Chennai’s Shilpi heads to Sikkinaickenpet for a line of Karuppur kalamkari saris

What is the labour of art involved in the making of a single sari? 

For saris made in Sikkinaickenpet, the home of Karuppur kalamkari, nearly 25 distinct processes are involved. These intricate techniques take the spotlight in Tarangini, a collaboration between Chennai-based boutique Shilpi, and the artisans of Sikkinaickenpet, featuring a limited edition line of handpainted saris and dupattas. 

The drapes also come with a side of fascinating history. K Lakshmi Narayan, who has worked on Tarangini with Shilpi says Karuppur kalamkari has been in practice for over 1000 years. 

“This craft was used to work on the King’s turbans, the queen’s saris and the cloth used for temple chariots during the reign of Raja Raja Chola. These artisans settled in the area, and my family has been practising this for over 400 years now,” he says. 

He details the process involved in making a sari for his collaboration with Shilpi, beginning with drawing the designs to feature on the saris, painstakingly by hand. “The saris are then dipped in starch water extracted from boiling rice, and buffalo milk, and then dried in the sun. After this is done thrice over three days, we then outline the design in black ink.” 

The artisan says that after every colour is added, the sari is washed. “These multiple washes cannot be done in a bucket, but are done in the flowing waters of the Cauvery river here. Only then will the colours not mix,” he adds. 

On beige tussar saris, these geometric patterns take shape in black, red, and yellow, each different from the other. The contemporary saris are light to wear, and the dyes do not wash off.

Geometric patterns on tussar saris
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“A lot of effort goes into creating these saris, beginning with the dyes used. The artisans predominantly work with red, black and yellow. All of this is natural, with ingredients ranging from jaggery, pearl millet, red sand and turmeric,” says designer Nalini Sriram of Shilpi. 

Given that three colours are predominantly used in Karuppur kalamkari, Nalini says that this lends itself to geometric designs really well. “My designs for this collaborative line is a modern interpretation of this traditional art. We have created 55 saris and 25 dupattas; every design is a unique one,” she adds. 

Tarangini is available at Shilpi, 29. CP Ramaswamy road, Alwarpet. Saris are priced at ₹ 30,000.