Prelims 2014 · archive
EasyConsider the following towns of India:
- 1.Bhadrachalam
- 2.Chanderi
- 3.Kancheepuram
- 4.Karnal
Which of the above are famous for the production of traditional sarees/fabric?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Chanderi (Madhya Pradesh) and Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu) are well-known weaving centres for traditional sarees. Karnal is an agricultural-industrial district of Haryana, and Bhadrachalam is known as a temple town rather than a saree centre. So only 2 and 3 are correct.
- ✗ 1. Bhadrachalam is known mainly for its Rama temple on the Godavari, not for a traditional saree or fabric. It is not a recognised weaving centre like Chanderi or Kancheepuram.
- ✓ 2. Chanderi, in Ashoknagar district of Madhya Pradesh, is a weaving town with around 5,000 pit looms. Its handloom sarees, woven in silk and cotton with zari work, are famous.
- ✓ 3. Kancheepuram (Kanchipuram) silk sarees are made in the Kanchipuram region of Tamil Nadu. They carry a Geographical Indication tag.
- ✗ 4. Karnal is described by the Haryana government as an agricultural-industrial district. It is not known for traditional sarees.
Remember · Chanderi (MP) and Kancheepuram/Kanchipuram (TN) are classic saree-weaving towns. Karnal is an agricultural district of Haryana and Bhadrachalam a temple town.
Sources
- Kancheepuram District (Government of Tamil Nadu): GI Tag Product – Kancheevaram Silks and Sarees ↗ “The Kanchipuram silk sari is a type of silk sari made in the Kanchipuram region in Tamil Nadu, India.”
- Madhya Pradesh Tourism: Chanderi Sarees – Six Yards of Woven Grace ↗ · reference work “Every day a new story is weaved in the quaint town of Chanderi where every fourth house in the street is lined with a loom. There are around 5000 pit looms”
- District Karnal, Government of Haryana: About District ↗ “Karnal is an agricultural-industrial district in the north-central part of Haryana.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·