Kerala's exquisite kasavu sarees

 

Onam saris are well-known for their sophistication and timelessness. They always look chic, and can be styled to fit any occasion. Many young girls are captivated by the trend because of how versatile these saris can be. The Kasavu sari is a one-piece garment that closely resembles the mundu-neriyathu, which takes its name from the Buddhist term Sattika. In Buddhist contexts, the Mundu is known as antariya, and the neriyathu (the cloth that covers the upper portion of the body) is known as uttariya in ancient Buddhist-Jain texts. The kasavu sari is a white garment with a gold border (kasavu), and it's worn with a Mundu, which is a kind of dhoti-like lower garment that is also white. The kasavu sari is a historical dress that is frequently seen on important occasions such as weddings and holidays. Kerala has three clusters with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Indian government, and all of them produce what are often known as kasavu saris and white Kerala saris, in which the black border is replaced by a colorful variant (called kara). These three well-known clusters are Balaramapuram, Chendamangalam and Kuthampully The Balaramapuram cluster is located in Trivandrum and is home to the Shaliars, who are Tamil Nadu's most renowned embroidery dynasty. They originally came from Tamil Nadu and were transported to Kerala by the Travancore royal family. Balaramapuram is well-known for producing high-quality thread. Balaramapuram is well-known for its high use of pure zari (gold-plated silver thread) and extremely small thread counts, such as 120s. The second cluster, Chendamangalam, is known for saris and mundus woven with half-fine zari and 80s-100s thread counts, but without many motifs. Paliam was a famous aristocratic family that sponsored them. Handloom fabrics from Chendamangalam are comparable to those produced in other regions, however with a reduced focus on kasavu designs. Instead of the usual Chendamangalam mundu or settu mundu, which features colored borders and a matching color strip, it has brightly colored borders and only little amounts of kasavu for ornamentation. Chendamangalam textiles are created on frame looms and have a heavier feel than their Balaramapuram counterparts. The third cluster is Kuthampully, which is located in Trivandrum Province. The Devanga are the artisans here, who were introduced by the ruler of Kochi. Kuthampully is recognized for its use of white saris with zari, as well as patterned and jacquard borders featuring human figure designs. The Onam sari's versatility is one of its finest features. Pairing the Onam sari with a brocade blouse has been the trend for a while now, draping oneself in a gorgeous Kasavu saree is only half the job completed. Appropriately accessorizing yourself is essential. Large earrings in pearl and gold or a statement tikka are in. Avoid over accessorizing, since it will take away attention from the lovely sari-blouse combination. Now you’re all set to rock that white and gold for this Onam Checkout the onam collection at MysticDhaaga.com Image attribution ( Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Image attribution ( Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Onam saris are well-known for their sophistication and timelessness. They always look chic, and can be styled to fit any occasion. Many young girls are captivated by the trend because of how versatile these saris can be.

The Kasavu sari is a one-piece garment that closely resembles the mundu-neriyathu, which takes its name from the Buddhist term Sattika. In Buddhist contexts, the Mundu is known as antariya, and the neriyathu (the cloth that covers the upper portion of the body) is known as uttariya in ancient Buddhist-Jain texts.

The neriyathu is a white garment with a gold border (kasavu), and it's worn with a Mundu, which is a kind of dhoti-like lower garment that is also white. The kasavu sari is a historical dress that is frequently seen on important occasions such as weddings and holidays.

Kerala has three clusters with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Indian government, and all of them produce what are often known as kasavu saris and white Kerala saris, in which the black border is replaced by a colorful variant (called kara). These three well-known clusters are Balaramapuram, Chendamangalam and Kuthampully

  • The Balaramapuram cluster is located in Trivandrum and is home to the Shaliars, who are Tamil Nadu's most renowned embroidery dynasty. They originally came from Tamil Nadu and were transported to Kerala by the Travancore royal family. Balaramapuram is well-known for producing high-quality thread. Balaramapuram is well-known for its high use of pure zari (gold-plated silver thread) and extremely small thread counts, such as 120s.

 

  •  The second cluster, Chendamangalam, is known for saris and mundus woven with half-fine zari and 80s-100s thread counts, but without many motifs. Paliam was a famous aristocratic family that sponsored them. Handloom fabrics from Chendamangalam are comparable to those produced in other regions, however with a reduced focus on kasavu designs. Instead of the usual Chendamangalam mundu or settu mundu, which features colored borders and a matching color strip, it has brightly colored borders and only little amounts of kasavu for ornamentation. Chendamangalam textiles are created on frame looms and have a heavier feel than their Balaramapuram counterparts.

 

  • The third cluster is Kuthampully, which is located in Trivandrum Province. The Devanga are the artisans here, who were introduced by the ruler of Kochi. Kuthampully is recognized for its use of white saris with zari, as well as patterned and jacquard borders featuring human figure designs.

 

The Onam sari's versatility is one of its finest features. Pairing the Onam sari with a brocade blouse has been the trend for a while now, draping oneself in a gorgeous Kasavu saree is only half the job completed. Appropriately accessorizing yourself is essential. Large earrings in pearl and gold or a statement tikka are in. Avoid over accessorizing, since it will take away attention from the lovely sari-blouse combination.

 

Now you’re all set to rock that white and gold for this Onam Checkout the onam collection at MysticDhaaga.com

 

Image attribution ( Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Back to News