Kancheepuram has become eponymous for its silk saris, both in India and abroad. The Kancheepuram silk sari got its Geographical Indication tag in 2005.
The handloom silk saris are prized attire for weddings and other special occasions: a Kancheepuram silk sari can cost anywhere between ₹10,000 and ₹1,00,000. The intricate process of getting the sari ready involves dyeing of the raw silk, drying it under the scorching sun for four to five hours, spinning, warping, and, finally, weaving. The process can take 10-15 days.
Up to the turn of the century (early 2000s), the Kancheepuram silk sari enjoyed tremendous patronage. But now, with shifting fashion trends, competition from the faster power loom and the availability of cheaper artificial silk, there are fewer buyers, the weavers say. Earlier, customers and traders were willing to wait for two weeks for the sari to get woven but today they prefer readymade ones.
This shift has led to job losses and a drop in revenue for the weavers. The pandemic also had a significant negative impact on the industry as the number of direct customers visiting Kancheepuram dwindled to nothing.
Most of the handloom weavers today are of an older age group or middle-aged. They say that the next generation is neither motivated nor interested in learning and continuing the centuries-old craft.
The major concern of the weavers is that their generation may be the last to practise the profession, leaving no one to carry on their legacy. They hope that the Tamil Nadu Government will take steps to prevent the extinction of their craft.
