International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development-– Volume 6 Issue 2, Mar-Apr 2023 Available at www.ijsred.com Visual Research of the motifs found on traditional Arani Silk Sarees in Tamil Nadu, India using semiotic analysis Janani Thiyagarajan*, Nitin Arun Kulkarni** *(Textile Design, Arni Silk HWCS Society-H.H.106, and Arni Email: jenniarchfashion@gmail.com) **(Masters of Design Space, National Institute of Fashion Technology, and Mumbai Email: nitindrak@gmail.com) ----------------------------------------************************---------------------------------- Abstract: The Arani silk saree is one of the oldest, traditionally crafted styles of silk sarees worn in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is famous for its lightweight designs and simplicity. Until 1995, only small motifs or buttas were created on traditional Arni silk sarees using a technique called “Jungu” or “Adai”. Later Jacquards were introduced to weave wide varieties of contemporary and trendy designs. However, the traditional, simple motifs are still in vogue. They use temple architecture as an inspiration, and motifs are named after objects and natural phenomena that have deep cultural significance. In order to keep up with contemporary fashion and style and to create fresh visual setups, these motifs are placed on different parts of the saree and are used in combination with vibrant colours, different varieties of zaris and small variations of buttas. These innovations expand the commercial appeal of the saree and allow weavers to have a steady income, while staying true to the culture and tradition. The aim of our research is to explore various traditional motifs found in Arani silk sarees, to decipher the cultural connotation behind these symbols and motifs using semiotic analysis techniques, and to understand the visual themes these motifs are meant to convey. Keywords — Arni Silk Saree,Visual Research, Semiotic Analysis ----------------------------------------************************---------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION Arni town is located in the Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu, South India. It is famous for silk weaving and agriculture. In Tamil, Aru means river, and Ani means adorning. Arani means a place made beautiful by rivers. Walking through the streets of Kosapalayam, Devikapuram, Saidapet, and Onnupuram in the Arani area, you can see the silk yarn stretched throughout the length of the street. This is a preparatory process of warp yarn called street sizing, a pre-loom process. Every member of the family gets involved in making the saree. The distinctive feature of this silk saree is the korvai and thazhampoo rekku on the borders. The length of the saree is 6.2 meters, and the breath of the saree is 1.2 meters. Both frame looms and pit looms are used to weave the saree. The type of silk used for both warp and weft is mulberry. In terms of design, graph sheets were used to develop the motifs. When jacquard was introduced, the designs and motifs were heavily influenced by the designs of Kanchipuram, a silk city one hour away from Arani. Before jacquards, local designers were involved in design development through the Adai and Dobby techniques. The design was first hand sketched and enlarged in graph. A butta, or motif, was created using this graph on Adai, and cards were punched for a jacquard loom. At present, due to tremendous advancements in technology, graphs are developed in software and cards are automatically punched using a card punching machine. Electronic jacquards are also used in this area for the production of striking silk sarees. ISSN : 2581-7175 ©IJSRED: All Rights are Reserved Page 1