The Kanjivaram silk sarees being an inherent part of our traditional occasions is no freaky coincidence.
They have their strong roots spreading as far back as 700 years to Vijayanagara Dynasty, when Krishna Deva Raya took over the Kanchi town from the Cholas at the end of the 13th century. Being a scholar, poet and a connoisseur of arts, he architected the Ekambaranadhar and Varadarajar temples.
 |
| Ekambaranadhar Temple, Kanchipuram |
 |
| Varadaraja Temple, Kanchipuram |
These were just the two of the 129 finely crafted temples that adorned the small town.
Imagine the number of deities out there, waiting to be admired and worshipped.
Understandably, they had to be draped in the richest attire, exclusively made for them.
This excessive demand for the divinely wardrobe attracted the highly skilled weaving communities, devangas and saligars, to set their feet into the temple town, migrating from Andhra Pradesh.
 |
| Kanchipuram Saree Weaving |
They designed all the ceremonial wear with silk – considered by far the most auspicious fabric – not just for the Gods but for the royal class as well. Eventually, these masters set the stage for this yarn to rule all traditional occasions, for a long, long time to come. And, they have remained successful to this day.
