When we talk about classic Indian clothes one of the top authentic Indian dresses is the Indian Lehenga. Chanderi is a traditional ethnic fabric which is soft,lightweight, translucent and has a characteristic sheen to it. Chanderi fabric is produced by weaving in silk and golden Zari in the traditional cotton yarn that results in the creation of the shimmering texture. Hence chanderi lehengas are adorned and loved by Indian women in all corners of the world as it is a quintessential sort after attire, for they offer the delicate scintillating sheen. It is highly sophisticated.
History
Chanderi is a small town popularly known as the ‘handloom city’, situated in the Ashoknagar district of Madhya Pradesh. The history of the Chanderi fabrics can be dated back to the 13th or 14th century and during the Mughal reign, popularity of this fabric reached new heights and was called as the golden period of chanderi weaving. It is the most favoured fabric choice of the queens and the royal families of that time and the The Maharani of Baroda patronized the Chanderi weaving so much that she could identify the finesse of the fabric simply by rubbing it on her cheeks, and paid the weaver accordingly. Fine quality luxurious Chanderi turbans were woven exclusively for the Maratha rulers back then. History has it that Keshti weavers in 1350 , migrated from Jhansi and settled in Chanderi only to make the fabric more illustrious. A Mythological story reference says that the first Chanderi fabric was found and introduced by Lord Krishna’s cousin Sishishupala.
Process of weaving
Cotton yarn is transformed into the shimmering, transparent Chanderi material through a technique of weaving silk and zari threads into the base material.The fabric is made up of warp, the lengthwise stretched out set of threads, through which weft is woven into. It may take upto ten or more days for completing a design depending on the intricacy of the design.But with the introduction of Fly Shuttle looms, the process has become more faster and easier, and one weaver can weave an entire fabric.Chanderi fabric making is one of the ingenious handlooms of India, and is a community-driven program. There are approximately 3600 active looms in Chanderi, and women actively engage in the weaving process . Initially, the color palette of Chanderi fabrics were predominantly ruled by soft pastel hues, which used natural dyes like saffron to give it a golden hue and flower extracts . However with changing times, vibrant combinations of red and black, turquoise and navy blue and green were introduced.
Motifs and patterns
Motifs created using chanderi weaving are inspired from nature and include Swans, gold coins, fruits, flowers,peacock,lous,temples and heavenly bodies.Today there are modern geometric patterns and mehendi design patterns adorning the chanderi fabric.These motifs are primarily hand woven on handloom, with the use of needles on the fabric with needles. Weavers coat these motifs with gold, silver as well as copper.
Types
Chanderi fabric is of three major types — pure cotton chanderi, silk chanderi and silk-cotton chanderi. There are different types of chanderi designer lehenga choli, including straight cut, circular cut or mermaid style lehenga.They are often embellished with Indian works like cutdana, beads, aari, chikankari, sequins, stones, dori, dubka and much more.
Occasions to flaunt chanderi lehenga
Depending upon the type of embellishments ,these lehengas can be worn to appropriate occasions. Chanderi lehenga cholis are perfect for special occasions like mehendi functions and festivals, since they have a delicate and shiny appearance with simplicity.These Indian Lehenga also make a stunning wedding attire to be worn by the guests and the bridesmaids. The bridesmaids can all flaunt a simple chanderi lehenga with minimal sequin work of different pastel colours.
Chanderi bridal lehenga
Brides often opt for the sheer, gorgeous Chanderi silk lehenga with exquisite embroideries to adorn their special day. Usually Bridal lehenga is very heavy due to the embellishments and the fabric by itself. But, Chaderi lehenga comes as a saviour to brides who cannot put up with heavy clothes as the chanderi fabric by itself is light and airy. Now, having said that, these lehengas look nothing less of a usual bridal lehenga.They look equally sophisticated, royal and are perfect for brides who like to dance on their wedding day.
Jewellery
For a golden silk work chanderi lehenga flaunt gold jewellery and for silver work lehenga, wear silver or metal jewellery that are ethnic or ones with a modern twist .If you love to incorporate some drama in your style,go for huge earrings, ear cuffs or danglers, jewellery,and traditional makeup accessories like bindhi, jhumka and maang tikka . Adorn yourself with jasmine flowers going around a neat hair bun or just a gajra will do. This look is sure to make heads turn as it would look super desi like a Bollywood queen.
Maintenance
Use a mild detergent and dip the fabric in cold water. Avoid rubbing the fabric rigorously, instead rinse it gently. Due to its lightweight, these fabrics are delicate and should not be weighed down with other clothes.
