Stone to sarees: Auspicious motifs of Kanchipuram sarees

 

Kanchipuram, Temples and Textile Motifs

 

Kanchipuram, as the name conjures up images of the towering temples and rustling silk, it is inevitable the connection between the two is made. Etched in stone and inscribed on slabs the stories of the temples, their makers, the donors makes it possible to discuss the evolution of the temple art and architecture, the festivals, rituals and the continuity of that over millennia. The underlying connection between the temples and the Kanchipuram silks in some ways is one – the divinity and the royalty. The vishwakarmas who built the large and small temples in the town, once a towering capital of the Pallavas, as well as the weavers who predominantly come from the Padma Saliyar, Pattu Saliyar, Devanga communities trace their evolution to divine command. Communities followed the principles that had a common basis. That the art is divine and they are ordained by the Gods to create, weave. The temples were made for the Gods and the robes for the Deities who adorned them. Symbolism was important, for the motifs that adorned the temple walls and the motifs that went into silk robes primarily had to signify auspiciousness.

The structure of the saree itself, with its three parts, the contrasting colours, borders and the pallav or talappu may be a symbol in itself. Like what Stella Kramrisch says about a temple – “The temple is the concrete shape (murti) of the Essence; as such it is the residence and vesture of God. The masonry is the sheath (kosa) and body…” Aarti Kawlra talks about the Kanchipuram Sari.

In her paper on ‘Kanchipuram Sari: Design for Auspiciousness’ discussing the technique of korvai and motifs Kawlra says, “the motifs and colors that repeat and alternate give the sari its mobility as a body in motion, while the differentially textured and weighted borders and end-pieces give it its characteristic carriage or posture. Weaving therefore can be seen as entailing the genesis of a breathing, eating, growing body. It is a cloth-body whose structure is prescribed and set, not by the individual body of the wearer, but by abstract body principles with an identity of its own”.

The korvai as technique itself produces the important design element of the Kanchipuram sari, the borders that come to be ubiquitously called the “temple border”. The Dravidian temple towers see a design equivalent in the borders of Kanchipuram sari and the inspiration in stone as well as textiles can be traced even beyond our borders, to the evolution of architecture and textiles in Malay, Javanese provinces. “Under the influence of Indian Cosmology, the Upper World abode of the Hindu gods located at the centre of the universe. The notion of the mountain as an artistic symbol in Southeast Asia was most powerfully expressed in architecture, and splendid temples and immense stupa were erected to emulate the sacred mountain. The symbolic mountain is also depicted on textiles, sometimes overtly in cosmic scenes, and also schematically as stupa or temple images and in diagrammatic yantra. The sacred mountain often appears as an important though highly stylized motif on Javanese textiles in the forested scenes known as the semen or alas-alasan patterns, where the mountain is part of a landscape filled with shrines, ponds, trees, birds and animals.” – Roy Maxwell ‘Textiles of Southeast Asia: Trade, Tradition and Transformation’

The landscape of Kanchipuram saris too included the trees, birds and animals, and they are present on the ornamental pillars as much as the borders, body and pallav of the sari. Mythical yaali (vyala), simham (lion), elephant, annam (swan, but connoting its mythical nature), and peacock. While the elaborate vanasringaram may have deers, the forest and whole scene on a grand pallav, the most repeated motif in Kanchipuram is the annam.  Annam’s can be seen on the border, the body and also on the pallav.

Annam, the divine geese or the Swan is seen as an important motif, the geese in processional style is seen in sculptures as well as textiles across India and in textile traditions in other cultures as well. Annam also finds representation as the processional mount for deities. Hamsa (Annam) the vahana of Brahma is also seen as the seed of the universe, the breath of life. From Kalidasa’s Kumarasambava to Bana’s Kadambari hamsa motif is mentioned as being part of the bride and the groom’s fabric, the white ornamented sari in Kadambari and the vadhu dukula with Hamsa of Kumarasambava. Hamsa stands for purity and that comes from the mythical association of its ability to separate milk and water as symbolizing ability to discriminate between good and bad.

Peacock in isolation and peacock in combination with chakra is very popular design in Kanchipuram, called the mayil, chakram. While the chakram as the symbol of Vishnu sees representation in Vishnu iconography, peacocks as adornment in walls and pillars is very common. From Patan’s Patola to Sri Kalahasti Kalamkari peacock is a common motif.

Peacock is a bird of power as well as beauty. It is associated with Goddess of learning Saraswati and also as a vahana of Kartikeya. Presence of peacocks in sculptures to Darbars of kings, decorative doorways have been widespread. Peacock, peacock colours and peacock eyes as in Mayil kann are an integral part of Kanchipuram saris. 

Rathi riding on her vahana parrot is a recurring theme found in many temple mantapas along with Manmatha. Parrots are not only symbols of sensuality arising from association with Rathi and Manmatha but an auspicious symbol, a decorative and endearing symbol. Goddess Meenakshi at Madurai and Andal, avatar of Bhudevi at Srivilliputhur are seen holding parrot in their hands.

The mythical two headed Ganda-berunda bird though of antiquity gained prominence in sculpture and in saris with Vijayanagara Kingdom and as a State emblem of Mysore. This large mythical two headed eagle is a grand symbols seen beautifully etched in not too distance and architectural beauty at the Mysore palace is also an oft-repeated motif in Kanchipuram.

In terms of a mythical symbol occupying a great symbolic and domineering presence in temple architecture is the vyala or the yaali. This is one motif that so closely co-relates the temples of Kanchipuram, the omnipresence of the Yaalis from the Pallava to Nayaka period sculptures and the Kanchipuram saris.

Architecture and art historian M.A.Dhaky considered the exotic yaali (Vyala) to be an Achaemanian inspiration and its entry into Indian space is recorded back to the Mauryan period. He lists 16 types of yaalis from the shilpashastra texts to show that these forms extensively used in temple architecture from the earliest times were not arbitrary. The zenith it reached he says in the Vijayanagara art in the South, and mentions specifically the yaalis at Jalakanteshwara temple, Vellore. The highly ornamental Yaalis of the Kalyanamantapa show the exquisite workmanship. Much before that came the Pallava Yaalis at the Kailasanatha Temple at Kanchipuram. Of the sixteen types the most used in textiles of course are the lion faced simha yaali and the elephant faced gaja yaali. Yaalis are also the processional carriers of deities in temple festivals.

Describing the lions at another Pallava temple in Kanchipuram, the Vaikunta Perumal temple American Scholar D.Dennis Hudson says it was to symbolize power, as the vahana of Durga that they were extensively used in the temple. Perhaps the use of yaali too carries the same argument, symbolizing power may be even more so than the lions for they were considered even more powerful than the lion.

Elephants, the live ones mark the temple processions for they are symbols of mangala, auspiciousness, grandeur, and strength. Rows of elephants on the adhishtanas, to elephants supporting the steps have continued from ancient times, from the Sanchi toranas, Ellora’s Kailsa to Darasruam and many such temples across the country. Elephants are also seen in association with Lakshmi as she adorns the doorways as Gajalakshmi. Another icon associated with Lakshmi that is prevalent in designs is the Lotus. Along with elephants the horses too are a part of temple processions, and both of them are vahanas of deities in processions too. The Vijayanagara period mantapas have horse riders depicted in a handsome fashion as can be seen at the Varadaraja Perumal temple, Kanchipuram and the Srirangam temple.

Like elephants another motif that is universal be it printed, woven or embroidered fabrics is the mango. Like annam, mango motif can be seen in the border, body as well as an elaborate design on pallav. Mango tree is the sthala vriksham at the Ekambranatha Temple at Kanchipuram, and the old tree still stands at the temple precincts. Goddess Parvati according to the legend performed penance under the mango tree. The name of the God himself is the God of the mango tree “ekamra” natha or Ekamreshwara.

There are a few more auspicious symbols that range from being present in temple structure to textiles to being symbols in homes – the flower pot, and the rangoli. The ornamental kalasa is extensively used in temple walls and though it may be sparse in the case of sculpted rangoli. Both are symbols of mangalam.

A grand pallav in a Kanchipuram sari can be a virtual menagerie of wild animals, plants, creepers. The equivalent of a shikargarh sari design is the vanasringaram of Kanchipuram that depicts, horses, elephants, deers, peacocks, and lions. Iconography from temples in Kanchipuram easily matches this wide canvas. At Kanchipuram the temple and textile designs that way merge and it is a given that is not articulated so much in words by the artisans or weavers. Not like the weavers of Patola who take pride in the fact that their art predates the architectural beauty of the Rani-ki-Vav stepwells. “Indeed the sculpture copies our textile designs” said one of the surviving Patola master weavers talking about the squares, the geometric designs on the stepwells fully resembling the repertoire of Patan’s ikat designs.

It is also not like what research places the medallion designs on the walls of Angor Vat to the textiles that came in to Cambodia at that time, the silks from the ancient Silk Route and the cottons from India. Many of those medellions have been matched to the textile remnants. In fact closer home the grand pillars of the unfinished Kalyana Mantapa at Lepakshi, an epitome of ornamental designs could be matched to many existing textile designs in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The tourist guides at Lepakshi wouldn’t forget to declare how textile designers and weavers keep making a visit to the temple to copy the designs from the pillars. Many of the butti designs in Kanchipuram sari, the ornamental borders and lines too have close resemblance to the designs on pillars. It is extraordinary recreation from the stone to the shuttle. The Lotus, the floral designs, the trees, creepers, the rangoli designs adorn the temples and the textiles. 

“The woven patterns have been influenced by traditions of using symbols and imagery from nature, flora, fauna, and religion. Temple architecture and art-forms in craft were also a focal point for creative inspiration,” Rathi Vinay Jha in a report ‘Kanchivani – The Saris of Kanchipuram. Today, Kanchipuram saris have the protection of GI tag, but unfortunately the sound of the looms have ebbed as many have moved to villages outside the town and town itself buzzes with every growing silk sari showrooms. It is a mark of auspiciousness that families of to be brides and grooms to date throng Kanchipuram for the Muhurta Pattu. It is not just about the weave, but the blessings of Goddess Kamakshi that is looked upon while buying a wedding sari from Kanchipuram, as the weave and temple stay inextricably linked. Technology has enabled many new designs, frequent introduction of new designs possible, bringing a distance giraffe to Kanchipuram saris. But, the annam, yaali, yaani (elephant), singam (lion) and mambazham (mango) are the eternal motifs with an enduring charm.