Silken Riches and Historic Lineages

Jaypore Journeys, in collaboration with Breakaway, presents a curated journey to experience Tamil Nadu’s textile traditions and historical riches.

A land infused with cultural wonders, historical vortexes and perhaps the best South Indian food you can imagine, we dip into weaves from India’s Great South. Tamil Nadu’s diverse world of textiles, their humility, spiritual residence and pathways to the past may give you another perspective into why the South has it best.

South Indian textiles have a glorious tradition going back about 50 centuries nourished by the creative and innovative energies of its craftsmen.

Experience Tamil Nadu’s India’s textile traditions, from the silken weaves of Kanchipuram to Madurai’s Chungadi sarees - one of the most appreciated traditions in India. Meet some fine craftsmen, walk among the elaborate temple carvings of this region and connect with stories that have kept these century-old riches alive. Get set for an experience worth a thousand counts.

An exploration into textile traditions from the South leads us to one of India’s iconic textile hubs with nothing but the finest and most valuable fabrics and yarns.

We spend time with the Qualamkars, textile craftsmen who are working hard to keep the traditions of handloom and hand printing textiles from the south alive. Here we visit their Handloom Weaving Centre and interact with some of the painters and handloom weavers and chat with our textile expert on fabrics and the traditional textiles in India.

In one of South India's holiest temple cities, you'll discover one of its most divine weaves. From the angavastram of the Gods to the kornad sari of their devotees, Kanchipuram is perfect for the textile devotee. At Madurai, famous for its Chungadi saris, we get a look into how a printing technique from the North has blended into the traditional textiles from the South. Also famous are the white veshtis (dhoti) with zari borders which are known for their sturdy quality.

Enjoy the French Quarters in Pondicherry, characteristic of a colonial architecture and steeped in culture residences. Visit Auroville and the hand painted silk and organic khadi design studios .

Taste the historical relevance of Tamil Nadu at the Mylapore Kapaleshwara Temple, a 7th century pyramid architectural marvel symbolic of Dravidian design, among the walls of the Tanjore Temple and as you grace the Chettinad Palace. Also visit the Meenakshi Temple, a historic Hindu temple harboring the south side of the Vaigai river. It houses 14 massive temple gateway towers and is one of the most significant religious symbols for the locals and dates back to 1600 CE.

Indulge in traditional curries, buttered puris and assorted lentil delights with fresh coconut garnishes modestly placed in a Thali serving.

Venture into the stories and traditions that have created the fabric of contemporary India and provided the world with some of the finest threads and most sought after textiles.

Trip Dates:

29th Jan to 4th February, 2018