Vasundhara

Chanderi in 2-Ply Mulberry Silk Warp & 120s Cotton Weft With Chatai Border and Konark Sun Motifs

This Chanderi is woven in a balanced construction of 2-ply mulberry silk warp in the body and 120s cotton weft, creating a fabric that is luminous yet breathable, sheer yet structurally grounded. The silk warp lends depth, glow, and tensile strength, while the fine-count cotton weft ensures softness, air circulation, and a controlled fall. The result is a gossamer silk–cotton field that carries light with composure.

The borders are woven in 120s cotton warp, forming a disciplined Chatai weave structure. The Chatai motif is among the older geometric vocabularies within Chanderi’s design language, rooted in mat-like interlocking forms that predate many of the later floral adaptations. Its grid discipline reflects architectural thinking rather than ornamentation. The cotton borders give strength and structure to the gossamer silk–cotton body, anchoring its translucence with quiet stability. They frame the fabric without disturbing its air-like quality, structure holding luminosity in place.

Across the entire body, more than 126 well-spaced stylised Konark-inspired sun motifs are woven using the extra-weft technique. Each motif is inserted with precision, creating a measured rhythm across the field. Executed in gold thread with a subtle meenakari centre, the suns introduce solar geometry, radiant yet restrained.

The sun motif sits deeply within India’s symbolic heritage. Across temple architecture, royal insignia, and textile traditions, the sun represents vitality, sovereignty, victory, and cosmic order. The Konark reference evokes not just ornament, but endurance, the idea of movement, continuity, and triumphant energy. Woven repeatedly across the body, the motif becomes both aesthetic and symbolic punctuation.

Technically, this saree demands advanced loom discipline. Managing a silk warp against fine-count cotton weft requires calibrated tension to preserve transparency. Extra-weft insertion must remain perfectly aligned to prevent distortion. The Chatai border repeat must hold its precision across the full length.

This saree is woven by Ansal Ansari and Sarai Ansari, members of the Ansari heritage weaving community, a lineage embedded across historic North Indian weaving clusters. Their generational knowledge governs fibre balance, motif spacing, and structural clarity.

Silk for luminosity, Cotton for balance, Chatai for structure, Konark suns for symbolism - This is Chanderi in disciplined radiance, geometry, light, history, and heritage woven into one continuous field.