Summary: Chhunchi, an emerging name in the Indian fashion and handloom industry, has widened its collection with the launch of the Khandua sarees, a traditional and spiritual arts from Odisha.
The Pune-based brand Chhunchi has already marked its name in the Indian clothing industry by launching authentic handloom sarees from different parts of the country. They have now unveiled a new addition, the Khandua saree, to their constantly growing collection. With this launch, Chhunchi is slowly accomplishing its mission of keeping the handloom tradition alive.
The art of handloom is slowly falling into oblivion, but by adding this to their collection, Chhunchi is standing by its motive of making the art famous and known in the Indian clothing market. The fact that Khandua sarees are still an underrated art makes it more vulnerable to being forgotten, but by launching them, Chhunchi is making them reach the right people.
Khandua Sarees have their origin in Odisha and are deep-rooted in spirituality. It is often called the temple silk of Odisha and is offered to Lord Jagannath in Puri. More than just being a mere piece of clothing, they are a long-lasting heritage. The Khandua sarees perhaps came into existence in the 12th century AD, precisely for performing rituals at the Lord Jagannath Temple.
They were made in colours like red, maroon, cream, and yellow and had texts from Gita Govinda written on them, a celebrated song composed by an Indian poet, Jayadev, back in the 12th century. The texts talk about the pure and pious relationship between Krishna, Radha, and the Gopis.
The khandua pata saree was first hand-woven and then taken to the Jagannath Temple, and it was the standard practice during the reign of the Gajapatis. The King, Paramananda Paranaika used to offer this saree to Lord Jagannath, which was made on just one piece using Khandua Silk. Slowly, the famous regional dancers from Odisha started wearing Khandua sarees during their performances, both nationally and globally, trying to represent its importance.
The features and designs of the Khandua sarees also stand out and are made using silk and cotton fabrics, and Odisha’s famous Ikat weaving style, which is similar to Sambalpuri Sarees, where every single thread is tie-dyed before being woven into sarees so that the motifs appear symmetrical on both sides of the fabric.
As a traditional practice, the borders of the sarees have conches, rudrakhsha beads, stars, lotuses, fish, deer, lions, elephants, and mythological creatures like Nabagunjara, showing its influence from nature. Every motif represents different aspects of nature, mythology, and spirituality, which gives the sarees a deeper meaning rather than just being a piece of cloth.
Coming from the villages of the Maniabandha and Nuapatna, Khandua sarees are still woven and produced here, and Nuapatna has the largest number of Khandua sarees weavers in all of Odisha, about 10,000 weavers, whereas Maniabandha has about 3,500 weavers. To weave a single saree requires exceptional skills, which include selecting the right thread and putting it into the dyed warp to create the patterns and motifs. It takes several hours to weave just one saree, which shows how delicate and sheer the craftsmanship goes into the work.
Many locals of these two villages rely largely on this craft and technique, and something they learnt from their previous generations, which is why weaving Khandua sarees is considered a legacy. Building its legacy, Chhunchi has been in contact with the weavers directly to source the authentic sarees from these villages so the true art is not compromised. By being conscious of the art of handloom, Chhunchi is standing consistent with its vision.
Stating the same, the founder of the brand has shared her thought, “Khandua sarees has always held an important place in the Odisha because of its spiritual relation with the Lord Jagannath. We were aware of how intricate the weaving process it involves and at the same time, how the art is threatened to lose its identity seeing so many replicas being sold in the market. By launching this handloom art, we just provided it the right platform to reach the right people.”
At present, the new collection has handpicked sarees in different colours and motifs, each staying true to its art. Considering the hard work and time spent in weaving them, they are priced just right. Everything, right from the material used to the weaving process and the care instructions, is shared on the website to help customers keep the freshness of these sarees after wearing them alive and intact.
Despite being recognized in the online fashion industry for featuring famous handloom sarees like Banarasi, Kanjeevaram, and Paithani, Chhunchi is not stopping, and rather bringing handloom arts that are lesser-known and rare. Given how fast the fashion scene is changing, Chhunchi has realised the need of diverting people to something that lasts for decades and generations.
As they have vowed to serve both the artisans and the customers, they will keep on bringing such arts and expand the collection by adding more new pieces. Chhunchi, the online handloom store, has finally been able to bridge the gap between the artisans and customers and will continue to do so.