Confluence of traditions – Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam and the Kanjivaram sari
Renuka Vaidyanathan
Indian classical music and dance are hundreds of years old; so is the Kanjivaram sari weaving tradition in India. The Kanjivaram weavers have been in this profession for centuries. It has been said that the Chola king Raja Raja Chola I commissioned the very first set of weavers, based on their sheer weaving skill on a loom. This skill was handed down from one generation to the next, with great care and diligence; taught by the elders, inherited by youngsters and honed only by practice and the creativity of subsequent generations.
The evolution of classical music and dance is similar to the evolution of the silken weave- a tradition that commenced in the temples of India, patronized by the kings of the yore, it was handed down from generation to generation through the oral guru-shishya (teacher-student) parampara (tradition). When royal patronage started dwindling, classical music and dance slowly moved to urban centres, seeking newer patrons and audiences.
The uniqueness of the Kanjivaram saris is that the three parts of the sari- the body, the border and the pallu (the end piece) are woven separately and then seamlessly interwoven to make an alluring whole. The structure of a composition in music and dance is also similar to that of a weave -different parts of the music or dance are skillfully woven together to form a bewitching whole.
Another amazing trait of these saris is their exclusivity, which is entirely due to the hand-weaving technique, which limits the loom length. The weaver usually does not craft more than three saris in a single design as the warp is usually 18 yards in length and a saree is made of 6 yards. Even within this, while the warp remains the same, the weft may be in a different colour for each sari, producing three distinct variants of the same pattern. This means that that each sari we buy is truly one of a kind. Likewise in music, even if two different musicians sing the same composition, they bring their own exclusivity to the composition, thereby rendering it unique. Like no two saris are identical, no two musicians are identical.
Is it any surprise then that Kanjivarm silk saris have been the sartorial choice for Classical singers and dancers since time immemorial? We all remember legendary singer M S Subbulakshmi in her resplendent silks- she popularized Kanjivaram saris to such an extent that a specific shade of blue she wore is popularly referred to by people in South India as ‘MS blue’. MS blue
The veteran singer ML Vasanthakumari is believed to have advised her disciples on the importance of sartorial choice during two to three hour- long concerts. Her most famous disciple, Sudha Raghunathan, who is always impeccably turned out, has been noted and appreciated for following her guru’s path, musically and sartorially, so much that she is known as much for her sari choices as for her music.
Their choice of saris in a way is also reflective of the personalities of the singers. Bombay Jayashri is always a picture of dignity, poise and understated elegance, much like her music, which reflects understated elegance. Ranjani and Gayathri have made complementary Kanjivaram saris the norm for all their joint concerts- just as they complement each other in their musical styles, so do the saris.
As much as in music, Kanjivaram saris have been used by dancers in dance as well, to make an aesthetic statement. Dancers like Alarmel Valli, Malavika Sarukkai, Priyadarsini Govind and Urmila Sathyanaryanan have favoured Kanjivaram saris for their costumes. Dancers use rich colours like peacock blues, purples, pinks, deep oranges and reds- they are particular about borders and pallus as well as these add to the aesthetic of the costume. These saris are stitched in varying styles to make a costume. What they wear becomes almost as important as what they present- members of the audience look forward to their costumes as much as their recitals.
Like the Kanjivaram has evolved into a modern-day must-have for the young and trendy, with its myriad designs, enticing colours, motifs and innovative concepts, so have classical music and dance seeped into the younger generation. Many youngsters have taken to music and dance full-time and have through their efforts, kept this age-old tradition alive. While traditional motifs like the temple design (since it originated in the temple town of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu), peacock, parrot, dots, paisley and elephants have always been popular, geometrical and asymmetrical designs, larger motifs, and unique borders are becoming popular too. Likewise in music and dance, while the traditional way of rendering remain ever popular, musicians and dancers are exploring new frontiers and pushing boundaries, while staying true to the core.
Technology, surprisingly has proved to be a big boon in the transmission of the art form and the propagation of the craft. Online music classes are a huge draw amongst the youth. Teachers have also revised and redesigned their teaching methodologies in keeping with advances in technology. Teaching music online is a commonplace practice now. It has supplemented and often replaced face-to-face learning. A few years ago, stepping out of the guru-shishya-gurukula paradigm (that requires a student to be in the presence of his or her teacher in order to learn) would have been unthinkable for this art form. Though it was a concept that found acceptance slowly, it has now become immensely popular. Most musicians conduct both online and offline classes; though there are significant differences between the methods, technology in this case has become a great enabler.
Likewise, in the days gone by, it would have been unthinkable to buy a Kanjivaram sari without touching and feeling the sari. However, fuelled by a growing Indian diaspora, online sale of saris has caught on in a big way. Many of the sari retailers in India have a significant online presence and sell a remarkable number of these traditional Kanjivarams through their online stores. While debates about the online dissemination of music and online sale of precious silks will continue to rage, technology has indeed helped preserve these mighty traditions. Thus enabled, it is our hope that this beautiful traditional art form from Kanjivaram will survive and flourish well into the future along with the classical music and dance which it so well complements!
