Tanchoi
Dense, small-scale silk brocade woven in the same colour as the ground.
Tanchoi is a fine, compact silk weave with small woven motifs in the same or a subtly different colour, made with extra silk weft rather than gold thread. It is associated with Surat and Banaras. The surface looks smooth and quietly patterned, like a tone-on-tone jacquard.
What it is
Tanchoi is a type of woven silk in which small, dense patterns are formed by supplementary silk weft threads on a satin-like ground. The pattern threads are usually in a different shade from the ground, and the effect is subtle, with the design almost disappearing into the cloth. It is fine and lightweight compared with zari brocade, and has no metallic thread in the classic form, although versions with zari borders exist. The weave is fully woven with a jacquard, and a good tanchoi has a neat, even back with the extra thread bound in rather than floating. Tanchoi sarees are used for formal occasions, particularly in the Parsi community, where they are valued.
How it is made, step by step
Fine silk yarn is degummed, dyed and wound. A design is prepared on graph paper and converted into punched cards for a jacquard attachment, which lifts selected warp threads to build the pattern. The weaver sits at a loom with the jacquard above, throwing the shuttle by hand in many setups. In tanchoi, the extra weft is bound into the ground, usually in a satin weave, so the pattern shows as a subtle sheen against the base. Because the patterns are fine, a slender silk is used, and the weaving speed is slow, often a few inches a day. The cloth is lightly finished after weaving, and some are dyed in piece.
The motifs and looks it is known for
Classic tanchoi designs are small and closely spaced: birds, fish, flowers, paisleys, leaves and sprigs, often in a pattern called the jaal. The Parsi gara embroidery, a separate craft, sometimes complements tanchoi sarees. The woven motifs in tanchoi are tiny, often in the form of the Chinese-influenced bird and flower shapes seen on Parsi fabrics. Designs are repeated across the whole cloth with a border and pallu in the same language. Colours are usually jewel tones, such as deep green, red and blue, with the pattern in the same hue or a gentle contrast. The result is a polished, somewhat formal look with small gleaming shapes.
Where it is made
Surat in Gujarat was the early centre of tanchoi weaving, and the cloth became tied to Gujarati and Parsi communities. Today it is also made in Varanasi, where Banarasi weavers took up the technique, sometimes called Banarasi tanchoi, and in Bhagalpur and other silk centres. The weavers are generally male family members, and the supporting trades include dyers, card punchers and warp preparers. Much of the work has moved to powerlooms and semi-automatic looms, and handloom tanchoi is now limited. Customers include Parsi, Gujarati and Marwari families, and tanchoi blouses and sarees are also sold in the wider Indian market and abroad.
History in brief
The best known account says that tanchoi weaving came to Surat in the nineteenth century through Parsi merchants, who sent three Surat weavers, the Chhoi brothers, to China to learn the technique. The name is said to derive from the weavers, with tan standing for three and choi for the family name, though the origin of the name is told in different ways and cannot be treated as firm. Whatever the exact story, Chinese influence on the designs is clear, and the cloth was popular among Parsi women in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Later the style moved to Banaras. Today it is a niche weave and a heritage product.
Buying and caring for it
Check the back of the cloth. Real tanchoi shows a neat, compact structure with the pattern woven in and no long floating threads. A cheap printed version has flat colour on the face and a plain back. The cloth should feel smooth, fine and slightly crisp. Ask whether it is pure silk, handloom or powerloom, and look for a silk mark. Check the closeness of the motifs, which should be small and well defined. Dry clean only and avoid water spotting. Store folded in muslin and refold along different lines from time to time. Keep away from sharp objects and rough jewellery which can pull the fine silk threads.
Where to look
- Surat tanchoi: The original Gujarat weave associated with Parsi taste.
- Banarasi tanchoi: Varanasi version of the weave, in fine silk with small motifs.
- Parsi tanchoi saree: A formal silk saree in jewel tones with small birds and flowers.
- Tanchoi jaal: Closely spaced all-over network of tiny motifs.
- Tanchoi with gara: Tanchoi paired with Parsi gara embroidery on border or pallu.
- Kinkhab tanchoi: Fine silk brocade related to Surat weaving heritage.
Care
- Dry clean only and avoid water spotting.
- Store folded in muslin and refold from time to time.
- Keep away from rough jewellery that can snag fine silk.
Sources and further reading
Original text by the EveryPallu desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Tanchoi on EveryPallu
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