Squaring Up With Checks and Stripes on Kanchipuram Sarees

The checkerboard pattern or ‘checks' as it is popularly known has existed from time immemorial and has no definitive origin. The black and white checks of the chess board, gingham checks on fabric, minute check designs on the keffiyeh (the Arabian head scarf for men), multi-coloured Madras check designs on the lungis of south Indian men, the famous Burberry check design on coats and bags, the itty bitty check designs on ancient Iranian pottery, chequered tiles on the floors and walls in the construction industry have all captured our attention instantly. But so have the checks or ‘Kattam’ design in Kanchipuram silk sarees is so beautifully incorporated that it confers upon the saree an alluring visual appeal.

Paalum Pazhamum

Yesteryear movie stars like Vyjayanthi Mala and Savitri and contemporary heartthrobs like Nayantara and Jyothika have serenaded the silver screen in Paalum Pazhamum Kattam sarees making our eyes pop in awe and admiration. Dual-toned or multi-toned checks run throughout the length and breadth of the Kanchipuram saree with a solid-coloured one/two-sided border and pallu (munthani). The saree is ravishing to look at and a dream to drape. 

Muthu Kattam

In the Muthu Kattam type, the warp and weft are very intricate and present the appearance of tiny pearls laid out beautifully in a linear design. These sarees have an air of cool chic about them, which is traditional and trendy at the same time.

Koorai Kattam

The Koorai Kattam is another intricate weave that dazzles in its geometry. Born in a small village named Koorai Nadu in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, this exemplary saree has the design of the check by the interlacing of the warp and weft process in bright, solid colours. 

Kasa-Kasa & Kottadi Kattam

Then there is the Kasa-Kasa Kattam (Kasa Kasa meaning poppy seeds) which showcases teeny tiny checks in dual or multicolours with a flashy contrast border. The Kottadi Kattam is the epitome of the magic of Kattam sarees where the squares are all made up of shiny, golden zari woven so deftly on a single bright colour. It looks like a fine splash or spray of gold dust over a crimson/bottle green or dark blue base, simply magnificent to behold.

Borderless Kattam

The bold-checked, multi-coloured, borderless kattam saree sparkles in a suave way and shines with refined elegance. The colour combos are red-green-yellow, black-off-white-red, pink-purple-yellow, and every other complementary or contrasting combination that we can envision. They score high on the versatility scale and can be worn at a wedding or a glam event with equal aplomb.

Stripes & Veldari

The stripe patterns include vertical stripes, horizontal stripes, and Veldari (zigzag lines) design where the running stripes could be woven of thread or zari itself. A sand-coloured saree with black Veldari lines and two side black borders with a broad zari band is a sure winner of hearts.

The Reka collection at Tulsi Madras has on display an amazing range of check-designed sarees in a kaleidoscope of colours. A striking lemon yellow checks saree with a startling pink border, a black Kottadi checks saree with a kumkum coloured border, a bottle green big checked saree with threaded tree motifs, a purple Kanchipuram silk saree with gold zari stripes in the body, and a sea green-pink checked border to mention a few in the vast sea of Tulsi Madras’s collection. Come and enjoy the visual delight before treating yourself to a worthy buy.