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Chanderi weaves from Madhya Pradesh (Jyotismata)

Chanderi weaves from Madhya Pradesh (Jyotismata)

Did you know that the Ain-e-Akbari, written by Abul Fazl during the Mughal emperor Akbars reign, talks about the fine weaves of Chanderi ?

The antiquity of the handloom industry in Chanderi goes at least as far back as the 14th century and in the beginning this exceptional fabric could only be afforded by the royalty and the very rich.

Today, raw silk is used in the tana in almost every sari. Silk does not only impart a lustrous finish to the fabric but is also stronger and hence much easier to work with.

Many of the names of the colours used are derived from natural things like fruits, vegetables, flowers, birds etc. Totai is parrot green while Mor Gardani is the blue-green of a peacocks neck. Tamatari refers to a bright tomato red, Pyazi to onion pink, Neembo Turanji to lemon yellow and Gajari to carrot red. Angoori or grape-like is pale green while Narangi is a shade of orange. Kesari is saffron, Badami is almond-coloured, Chutney is sap green and Surmayi, a shade of grey.

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