Chanderi sarees are the famous sarees produced in a small town called Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh. Chanderi sarees are very light and ideal for Indian summers. Its beauty lies in its simplicity, airy feel, narrow borders and decently designed anchals with buttis. The Chanderi sarees give a sophisticated look to whoever who wears it.

Types of Chanderi Sari
   * Narrow border: These are the plain sarees having a very narrow border of complementary-warp zari and an end piece containing a few narrow zari bands, or one single, wider band.
  * Broader border: These are the sarees with broader borders woven in supplementary warp zari with colored supplementary-warp silk embellishments, woven into small repeat floral or geometrical designs. The end piece consisted of the border elements repeated twice as two parallel bands, often with narrow woven lines and many buti woven between them.
   * Wide border: The third type called do-chashmee (two streams) is no longer made but had wide borders with brightly colored supplementary- warp silk in a satin weave upon which were supplementary bands of white geometric patterns. In some sarees the borders were reversible.

Fabric in Chanderi Sarees
The Chanderi sari is woven in cotton as well as silk. Chanderi silk from India is the result of traditional methods of hand-weaving that have been developed over the centuries, and passed down through generations. Chanderi silk is considered the fabric of choice for sarees produced for royalty, due to its light-weight quality and intricate designs.

Colors and Design
    * These sarees are a rare fusion of soft & contrasting colors.
    * The plain cotton ones are with borders and have stripes and floral patterns.
    * There are also ones which have butis on the body of the saree as well.
    * Silk sarees are woven with zari borders and have zari and thread work all through the length of sari, giving it an elegant and dazzling look.
    * Chanderi sari is known for soft colors and the harmonious balance between the border and the body of the saree.
    * These sarees are also known for their contrasting colors and the depiction of animal and human figures on them and patterns taken from the Chanderi temples.

TRADITION CHANDERI - MOULDING EXQUISITE:
The drape, the delicacy, the artistry and the sheer majesty of the Chanderi Saree is a secret passed down from generation to generation. Echoing the grandeur of a bygone era. Well protected in the town of Chanderi with its fortress like base of a hill sarees craftsmanship defies the wrinkled hands and deep set eyes of the craftsman working with single minded dedication. Weaving sarees through the proverbial 'hole in the finger nail'. The magic is in thread, warp and weft.
History, Process and Varieties - Fascination Facts
In Chanderi, locally grown cotton was spun as fine as 300s counts. The fame of Chanderi cottons competed with the famed muslins of Dhaka. After the industrial revolution, the import of mill spun 120s to 200s count Manchester yarn via Calcutta wiped out this local strain of Chanderi cottons. Around the 1930s Japanese silk came to Chanderi via Calcutta and was introduced in the wrap while cotton was retained in the weft of the Chanderi. This combination continues till date with the entirely silk by silk varieties. Problems in brush sizing fine cotton, higher preference for silk (silk by silk 60%, silk by cotton 30% to 40% of the production) and higher profits with silk have contributed to the end of cotton by cotton sarees in the course of the 20th century.
Today, though modern fly shuttle looms are being used, still the magic of the master weaver is not lost. The fame and elegance of the soft Chanderi colors lie in their constant reference to nature. Motifs drawn from earth and sky. Hunting scenes, the tree of life. Man, woman, birds, fruits, flowers, heavenly bodies. All exquisite detail far surpassing their role models.
The Chanderi colors always show a preference for harmony between the borders and the body of the sarees. However, there are some typical contrasting combinations like black against red and Ganga - Jamuna sarees, with green on one border and red or Kumkum on the other with a natural off-white body.
Patterns, Design and Varieties in Chanderi Portary Eternal Spring
Chanderi is also famous for weaving and extremely fine zari band (patti) right up to the selvedge edge, known as Piping kinar. Great attention is paid to the Buti or Motif in the body which enriches the design vocabulary.
Meenakari or inlay in the Motif and the Addedar Patela in which the band is woven to jewelled cut-work effect are latest additions.
Kalgi is another typical Chanderi Motif that runs along the edge of the border. The use of the fine echoing lines called Baccha is also a Chanderi characteristic.
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THE LEGACY OF QUEEN:
This saree, as revealed by its name, has its origin in the town of Maheshwar, established by the austere queen Ahilya Bai who desired to live away from the bustling capital city of Indore. The intricately carved stone walls of her palace and temple are the inspiration for the elaborate patterns and borders of the Maheshwari Saree.
The saree woven from pure silk is famous for its strength, elasticity and a unique luster of the fabric. The use of zari and particular texture and sheen of the "garbh reshmi" saree of Maheshwari give it a distinct identity amongst the wealth of Indian sarees and made it a much coveted item even in time as far back as 18th century India.

SAREES - THE TIMELESS DRAPES OF GRACE:

 
From time immemorial, the ubiquitous saree, worn by Indian women across the length and breadth of the country has stood as the tangible symbol of ethereal grace and beauty. A seamless length of the cloth, ranging from 5 yards to 11 yards, the charm of the saree lies in the mysterious drapes and folds with which it winds around the feminine form in myriad entrancing shapes and styles.
In the thousands of years of its evolution, particular forms of the saree have risen above regional usage and have achieved widespread preference and fame amongst the Indian women. Such are the saree of Madhya Pradesh. Primary among them are Chanderi, Maheshwari, Tussar and cotton coveted and sought by almost all women in India and abroad.
And it is these beauteous sarees to which Mrignayani has devoted itself, in an effort to make them accessible to rest of the world. Mrignayani also ensures that the unique weaving of these sarees and the craftsmen who create them continue to flourish and evolve and the tradition of the Master Craftsmen continues to form an integral part of the Indian ethos. Let Mrignayani take you through a magical journey of craftsmanship and acquaint you with the unique nuances which make the sarees of Madhya Pradesh so special.

TUSSAR SAREES: SENSUOUS SHADES IN SILK:
Tussar Silk, also known as Kosa Silk, is valued for its purity and texture. Kosa Silk is drawn from cocoons especially grown on Arjun, Saja or Sal trees. Available naturally in shades of gold-pale, dark, honey, tawny, baccoto beige, creamy, etc. Tussar Silk is considered an ideal as well as auspicious wear for marriages, religious ceremonies and other important functions. This original rich gold shade Tussar is dyed with colors of a very special hue and depth. Earlier only natural dyes were used which included yellow from the palaas flame of the forest, the Kusum Flower, the rich red pollen dust of the Rora Flower and the deep rose red from Lac. But with time the range of color and motifs have increased dramatically.