Soaking up vitamin sea and getting sun kissed in a saree with pattani kattam (tiny checks) and vine motifs on the border …
Photos: Vincent Boyer (Say hi on instagram @vincetravelbook)
Plaids or chequered sarees are a tremendously versatile choice of fabric that I believe suit most occasions all year round.
Chequered or grid patterns called Kattams in Tamil are an integral part of the design in a lot of handwoven textiles from various handloom weaving centres in Tamilnadu like Chettinad, Coimbatore, Madhurai, Gandhigram, Thanjavur, Erode, Kumbakonam, Rasipuram, Korukkathur, Palayamkottai, Aruppukottai and Kanchipuram.
From the coarse cottons, to floaty cotton silks and opulent silks, the weaves of Tamil Nadu offer wide choice. Striking colour blocks inspired by the madras check called palum pazhamum kattam in Tamil or stunning checkerboards framing woven motifs, to minute gingham and micro checks, fine metallic and silken pinstripes, these chequered patterns reflects the genius of the artisans through warp and weft interplay.
Palum Pazhamum means milk & fruit and the design originated in Kachipuram with contrast colours like red saree with green kattams. The checks, traditionally big and bold, eventually moved to other parts of the state and design variations came about.
It is believed that checks are the intersection of sacred points symbolic of temple mantapa’s, the inner sanctum where the diety resides. The different kind of multi-coloured checks, range from kottadi (small zari checks), vaira oosi (diamond needles), kasa kasa (poppy seeds) and muthu (pearl) to larger checks called papli are incorporated majorly into weaves from the state.
Every village in the state has its own traditional weave and except the silk Kanchipuram, most are very easy on the pocket as they are everyday wear.
I find a lot of the chequered cotton sarees from Tamilnadu very easy to wear and feel that they can be dressed up or down with ease. The silk-cotton saree in these photos most likely handwoven in Arni is something I have worn on a normal day to work, to fancy professional and traditional events as well as draped casually here over my swimsuit on a tropical road-trip by the coast.
I feel like checks were made to mix with other patterns and contrasting hues, throwing in a little colour block into the mix can only be fun. Like a plaid shirt is a staple in most wardrobes, sarees with similar designs look right at home in a whole spectrum of social situations.
I have been told that vertically challenged people such as myself should avoid the allure of loud chequer boards on fabrics but I decided long ago to bin such suggestions and wear pattern on pattern on pattern as much as my heart desires.
How do you like to wear your checks?
Pleats N Pallu 