Textile-1-Silk Route-Kanchi Mysore

Silk Route - A Textile Journey Through Mysore and Kanchi

Duration: 5 Days, 4 Nights

Departure from: Bengaluru

Interests: Arts & Culture, Faith & Beliefs, History & Context

Type: Small Group, Expert led

Introduction

One of the seven sacred cities of India, Kanchipuram is a well-known pilgrimage destination. The unique silk sarees of Kanchi are as, if not more, well-known. Kanjeevaram or Kanchipuram sarees are known for their gold and silver thread work, which is woven on silk. On this unique journey, you will get to see the wonderful temples of Kanchi as well as interact with the weavers who create these wonderful sarees.

A very interesting thing to observe in the Mysore silk sarees is the way in which the finest gold threads are intricately incorporated into the borders to create dazzling zari borders. The zari borders are a characteristic of the Mysore silk sarees and give them their special identity. The whole process leaves one with a sense of fascination and wonder.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Temples of Kanchipuram

We start early morning (6:00 am) from Bengaluru and drive towards the temple town of Kanchi. The place where every house resonates with the rhythmic click clack of looms. The gorgeous Kanchipuram sarees in pure silk and cotton are woven here in Kanchi. After taking the darshan of Kanchi Kamakshi, we will spend the afternoon exploring the gorgeous temples of Kanchi, including the Ekambareshwara temple where Lord Shiv is worshipped in the form of Earth, one of the five elements. We also explore the exquisitely built Kailashnath temple built by the Pallava kings in 8th century. Spend the evening getting to know each other over dinner.

Day 2 – Weavers of Kanchipuram

We spend the day visiting weavers and understanding the process of Kanchipuram saree weaving. Traditionally, Kanchipuram sarees are woven using the Korvai technique, where the pallu and the border are woven separately from the body of the saree and are then interlocked manually in a painstaking process. We will learn about the traditional motifs used in weaving a Kanchi saree and their cultural significance.

We will also visit the co-opted showroom to learn more about their vintage Kanchipuram Revival project, where old Kanchi saree colour combinations and motifs were revived after studying vintage sarees. This is the time to shop till you drop. If time permits, we will visit the Kanchi Kudil. A 100 year old house built in traditional style. Kanchi Kudil will provide you with a glimpse of the life of people in Kanchi as it used to be in olden times.

Day 3 – Bangalore

Drive to Bangalore and check in to a hotel. The day is free to relax and rejuvanate. You can explore sights of Bangalore such as Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, Bangalore Palace and shopping on your own.

Day 4 – History and Heritage of Mysore

From Bengaluru, we drive towards the beautiful, tranquil city of Mysore. En route, we stop at Maddur to taste the famous Maddur Vada. We reach Mysore by afternoon. After visiting the famous Chamundi temple and the beautiful palace of Mysore, the monument that receives the most number of visitors per day in the entire world we relax for the day.

Day 5 – Mysore Silk

This morning we visit the KSIC factory in Mysore, where the beautiful Mysore Silk sarees are woven. Mysore Silk sarees are known for their unique weave, smooth texture and minimalist design. These gorgeous silk saris are produced at the country’s oldest silk manufacturing unit the Mysore Silk Weaving Factory at Mysore. Established more than a 100 years ago in 1912, by the then Maharaja of Mysore, the Mysore Silk Weaving Factory is the only unit authorized to manufacture this multi-hued fabric out of pure silk and golden jari. Mysore silks are woven on a power loom and come in over 300 colour shades!

Drive to Bangalore and experience a scrumptious highway lunch on the way. Tour ends in Bangalore by around 6 pm (tentatively).

Tour Highlights

• Varadharaja Perumal Temple - Varadaraja Perumaal temple, one of the celebrated Vaishnava Divya Desams, is in Vishnu Kanchi, or the little Kanchi. Its vast temple campus is an amalgamation of embellishments over several centuries. This temple is also an important religious center, and is one of the well visited temples in Tamilnadu • Kamakshi Amman Temple - The Kamakshi Temple is an ancient Hindu Temple dedicated to Kamakshi, one of the forms of Goddess. It is located in the historic city of Kanchipuram, near Chennai, India. The Temple was most probably built by the Pallava kings, whose capital was Kanchipuram. • Silk Weavers of Kanchipuram - The sarees are weaved from pure mulberry silk thread. The pure mulberry silk used in the making of Kanchipuram saris comes from South India and the zari comes from Gujarat. To weave a Kanchipuram sari three shuttles are used. While the weaver works on the right side, his aide works on the left side shuttle. • Chamundi Temple, Mysore - Chamundi Hill is about 13 kms from Mysore, which is a prominent city in Karnataka State, India. Chamundi Hills is famous not only in India but also abroad. Atop of the hill the famous Sri Chamundeswari Temple. ‘Chamundi’ or ‘Durga’ is the fierce form of ‘Shakti’ • Mysore Palace - Mysore's proud possession and one of India's most visited attractions, Mysore Palace is an incredible man-made edifice. It is a palatial structure that tells many tales of India's complex and intriguing past. This palace was once a royal residence of the mighty Wodeyar rulers, who ruled Mysore for seven centuries. • KSIC Factory - The silk weaving factory in Mysore, presently owned by KSIC, was established in the year 1912 by the Maharaja of Mysore province. Initially the silk fabrics were manufactured & supplied to meet the requirements of the royal family and ornamental fabrics to their armed forces. Detailed Tour Logistics

Duration: 5 Days, 4 Nights

Departure from: Bengaluru

Exact Departure location: Namma Metro station, MG Road, Bangaluru

Departure time: 0600 hrs on date of departure

Drop location on return: Namma Metro station, MG Road, Bengaluru

Drop time: Expected to be around 1800 hrs on the last day of the itinerary.