Commissioned by Kanakavalli, the Ekavallli Foundation presents an annual calendar theme project – for 2026, we collaborated with motion graphics artist Erik Melikyan, whose elegant and meditative work caught our eye.

We re-imagined 12 kanjivaram saris from Kanakavalli’s catalog as a series of artworks that deconstruct the Kanjivaram’s legendary details, reconstructing them as mandala inspired layouts.

The mandala’s form and essence – symbolising continuity, repetition and the cyclical nature of life –  find resonance for us in the journey of a Kanjivaram sari. From its birth in the dye house and on the loom, the sari’s life cycle unfolds across the generations, in love and recall, even as its legacy lives on as a craft tradition that is both deeply rooted and constantly evolving.

The process involved a collaborative effort between our photography studio and Erik, as each sari was broken down into its components – colour, base weave texture, warp and weft elements, and embellishment. Once these were photographed in high resolution detail, they were deconstructed by Erik further, and then rebuilt into the mandala layouts in our calendar that you see below.

A series of animated versions by Erik magnify the deconstructions into moving mandalas – each building on the elements of the sari they come from, to be experienced through an alternative visual perspective.

The form of the mandala manifests in each of our commissioned artworks as stylised assemblages of Kanjivaram elements – motif, weave patterns and colours, all merging seamlessly to create new yet familiar decorative canvases. Below, pairings of the 12 mandalas and the saris that birthed them –

Checks enclose motifs on this royal blue Kanjivaram shot with leaf green, with iruthalai pakshis and tigers on the pallu. Click the image above to view the moving mandala.

Iruthalai pakshis and yalis adorn the pallu of this mustard Kanjivaram shot with maroon, dotted with floral motifs.

This hot pink Kanjivaram shot with scarlet has mulberry purple temple korvai borders with classic patterns in gold, green and orange. Click the image above to view the moving mandala.

Tigers and peacocks are handwoven on the pallu of this deep purple Kanjivaram with red and golden yellow stripes on the body.

Gold, scarlet and purple checks adorn this Kanjivaram with ganga jamuna borders in green and orange and a pallu woven in ‘adai’. Click the image above to view the moving mandala.

Parrots perch within gold and crimson checks on this leaf green Kanjivaram with elephants and yalis in ‘adai’ on the pallu.

Mustard and scarlet checks embellish the body of this black Kanjivaram with ruby red korvai borders and horses and peacocks on the pallu. Click the image above to view the moving mandala.

Elephants woven in the ‘adai’ technique feature on the pallu of this purple Kanjivaram shot with scarlet with gold and chartreuse checks.

This mustard yellow Kanjivaram dotted with motifs in zari has a purple pallu embellished with mann kuthirai, yalis and mythical animals. Click the image above to view the moving mandala.

Dramatic chakarams enclose tigers, elephants, peacocks, yalis and deer on this leaf green Kanjivaram shot with black.

Horses and deer are woven in ‘adai’ on the pallu of this black Kanjivaram with vaira oosi stripes and classic borders. Click the image above to view the moving mandala.

Gold and black checks are woven on the body of this lime green Kanjivaram shot with chartreuse with golden yellow korvai borders.

The final images and animations find their way into Kanakavalli’s annual desktop calendar for 2026. Till next year, when we find another exciting theme to present for this annual tradition we enjoy creating so much !