Buy Pattu Silk Sarees Online
Pattu is South India's pure mulberry silk tradition, temple borders, contrast pallus and traditional zari, woven on handlooms in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Every price shown includes GST.
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About Pattu Silk Saree on KalaHubIndia
Pattu simply means silk in Tamil and Telugu. The word covers the wider South Indian silk saree family worn for weddings, temple visits and festivals, rather than one single weave. Kanchipuram, Arni and Dharmavaram are the principal weaving centres, and each has its own handling of border, body and pallu.
What distinguishes a pattu saree is its construction. Mulberry silk is woven on handlooms with zari, a metallic thread historically made by drawing silver wire and gilding it with gold. Temple borders, named after the stepped gopuram silhouette of South Indian temples, contrast pallus in a colour deliberately set against the body, and motifs such as rudraksham checks, mango and peacock are the traditional design vocabulary.
Pattu is broader and often lighter than a full korvai Kanjivaram, where body, border and pallu are woven separately and interlocked at the loom. A lightweight pattu suited to a temple visit or a family function and a heavy bridal silk are both pattu; the difference is silk weight, zari density and weaving time.
Pattu listings on KalaHubIndia are being onboarded from South Indian weaving partners. Each listing, when live, names the weaver-partner behind it, so the weave, the zari used and the time a piece took are described by the maker rather than a generic catalogue. If you are looking for a specific weave, region or colour that is not live yet, tell us on our contact page and we will source it from our weaving partners. Listed prices include GST, so the amount on the product page is the amount you pay.
How a Pattu Saree Is Woven
Step 01
Silk thread selection
Pure mulberry silk threads are selected and tested for strength. Only threads that hold tension on the loom are taken forward.
Step 02
Dyeing and preparation
Threads are dyed using traditional methods, and each colour batch is checked for consistency and colour fastness before it is wound.
Step 03
Zari thread making
Zari is prepared by drawing silver wire and gilding it, then twisting it around a silk core. Each thread is finer than a strand of hair.
Step 04
Handloom weaving
Weavers work on traditional pit looms, interlacing thousands of silk and zari threads. A single saree can take 15 to 45 days depending on zari density.
Step 05
Quality inspection
Each saree is checked for thread count, zari consistency, colour uniformity and weaving precision before it leaves the loom.
Step 06
Finishing and packaging
The saree is washed, pressed and packed for dispatch, with the weaver-partner named on the listing it came from.
Pattu vs Kanjivaram vs Banarasi
Pattu is the South Indian pure silk family as a whole, defined by temple borders, contrast pallus and zari work, woven across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Kanjivaram is a specific weave within that family, made in and around Kanchipuram. Its defining feature is korvai construction, where body, border and pallu are woven separately in heavier mulberry silk and interlocked at the loom, which gives a Kanjivaram its weight and its sharp colour break at the border.
Banarasi is a North Indian tradition from Varanasi. It is silk brocade rather than South Indian pattu, built on a Mughal-era vocabulary of kalga motifs, bel vines and jhallar borders. All three are silk, but the weave structure, the motif language and the region differ.
How to Identify and Care for a Pattu Saree
- Pure mulberry silk has a warm, natural sheen rather than a flat plastic-like shine.
- Real zari is soft and pliable, and does not shed colour when rubbed gently.
- Handloom weaves carry small irregularities; power-loom fabric is uniformly machine-perfect.
- The reverse of a handwoven pattu shows the weave structure clearly, with no printed or glued finish.
- Dry clean only, and avoid home washing with detergent.
- Store folded in soft cotton or muslin cloth, and refold every three months so the zari does not crack along one line.
- Keep the saree away from direct sunlight to protect the zari and the dye.
- Never spray perfume or deodorant directly on the silk, and air the saree for a couple of hours after each wear before storing.
Pattu Silk Saree FAQs
What is a pattu saree?
Pattu means silk in Tamil and Telugu. A pattu saree is a South Indian silk saree woven on handlooms from mulberry silk with zari work, typically featuring temple borders, a contrast pallu and traditional motifs, and worn for weddings, festivals and temple visits.
What is the difference between a pattu and a Kanjivaram saree?
Kanjivaram is one weave within the pattu family. It is made in and around Kanchipuram using korvai construction, where body, border and pallu are woven separately in heavier silk and interlocked at the loom. Pattu is the wider South Indian silk category, which also includes lighter Arni and Dharmavaram weaves.
How do I know if my pattu saree is pure silk?
Pure mulberry silk has a warm, uneven sheen, feels cool and heavy for its size, and shows small handloom irregularities in the weave. Real zari stays soft and does not shed colour. A burn test on a loose thread is the traditional check: silk smells like burnt hair and leaves a brittle ash, while synthetic fibre melts into a hard bead.
What is the difference between pattu and Banarasi silk?
Pattu is South Indian, woven in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh with temple borders and contrast pallus. Banarasi is North Indian silk brocade from Varanasi, built on Mughal-era kalga and bel motifs. Both are silk, but the weave structure, motif vocabulary and region are different.
Are pattu sarees suitable for weddings?
Yes. Heavier pattu silks with dense zari and a grand pallu are traditionally worn for South Indian weddings, muhurtham and receptions, while lighter pattu weaves suit festivals, temple visits and family functions.
Do pattu saree prices on KalaHubIndia include GST?
Yes. Every price shown on KalaHubIndia is GST inclusive, so the amount on the product page is the amount you pay at checkout.
Can a pattu saree be returned?
Yes. A pattu saree can be returned within the window set out in our return policy, provided it is unused and in its original packaging. Made-to-order and personalised pieces are excluded.
Do you have pattu sarees in stock right now?
Pattu listings are still being onboarded from our South Indian weaving partners, so this page may show few or no live pieces today. Tell us on our contact page what weave, region or colour you are looking for and we will source it rather than list a lookalike.
Related buying guides and categories
Explore korvai woven Kanjivaram silk sarees
Learn how Kanchipuram origin and korvai construction define this premium pattu tradition.
Browse all handwoven sarees
Compare live saree traditions across the main collection.
Compare Banarasi silk sarees
See how North Indian brocade differs from South Indian silk.