Ranis of Thanjavur up to the 19th century.
  • The ancestors of the weavers comprised about 400-500 families who migrated from Saurashtra to Madurai, Salem and Kancheepuram.
  • The Karuppur cloth was worn only by the Thanjavur nobility, who gifted some as khillat or clothes of honour.
  • In some Maratha states like Baroda, Kohlapur and Satara, the Karuppur sari was an essential part of the bride’s trousseau, as was the Karuppur turban for the groom.
• Design: The design vocabulary of the Karuppur sari is limited, mostly geometric and linear patterns, vine-like designs, stars, veldarri and the thazhambu or screw pine flower design.
• This saree does not have a GI (Geographical Indication) tag.

Source: TH

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