The sarees of Balaramapuram

What is woven here

Balaramapuram cloth is fine cotton, with a soft handle and a clean look. Weavers make mundus, set-mundus and saris, usually in white or cream with a gold or coloured border. The weave is light and cool, and the cloth has long been worn in Kerala for Onam, temple visits and formal occasions. Some pieces have small checks or woven bands.

The craft and its people

Records suggest that the craft goes back to the early nineteenth century, when the rulers of Travancore invited weavers to settle here. Weavers still work from homes and cooperative societies. Many are from families that have woven for several generations.

Seeing it

The town is only a few kilometres from the state capital. Cooperative societies and weaving homes can be visited, and Thiruvananthapuram itself has major temples and a good museum. Many visitors come just before Onam.

A trail idea for Balaramapuram

1. Weavers' houses See fine cotton on handlooms, usually in a front room or a shed at the side of the house.
2. Handloom cooperative Look at plain and bordered pieces and ask how the weights are chosen.
3. Thiruvananthapuram The state capital, a short drive away, for temples and a day in the city.