CHANDERI
FABRICS
MADHYA PRADESH
Chapterisation
Introduction
• Art form
• Types of fabrics
• Designs
• Embellishments
• Color
• Styles
History
• Origin
• Timeline
• Characteristics
• Current state of art
• Evolution in modern times
Chanderi Craft
• Family livelihood
• Craftsmanship
• Dwelling
• Weaving
• Spatial implications
• Textile production
• Materials
• Process
• Mechanism
• Social conditions
• Price
1
Synopsis
Chanderi is a century-old weaving process that generates three types of fabric: Chanderi silk cotton,
pure silk, and Chanderi Cotton. It is known for its glossy transparency and sheer texture.
Chanderi cloth is distinguished by its lovely motifs embellished on the fabric. Traditionally,
flowery, coins, fruits, peacocks, and celestial bodies inspired the designs, but now we can also
discover motifs in geometric abstract forms. These designs are largely hand-woven on Chanderi
fabric using needles on a hand-loom.Different needles are used to weave several motifs on a same
fabric. The colour of the threads employed, which can be gold, silver, or copper, adds to the
elegance of the design.
Chanderi's vivid hues are one of the things that make it so appealing to our eyes. The availability of
Chanderi in beautiful pastel colours gives the ensemble a sense of freshness and vibrancy. As a
result, it's ideal for summer wear.
History and origin of chanderi fabric
Chanderi fabric is named after the little village of Chanderi, in Ashok Nagar District in Madhya
Pradesh where it is produced. Chanderi's woven tales may be dated back to the 7th century B.C.,
when it was woven with hand spun cotton for the production of turbans for Maratha rulers.
Chanderi saris were considered a symbol of regal might by ancient monarchs and Maharanis.
While ancient texts mention Madhya Pradesh as a famous weaving centre between the 7th and 2nd
centuries BC, it rose to prominence in the 11th century, when its proximity to the ancient ports of
Gujarat, Malwa, Mewar, Central India, and the Deccan regions made it one of India's most
important trade routes. Between the 12th and 13th centuries, hand looms woven Chanderi sarees for
royalty, according to records.
Chanderi Cotton
Chanderi Silk
2
Flowery motifs
While certain references to the Vedic period in Indian mythology say that Lord Krishna's cousin
Shishupal brought Chanderi fabric, it is mentioned in Maasir-i-Alamgir (1658-1707), when
Aurangzeb commanded the use of a cloth embroidered with gold and silver for creating khilat (a
ceremonial robe or other gift given to someone by a superior as a mark of honour). The material was
extremely costly. The softness, transparency, and fringes adorned with thick gold thread embroidery
were the highlights of this cloth. Chanderi fabric gained royal favour and was also transported
overseas, according to the records of a Jesuit priest who visited Marwar between 1740 and 1761.
Because of its smooth, light texture and transparency, Chanderi was the preferred cloth of Indian royal
women, according to RC Sterndal, a British visitor.
Though the numerous accounts make it difficult to pinpoint when Chanderi sarees first appeared, it is
obvious that the fabric has always been favoured by the country's ruling class because to its unusual
sheer texture and elaborate gold and silver embroidery.
Chanderi in
Madhya Pradesh
3
There are three aspects of the Chanderi Fabric that attract us the most:
•Royal Zari Border: Chanderi saris are adorned with a gold zari border, which adds to
their allure. These Chanderi saris are made even more elegant by the designs. The eternal
beauty of Zari borders is what has made these saris so popular among royalty.
•Glossy texture: You won't be able to quit fawning over this fabric because of its lustrous
shine and transparency. Its sparkling texture will make it stand out among all the textiles,
whether it is Chanderi cotton or Chanderi Silk.
•A cultural touch: Chanderi cloth weaving has been passed down through centuries,
bringing us closer to our traditional history.
Weaving
Royal zari border
Glossy texture
Chanderi has long been known for its captivating saris, but it is now widely utilised for other
apparel items as well as home decor products such as cushions and curtains.
Vijay Balhara's "Rustic Sophistication" collection, which debuted at Lakme Fashion Week
Summer/Resort 2011, included a lovely mix of Chanderi and Cotton garments inspired by a
brilliant colour palette of lavender, pink, turquoise, ivory, white, and olive. It was a complete
mash-up of current and traditional clothes .Flared mul blouses, boho dresses, tunics with gathered
hems, summery slacks, and paisley embroidered skirts were all included in the collection, which
was complemented with traditional jewellery.
Chanderi's beauty does not end there. The allure of this mystical fabric inspires interior and
fashion designers all over the world to experiment endlessly with it in order to create new ideas. In
the next years, we'd like to observe Chanderi fabric's enchantment. 4
Use of Chanderi fabrics in the modern world
Both the older and younger generations are seen today wearing their beautiful heritage in a
variety of ways, including saree drapes, tunics, kurtas, scarves, and bottom-wear. Chanderi silk is
a highly adaptable fabric that may be used to create new and trendy looks for fashionistas all
over the world.
Literature Review
Chanderi: An introduction
Chanderi is a historic town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The city was founded in the
thirteenth century, according to extant data. While handloom weaving has always been a prominent
activity in Chanderi, it has been the town's primary occupation for the past 400 years. Chanderi
now has a population of about 20,000 people, 60% of whom work in the hand-woven fabric
industry. Chanderi's weavers create gossamer silks and brocades of exceptional quality. The
majority of these are created as saree and dress fabrics that are marketed in boutiques and saree
showrooms both in India and abroad.
Dwelling and weaving in the Ansari family
The Ansari family provides a unique insight into the cultural and spatial characteristics of a
typical Chanderi weaver's household. The Ansaris resided in a'microcluster,' which I define as a
complex where multiple branches of a big family lived in different residences. A historical
perspective on the use and importance of places within a single microcluster is instructive.
In Chanderi, a microcluster denotes a prevalent sort of living arrangement among weavers. It is
made up of a cluster of homes and businesses arranged around courtyards. An extended family
consists of a group of linked nuclear families who live and work together in a microcluster.
5
Family and Space
Shakurullah Ansari (Shakur) was a weaver in Chanderi and the patriarch of the Ansari
family. In the western portion of Chanderi, the Ansari family lived in a neighbourhood or
community of weavers. He shared his home with his wife Tasneem, their eight unmarried
children, and three married sons, as well as their families. A goatshed was also attached to
each of the family units. They were, in a sense, four families living as one extended
family. Despite the fact that all of these nuclear families shared a larger complex and a
common block of facilities, they did not cook or eat together. Each household had its own
cooking and food storage quarters, as well as a loom and a multipurpose area. The open
courtyards and entrances were shared by all of the micro-families. The loom room was to
the right as you entered the Ansari microcluster's eastern courtyard, with its windows
overlooking the street, and a semi-enclosed goatshed to the left.A semi-enclosed kitchen
and storage space was located at the far end of the courtyard. Around the same courtyard,
there was another goatshed, a newly erected toilet, and a bathing area. The western
courtyard had two entrances: one from the street and one from the eastern courtyard.
Spatial Implications of Weaving
Weaving in Chanderi is a complicated procedure that involves a number of steps prior to
actually working the loom. Long hanks of yarn were provided. The cooperative's officials
also determined the style, colours, and quantities of saris and dress fabrics that would be
woven. The cooperative collaborated with designers in major cities to select colours and
designs for various national and international markets.
Before being threaded into the looms, the yarn in hanks was dyed in the appropriate
colours. Because the threads are so fine, dying the yarn took a lot of skill. The entire dying
process took four or five hours. It took four to six persons and a linear space to dry the
freshly coloured yarn. As a result, drying was frequently done on the street by family
members, both men and women.They stretched the yarn out on the streets, usually 30 to
40 feet long, and then gently swung the threads or laid them across bamboo posts.
Preparing the loom's warp was a time-consuming operation that necessitated the assistance
of neighbours. Each thread has to be coiled and tautly attached to the beam. Joining the
threads took practically an entire day. The warp was now ready after this. The weft thread
had to be woven on fly shuttles that travelled across the loom.
6
Textile production and socio- spatial transformations
Historically, the area was fertile and produced high-quality cotton. Simple cotton fabrics
were very popular in Chanderi. The local ruler imported some renowned Dacca weavers to
teach local weavers the craft of weaving exquisite cotton muslin in the early sixteenth
century. Silk was introduced about a century later. Chanderi's weavers have been
producing cotton, cotton silk, and pure silk fabrics since then.
The yarn was exclusively hand-spun until the nineteenth century. In the late 1800s, the
British introduced mill-spun thread to Chanderi. The katiya, an entire occupation and
society, perished as a result of its arrival. Hand-spinning threads from raw cotton and silk
was the katiya community of Chanderi's ancestral vocation. The threads were spun on the
premises of Chanderi. The British introduced mill-spun threads, which were discovered to
be tougher and finer, and were preferred for weaving over hand-spun threads.
For a long time, the materials spun by weavers were solely for the enjoyment of kings and
nobles. For royalty and the elite, master weavers raced to create the most artistic and
unique designs using complex brocadework of fine gold wire. These traditional garments
were no longer in demand due to changes in the social structure and lifestyle.
Weavers began weaving the sari in the 1940s. As insignificant as this alteration may
appear, it has a significant impact on the weaving process. The breadth of handlooms is
determined by the type of item that a weaver specialised in weaving. As a result, the
traditional looms' width, which was meant for the lesser width of the dupatta and saffaa,
was insufficient for weaving the sari. The new looms that could hold the sari were broader
and took up more room in the weaving chambers than the old looms.
Spinning of Yarn 7
The introduction of the fly shuttle in the 1950s was another technological advance in weaving
that had an impact on the loom room's layout. Three shuttles were used before this time, and
two workers worked on one loom. Only one person was required to work one loom thanks to
the invention of the fly shuttle. As a result, the size and layout of the weaving chambers were
drastically altered.
The Chanderi Weaver's Cooperative was founded by the state government in 1946, in a new
era of democracy and independence. The cooperative aided in the replacement or alternative
of the sabukar, or merchant, on whom the weavers had previously relied.
House/Workplace of a chanderi worker
The weavers received orders for the fabrics through the cooperative, which included colour
and quantity specifications. The weavers returned to the cooperative to sell the cloth after
weaving it. The cooperative gave them yarn, gave them loans to buy or repair looms, and paid
weavers by the yard of woven cloth they produced. While the new method relieved the
weavers of their severe debt and helped to resuscitate the art, it also gave them an incentive to
produce more, which contrasted with prior eras when the emphasis was on quality and
originality of fabrics rather than quantity.
As compared to Chanderi saris from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries,
contemporary Chanderi saris require less expertise and practise to weave. Because of the
Testile Center's backing and the current high demand for Chanderi saris, the amount of saris
produced has surpassed the quality of the woven cloth. Today, each household strives to
acquire an increasing number of looms.
The emphasis on producing large quantities of fabric has put pressure on the weavers to wave
increased quantities to bring home a higher income. More members in the family now spend
their time indoors at the loom than in other tasks in the courtyards as before.
8
Weaving process
Chanderi weaving has been passed down via families for generations. This has resulted in
a lengthy history of trained and experienced weavers whose work cannot be duplicated by
power loom counterparts and hence must be cherished for its brilliance. Chanderi is one of
India's brilliant diamonds in the textile industry, and it's no surprise that it has a special
place in our hearts.
Chanderi fabric was originally woven using hand-spun cotton yarn with a fineness of 300
counts, making it as famous as Dhaka's Muslins. Chanderi's fine count cotton was derived
from a unique root known as Kolikanda. It was light but robust, and it gave the fabric a
lustrous sheen. Mughals and Rajputs had long been patrons of Chanderi's fine cotton. The
cloth is woven with a stretched out set of threads called the warp (tana), through which the
weft (bana) is passed in a regular motion. Only white and off-white material was woven
from the beginning until the 1920s, with the ends decorated with zari and golden thread.
Even in the warp, only hand-spun cotton thread was employed, which was not strong
enough to be retained under stress. Depending on the quality desired, the warp thread
count might range from 4,000 to 17000. Cotton, mercerized cotton, raw silk, or kataan are
used in the weave. Mercerized cotton, silk, and zari threads are utilised in the borders and
butis. The butis on Chanderi fabric were handwoven using needles on a handloom.
Different needles were used to produce various themes. The motifs were then dusted with
gold, silver, or copper dust by the weavers.
Dyed yarns
9
Almost every saree now uses raw silk in the warp, which is 20-22 deniers thick. Silk not only
gives the fabric a glossy sheen, but it is also stronger and hence easier to work.
To construct a tissue saree, zari is sometimes combined with silk in the warp. The throw-shuttle
pit, a type of loom, was previously in use. Weaving on this loom was a time-consuming procedure
that necessitated two weavers sitting side by side on the same loom. Only fly-shuttle looms are
used nowadays, and they are controlled by a single weaver. Previously, only natural dyes were
used to colour weaving yarn, but today, both natural and chemical dyes are used. Many of the
colour names are inspired by natural objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, birds, and so on.
Spinning a handwoven Chanderi saree might take up to three days, depending on the design's
complexity.
Weaving of Dyed yarns
Motifs
Some of the motifs used in Chanderi sarees are ashrafi or gold coin, churi, bundi, keri, phul-patti,
phul-buta, akhrot, paan, eent, suraj buti, meena buti, kalgi, and ghoongra, among others, which are
inspired by Banarasi sarees. The most common buti design on Chanderi sarees is the asharfi buti,
which was traditionally favoured by royalty. These motifs are referred known as butas when they
are larger in size. The motifs nalferma, dandidar, chatai, jangla, and mehndi wale haath are unique
to Chanderi weaves. The Chanderi is distinguished by its delicate hand woven designs on extra
wefts, which may explain why it was a favourite of the wealthy.
The designs of Chanderi sarees underwent a change in the 1970s. Women from all around the
country fell in love with innovative borders like the Ganga Jamani, Mehndi Range Haath, and
Sada Saubhagyawati Bhava.
10
The adda border, which has a highly complicated design, the nakshi border, which is similar but
for the contour of the border, which is done with a different coloured thread, and the plain zari
patela border are all popular nowadays. One colour is interlaced with narrow strips of another
colour in the piping border. The butis are handwoven on looms and are frequently dusted with
gold, silver, or copper dust.
Final touches/ embellishments
Current state of art
Because of its unique design and the particular silk yarn used in their production, Chanderi sarees
are protected under the Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999,
and they cannot be duplicated. Today, approximately 3,500 looms are in use, and thousands of
people rely on this trade for a living, either directly or indirectly. The Indian government has also
petitioned the World Trade Organization for worldwide recognition of this textile.
Finding real cotton by cotton Chanderi has grown challenging in recent years due to the use of
several cost-effective raw ingredients. The majority of retail outlets do not stock these because
they are slightly more expensive than the mixed material variety. Chanderi, on the other hand, is
currently one of the country's most protected crafts. Not just the government, but also well-known
designers, fashion firms, and Bollywood celebs regularly advocate this lovely cloth.
Soham Dave, a leading fashion designer works exclusively with Indian handlooms and Chanderi is
one of his favourites. Some fashion houses have reintroduced the value of this ancient fabric, and
today we see youngsters proudly wearing their heritage, not just in the form of Chanderi sarees,
but also scarves, tunics, kurtis and more. The versatility of this fabric and its easy adaptability to
new styles makes it an experimental favourite for fashion lovers all over the world.
11
Today, over 3500 looms are in use, and thousands of people rely on this skill to make a living. The
Indian government has recently petitioned the World Trade Organization for global recognition of
this unusual craft.
Weavers work in extremely difficult conditions and at great expense. In Chanderi district, there is
no electricity for half of the day, despite the fact that a massive dam is only 2 kilometres away.
Depending on the complexity of the design, the saree can take anywhere from two to three days to
a week to complete. Lack of awareness of the time and labor-intensive nature of the art is resulting
in poorer returns for the weaver, as well as the occurrence of young people abandoning the
profession in search of higher-paying occupations.
For around 5000 INR, you may get an authentic Chanderi handspun saree (starting price).
Chanderi kurtas, suits, and dupattas are also becoming increasingly fashionable among modern
fashionistas, with prices starting at roughly 1500 INR.
Use of Chanderi fabrics in modern fashion
12
References
Text
• https://fabriclore.com/blogs/journal/the-tales-of-chanderi-fabric
Author- Alisha Gupta
• https://www.faridagupta.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-about-chanderi.html
Author- Arushi Gujral
•The Green Braid: Towards an Architecture of Ecology, Economy and Equity
Author- Jyoti Hosagraha
• https://www.craftsvilla.com/blog/chanderi-sarees-the-process-of-weaving-a-chanderi/
Photos
• https://pin.it/4XfrteD
• https://www.pure-elegance.com/blogs/arts-culture/the-exotic-handlooms-of-madhya-pradesh-
chanderi-silk
• https://m.indiamart.com/proddetail/chanderi-silk-fabric-11290558548.html
• https://pin.it/75tgVd8
• https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/chanderi-saree-6-5-meter-with-blouse-20753661055.html
• https://pin.it/23ynKWf
• explosivefashion.in/Vijay Balhara
• https://www.unnatisilks.com/chanderi-textiles-2-weavers-world.html
• https://medium.com/@realtynewsIndia/charm-of-chanderi-fabric-a-tale-from-central-indias-
looms-24127ba12689
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