The House

Kalavastram is a house for handloom silk. The name joins kala, art, and vastram, a garment.

We work with sarees woven in Yeola, Maheshwar, Kanchipuram, Varanasi and the tussar belt. Each piece is taken as it is woven: one saree, with its own blouse length.

Yeola Paithani

The Paithani was born in Paithan and is woven today in Yeola. Silk and zari carry the peacock, the lotus and the oblique border. The new collection in the house is from this loom.

Maheshwari

Maheshwar stands on the Narmada. The saree is light, often a silk warp with a fine check, a stripe, and a border that can be worn either way. It was kept alive under Ahilyabai Holkar, and the town still weaves it.

Kanjivaram

Kanchipuram weaves a heavy mulberry silk. The border is joined to the body in the korvai technique, often in a contrasting colour, and the temple motif is a familiar edge. These are the sarees kept for a wedding.

Banarasi

Varanasi brocade is woven with zari. A jangla is an all-over vine. A kadhua buta is woven motif by motif, so the gold sits only where the pattern is. Meenakari adds colour beside the gold.

Tussar

Tussar, also called tasar, is wild silk. The thread is uneven, and the colour is a natural gold before any dye. It is woven in Bhagalpur and in parts of central India.

Colour on a screen is a guide. Handloom silk changes between noon and lamplight. If you are choosing for a wedding, write to us and we will describe the piece plainly.

Every order is placed, paid and billed on this website. We ship insured, within India.