Rare Chettinadu saris reveal a forgotten textile history at this Chennai exhibition

The checks, stripes and bold borders of Chettinadu saris carry a history that is easy to overlook. Kodu, Kattam, Korvai: The Sarees from the Houses of Chettinadu, currently on view at DakshinaChitra Museum, brings 20 historic cotton saris to a collection of 56, allowing their colours, patterns and weaving techniques to be seen alongside the memories surrounding them. Presented in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur, the exhibition brings together research, textiles and oral histories. We spoke to curator Bessie Cecil about the exhibition and the textile tradition it brings into focus.

Explore the checks, stripes and weaving techniques behind historic Chettinadu saris

“The title itself comes from the three main characteristics of these saris. Kodu means stripes, kattam means checks and korvai is a weaving technique,” Bessie explains. Together, they create the recognisable look of the textiles, with geometric patterns, strong borders and a palette of mustard, red, orange and maroon, alongside black, green and blue. The saris are estimated to be around 80 to 120 years old.

Yet, as Bessie points out, there is still much we do not know about them. “There isn’t much written about these saris. We wanted to look at the collective knowledge, the people who are connected to them and their memories,” she says. The saris were collected from Chettiar homes, with references suggesting they were woven in Kottaiyur, but their precise histories remain difficult to establish. “Who really wore these cotton saris is a question mark,” Bessie says.

For Bessie, visitors should first be allowed to experience the textiles for themselves. “They’ll see the lines and the checks, the beauty and the colour palette, the balance and the scale. It speaks to you,” she smiles. She believes the visual experience should lead the way rather than a fixed interpretation.

Much of what is known about these saris exists through family memories and oral histories. Documenting those memories alongside the textiles becomes a way of preserving a history that could otherwise fade. For Bessie, the project ultimately rests on “collective memory and collaboration”, bringing together different perspectives to preserve this textile history.

On view till August 30, 10am onwards. At Kadambari Gallery, DakshinaChitra Museum, ECR.

Email: anoushkakundu@newindianexpress.com

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