By Abir Pothi
The allure of Chanderi’s creations extended to numerous royal households, including those in Gwalior, Indore, Kolhapur, Baroda, and Nagpur. These exquisite textiles graced important occasions like childbirth and weddings within these noble families.
Nestled within Chanderi lies a tapestry of looms, predominantly congregated in an enclave known as ‘Bahar Shahar‘. In this district, the thoroughfares come alive with the rhythmic clatter of looms, each artisan proudly overseeing a minimum of 2 to 4 of these contraptions (culminating in an impressive total of over 3500 looms within this small township!)
Among the array of captivating motifs gracing Chanderi fabric, notable ones include ‘Nalferma,’ ‘Chatai,’ ‘Dandidar,’ ‘Jangla,’ ‘Ashrafi,’ ‘Bundi,’ ‘Churi,’ and ‘Keri.’
In recent times, the collaboration between fashion designers and Chanderi weavers has led to the creation of trendy wardrobe staples.