Madurai Sungudi: Whispers of Migration and Assimilation in its Tie-Dyed Designs
The Madurai Sungudi is a sari with tie-dyed designs. It is produced by descendants of weavers who migrated from Saurashtra in Gujarat, a state in west India, to Madurai in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India, about four centuries ago. It tells a fascinating story of migration and assimilation.
Guest edited by Brinda Gill
In India, over the centuries, the patronage of rulers encouraged the crafting of beautiful handmade textiles. At times, rulers invited textile artisans from other regions to settle in their kingdoms. One such textile -that reflects migration and assimilation-is the Madurai Sungudi, a sari produced in the city of Madurai; a sari is a length of unstitched textile, draped around the body, worn by women.
Madurai, located in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India, is regarded as the cultural capital of the state. It is famous for its deeply revered centuries-old temple of Goddess Meenakshi whose four gateways still soar above the city’s 21st century skyline; the Madurai Sungudi that received the Geographical Indications tag in 2005; and its fragrant jasmine flowers called Madurai Malli that received the Geographical Indications tag in 2013.
Image: Designs are drawn on the cloth to guide the tying of knots for a Madurai Sungudi. Image Courtesy Satyajit S Gill. Image above: A diagonal grid with dots within each square in the body of a Madurai Sungudi. Image Courtesy Satyajit S Gill.
Guest edited by Brinda Gill
In India, over the centuries, the patronage of rulers encouraged the crafting of beautiful handmade textiles. At times, rulers invited textile artisans from other regions to settle in their kingdoms. One such textile -that reflects migration and assimilation-is the Madurai Sungudi, a sari produced in the city of Madurai; a sari is a length of unstitched textile, draped around the body, worn by women.
Madurai, located in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India, is regarded as the cultural capital of the state. It is famous for its deeply revered centuries-old temple of Goddess Meenakshi whose four gateways still soar above the city’s 21st century skyline; the Madurai Sungudi that received the Geographical Indications tag in 2005; and its fragrant jasmine flowers called Madurai Malli that received the Geographical Indications tag in 2013.
Image: Designs are drawn on the cloth to guide the tying of knots for a Madurai Sungudi. Image Courtesy Satyajit S Gill. Image above: A diagonal grid with dots within each square in the body of a Madurai Sungudi. Image Courtesy Satyajit S Gill.
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