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Where to buy Kerala Kasavu Saree in Kochi

Wondering where to buy Kerala kasavu saree in Kochi? Don't worry! I am sharing few of my favourite shops for Kerala Kasavu Saree shopping in Kochi. In the image shown below, I am wearing a Kerala kasavu full tissue saree from Ramachandran Handlooms, it glows like molten gold and is perfect for evening functions. 

Kerala Kasavu Saree shopping in Kochi: How to get started

Few popular places to buy Kerala Kasavu Saree in Kochi would be as follows:

1. Kasavu Kada

2. Ramachandran Handloom

3. Karalkada

4. Parthas

5. The Chennai Silks

6. Pothys

I will go into the details of each shop and what I like about each of these shops that are renowned for stocking the best quality Kerala kasavu sarees for every occasion including engagement function and even the traditional Kerala wedding function.

Kerala Kasavu Saree: Authentic vs Affordable Kerala Kasavu

If you are passionate about buying a Kerala Kasavu saree, which is a must-have in your saree wardrobe, you have to figure out your budget and decide whether you want to opt for an authentic Kerala Kasavu saree or opt for an affordable range. 

What is Kerala Kasavu Saree?

Worn on festivals such as Vishu and Onam, the Kerala Kasavu saree is a gold thread or gold zari border saree which is woven on cotton fabric. Typically every home in Kerala would have a collection of these Kerala Kasavu sarees, which is why it is an evergreen, much loved and appreciated choice. It is also a popular gifting item for brides and for elders who are celebrating their birthday or an important milestone in their life.

Is Kasavu a silk?

Kasavu is typically a reference to the cotton cloth on which the gold thread border is added. It adds to the allure and grace of thesaree. 

Authentic Kerala Kasavu Saree vs Affordable Kerala Kasavu Saree

Most price-conscious shoppers tend to opt for the affordable Kerala Kasavu saree. Remember, the authentic Kerala Kasavu saree is made from handwoven cotton and pure gold thread, which is why it is expensive. 
Nowadays you have different affordable options whereby pure gold thread is replaced with silk thread that is dipped in a gold tinted colour and so on. This makes the affordable range within one's budget-friendly reach and you can still buy the Kerala Kasavu saree of your own choice.

Now there is silver border saree that has become popular with young women too, but I find that my first option would always be to buy a traditional gold border Kerala Kasavu saree.

Personally, I have a small collection of authentic Kerala Kasavu sarees and affordable range Kerala Kasavu sarees. While it is difficult for an onlooker to spot the difference between an authentic one as compared to the affordable range, there is no doubt that authentic kasavu saree catches instant admiration and attention due to the way it shines. 

The lustre of an authentic Kerala Kasavu saree would be hard to miss.

[READ: Best of Kochi in 3 days, Where to eat in Kochi, Heading to Zuri?]

How to Buy Kerala Kasavu Saree in Kochi

As mentioned at the start of this article, there are four renowned shops for buying Kerala Kasavu Saree in Kochi. As a die-hard Kochiite who has frequently shopped from all three places, here's my take:

Kasavu Kada

There is probably no Kochiite who has not visited and bough a Kerala Kasavu saree from this shop. This is said to have set the 'gold standard' of quality when it comes to pure Kerala Kasavu sarees in Kochi. The first time I bought an authentic Kerala Kasavu saree from Kasavu Kada was for my engagement ceremony - I opted for a very simple Kasavu and it is still as good as new even after all these years.

While Kasavu Kada offers a tempting and visually splendid array of authentic and pure Kerala Kasavu sarees that are difficult to resist, the prices are not for the budget-friendly shopper. Also, the affordable range of Kerala Kasavu sarees that are likely to tempt you are almost negligible. Simply put, if you have money to treat yourself and splurge, Kerala Kasavu Kada is the place to go, but preferably not if you have a tight budget. This is my personal experience that I am sharing with you.

Ramachandran Handlooms

This shop is impossible to miss because it is strategically located opposite to the iconic KasavuKada in Ernakulam. In 2021, when I felt like I wanted to check out new designs and new shops, I headed out to this little shop known as Ramachandran Handlooms and I felt instantly at home the moment I stepped in. The warmth and simplicity with which a customer is welcomed makes a big difference. 

Their salesperson was not only patient but did his best to understand what my budget is, what the purpose of buying Kerala Kasavu saree is and took ample time to show me every possible affordable option and authentic Kerala Kasavu saree option. This gave me the advantage of deciding to mix and match everything.

While  - plus, they also offered me a decent discount for every Kerala Kasavu saree item that I liked, which meant that I ended up buying two Kerala Kasavu sarees for myself and three Kerala Kasavu sarees for my friends, besides three sets of traditional handloom mundu for my father, my husband and my son - all of which had discounts in spite of being pure handloom material.

Besides a variety of authentic Kerala Kasavu sarees, Ramachandran Handlooms has an impressive range of fine quality affordable Kerala kasavu sarees and excellent range of affordable and authentic Kerala mundus for men. 

I know the quality is top notch because I bought three for my father, my husband and my son - as you can see below, the quality and style is unmistakable even to an untrained eye. See the image below. This is from Ramachandran Handlooms.

At Ramachandran Handlooms, the staff is customer-oriented, patient and ever ready to show as many sarees as you want to see. This has not been my personal experience at KasavuKada where I have shopped many times. The staff show you a maximum of 5-9 sarees after which they show a lack of interest in engaging with the customer.

While my usual 'shopping time' at KasavuKada is around an hour, my first visit to Ramachandran Handlooms during their lunch hour was such a good experience that I spend at least three hours there, being shown every Kerala Kasavu saree - authentic and affordable ones.

If I have to choose between shopping at Kasavu Kada and Ramachandran Handlooms, I would certainly opt for Ramachandran Handlooms.

Karalkada

For those who are traditional 'kasavu saree purists', this is said to be a must-visit shop. Personally, on my two to three visits, I didn't feel like buying anything because the staff seemed totally disinterested in their customers and unless it was a do-or-die situation, there really isn't a desperate need to buy from those who aren't keen to sell. On an impersonal note, this is a shop that most traditional Kerala Kasavu saree connoisseurs always recommend. My personal experience hasn't been great so it would be unfair for me to recommend it.

Parthas

For as long as I remember, Parthas has been my mother's favourite saree shopping destination for every occasion. Whenever she wanted to buy a saree, this is where we used to come and shop. When my son was born, I bought most of his baby clothing from Parthas including tiny toys to put next to him and even now the baby clothes are in good shape and the quality is undiminished. A fact that I have to mention is that their baby clothing was of the affordable range and the quality has been incredible!

In recent years, it has been eclipsed by Seematti,  Jayalakshmi Silks and Kalyan Silks. But every time I visit Kochi, I also pay a visit to Parthas and I pick up fine quality salwar suit material and one or two sarees. 

The affordable range of Kerala Kasavu sarees that you can choose from at Parthas is really good. Most of my friends to whom I gifted absolutely loved the quality of the Kerala Kasavu sarees. 

In 2021, I have to admit that I bought a whole set of gifting options from Parthas including an authentic Kerala Kasavu salwar suit material that cost about four thousand rupees but is definitely a classic to add to the wardrobe. Their authentic Kerala Kasavu salwar suit materials are a visual treat and the prices are in the range that I mentioned and I can vouch for the fact that the quality is top notch. 

Across all sections in Parthas, the staff are very patient, friendly and assist you with all the options you may want to choose from. They are so helpful that you end up shopping for more than you normally would - again, this is my personal experience.

The Chennai Silks

Over the years, I have shopped at The Chennai Silks in Ernakulam and my experience has been good. Their service is warm, budget-friendly and overall, a good experience if you are looking out for affordable Kerala Kasavu sarees in general. The discounts they offer make it very wallet-friendly.

Pothys

Ever since I bought a lot of traditional Kancheevaram sarees as part of my wedding trousseau from Pothys in Coimbatore, this has been a brand close to my heart. When they opened their first store in Kochi, I was one of their 'early birds' who availed unbelievable discounts and ended up buying too many pure silk sarees! Their affordable range is mindblowing, the quality of pure silk is a visual and heady treat to the senses and they have the finest range of rare colour combinations in silk. I love their double shot silk sarees that have two different shades to the same colour that comes with a deepening intensity and yet the range is so unbelievably affordable! Needless to say, excellent customer service makes them really stand out.

However, I would not say Pothys would be my first choice for buying Kerala Kasavu sarees simply because their area of expertise is 'pure silks', not Kerala Kasavu sarees. Just as you don't go to Taj to eat junk or McDonalds for fine dining, it doesn't seem logical to buy Kerala Kasavu sarees from Pothys - though they do have a rather disappointing, poor quality collection of Kerala Kasavu sarees that are unfortunately highly priced for less than average quality! All of which seems really bizarre to me, from a customer view point.

Now there you go, with terrific Kerala Kasavu Saree buying options in Kochi. 

While there aren't plenty of options, these are rock solid places to start with and their collections for authentic Kerala Kasavu sarees is pretty decent. 

If you spot any new and upcoming shops in Kochi that you feel have a decent collection of Kerala Kasavu Sarees, do drop me your recco!  I would be happy to check it out next time I visit my favourite place in God's Own Country.

[READ: Summer Vacations in India and Weekend trip to Kochi]

Looking forward to hearing from you...in case you have missed it earlier, SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER on Substack.

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