A sari, to India is not just an ensemble, but an emblem of the country. Just like every spoke on the flag represents the states of India so does the sari. Its style, shade, colour and handwork is a reflection of the state it belongs to. A typical multi-coloured sari with bright hues and small dots called the Bandhej is surely a sari from Rajasthan, beautiful hand embroidery with thick threads and subtle colours is from Kashmir and the rich display of bright shades of gold blended in the threads of silk is nothing but the showcase of the rich heritage of South India.
Kanakavalli, a curated line of Kanjivarams is a first of a kind luxurious ensemble store that takes you in the ethereal world of golden tinted hues. The aroma of the place, the melodious raga playing in the background and the serene environment around gives us not just the peace to shop but makes us wander into a world of reverie and age golden era.
But that was just not enough for the founder owner, Ms Ahalya, her last prêt line showcase lived true to its theme the taste of Kanchipuram.
For the first time ever, boutique assembled an entire set-up of the place its saris belong to – Kanchipuram. Right from the food with a live counter ,teaching how to cook Kanchipuram Recipes to a textile researcher elucidating the tradition and inspiration of a Kanjivaram Sari.
It was like living the attire that was showcased around. The buyers, a witness to that event not just took back a 6 yard long tradition with them but also recipes and taste of authentic Kanchipuram food hosted and cooked by Rakesh Raghunathan. He is a food enthusiast, a chef and a TV Host who spends most of his time excavating age old recipes that have got lost in time.
And that’s not all, each buyer went enlightened after a session of understanding the purpose of each motif and colour that inspired the weaver to weave in the sari they bought. The session was undertaken by Sreemathy Mohan, a textile researcher and heritage enthusiast.