Art of Traditional Bandhani Silk Sarees by Tulsi Silks

A Brief History

Bandhani silk sarees are one of the traditional Indian sarees that are characterized by their tie-dye patterns. The word "bandhani" is derived from the Sanskrit root word “bandh”  which means "to tie". This refers to the process of creating intricate tie-dye designs on the Bandhani silk sarees. It is to be noted that Bandhani is the oldest form of tie and dye and the first Bandhani saree dates back to the Indus Valley Civilisation around 4000 B.C.

The Process 

Making a Bandhani silk saree requires a lot of skill, patience and passion. The fabrics that were used to make Bandhani sarees traditionally were delicate silk, and mulmul cotton but now other fabrics like georgette, chiffon and crepe are also used to make Bandhani sarees. 

To make a bandhani saree, a designer creates the desired pattern by using a wooden or plastic layout that has colours and a skilled artisan begins by tying small, tight knots in the fabric as per the design. The artisans wear a metal ring that makes it easier to pick and tie these knots.

The saree is then dyed starting with the lighter shades first and then dried and washed and the process is again done with the darker shades. This process is repeated until the desired pattern is achieved.

Bandhani is usually made of natural colours, especially blue, green, yellow and black. Every colour used in the making of a bandhani saree is traditionally tied to culture. Red represents love and relationships and is considered auspicious for married women, yellow relates to spring, new beginnings and happiness, green is considered an earthly colour and dark colours like black are related to mourning and loss. These colours are obtained from organic sources like dried mango powder, rusted iron pieces, lime juice, turmeric, pomegranate peel, flowers, etc.

The part of the saree below the knots remains undyed and then the saree is untied revealing the intricate, swirling patterns that are the hallmark of the bandhani style. The final step in the process of making a Bandhani saree is to carefully wash and dry the fabric. This ensures that the colours are set and the saree is ready to be worn.  

Overall, the process of making a Bandhani saree is a labour-intensive and time-consuming endeavour. However, the end result is a beautiful and unique piece of clothing that carries so much elegance and the labour of the artisans.

Geographical Presence

The art of creating bandhani sarees has been passed down through generations of Indian artisans, and each region of India has its unique style of bandhani. The most famous regions for bandhani sarees are the state of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and

Tamil Nadu. Bandhani in Tamil Nadu is known by the name Chungudi. The popularity of bandhani sarees has grown in recent years, and women of all ages now wear them for special occasions such as weddings and religious festivals. The traditional bandhani sarees are expensive due to their intricate craftsmanship, and many people collect them as works of art.

Bandhani Silk Sarees Collection

If you are looking for a good collection of authentic Bandhani silk sarees then you can trust Tulsi Silks without a second thought. At Tulsi Silks you get to see the exclusive range of different types of Bandhani silk sarees from Gajji silk bandhani saree, bandhani chaniya silk saree to bandhani matka tussar saree. The Bandhani silk sarees collection at Tulsi Silks features a wide range of colours, including bright shades like blue, green, orange and yellow, as well as more muted tones like magenta, beige, rusty red, purple and grey. Each saree is hand-dyed by skilled artisans, which means that no two sarees are exactly alike.

Tulsi Silks is on a mission to carry forward the rich heritage and tradition of sarees for generations to come and to support the weavers’ community to do their work of art with continued passion and reward them for it. And Tulsi Silks takes pride in doing it in a way that satisfies the needs of our customers as well as contributing to carrying the legacy and richness of Indian textiles to people all over the world.

Shop Bandhani Silk Sarees from our website or visit our shop to experience our Indian heritage and tradition in person.

Read our other blogs to know more about sarees, hacks to maintain silk sarees and styling tips.