Weaves of India

5 must have sarees in your

wardrobe
 History of Indian handloom

• History shows that hand weaving has been in existence in India for over five
thousand eight hundred years,
• Five thousand years ago the people of Mohenjo-daro knew how to grow
cotton and spin and weave. These early inhabitants of the Indus Valley
made garments of dyed and patterned cotton, as is evident from the
discovery, during the excavation of the ancient Harappan sites, of a
fragment of madder dyed cotton woven in a coarse plain weave.
 History of Indian handloom

• In the Vedas and Puranas, there are innumerable references to the

exquisite qualities and wide range of fabrics worn by the Gods, Kings and
the people at large. Each God and Goddess is described to be clad in a
certain particular type of fabric, i.e., Lord Krishna in yellow colour, Goddess
Kali in red blood dress and so on
 History of Indian handloom

• Buddhist literature has many references to the magnificent cotton spinners

and weavers of Kashi. The fabric was so finely woven that oil could not
penetrate the cloth. Spinning was the work of women. Cotton cloths were
washed, calendared, starched and perfumed. A cotton cloth from Kashi was
used to wrap the body of the Chakravarti, the Emperor. It was also used on
the body of the Buddha when he attained Nirvana, eternal rest.
 History of Indian handloom

• Cotton muslins form India were highly prized in Babylon. They were referred
to as Sindhu, indicating their origin in the Valley of the Indus. Roman
emperors paid fabulous prices for the treasured Indian cottons, which came
to be known as ‘woven winds’.
 History of Indian handloom

• Hundreds of years later, in Moghul India, these wondrous cottons, the Mul
Mul Khas, were given poetic names: Abrawan (running water) or Shubnam
(morning dew). They were said to become invisible when wet and stretched
on grass.
 History of Indian handloom

• During the epic age, handicrafts are reported to have been in a highly
developed stage. The industry enjoyed a rich heritage of weaving, and the
handloom industry was the sole supplier of cloth in the country.
 The decline of the Indian handlooms and
handicrafts

• The decline of the handloom industry began in the latter days of the Hindu
period.
• It was accelerated during the regime of the Pathan rulers. There was,
however, some revival in the days of the Moghuls. Among the finer crafts of
the Moghul period were the muslins of Dacca, the shawls and carpets of
Kashmir, the silk cloth of Delhi and Agra.
 The decline of the Indian handlooms and
handicrafts

• The supremacy of Indian handicrafts began to decline towards

the end of the 18th century. The Industrial Revolution in England
during the second half of the 18th century and competition from
cheaper English goods owing to the policy of laissez-faire and
other factors led to the decline and fall of Indian crafts,
particularly handlooms.
• The series of widespread famines in the last quarter of the 19th
century adversely affected the handloom industry in the country.
 Five must have weaves

• Ikat
• Benarasi
• Paithani
• Jamdani
• Kanjiwaram
 Ikat

• Ikat is one of the styles of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process as
similar to tie-dye. It uses either the warp or weft to weave a pattern or
design. When both warp and weft are tie-dyed then it is called double Ikat.

• The differences between warp ikat, weft ikat and double ikat depend on
whether it is the warp or weft yarns that are dyed to create the chosen
pattern.
 Ikat

• In the 19th century, Bukhara and Smarkand were famous for their fine silk
Ikat, while India, Japan and several South-East Asian countries have
cultures with long histories of Ikat production. One cannot find double Ikat
simply but still it can be found in India, Guatemala, Japan and the
Indonesian islands of Bali and Kalimantan. Ikat varies wildly from country to
country and region to region. Generally Ikats are symbols of status, wealth,
power and prestige.
• There is link between Ikat production in India and South-East Asia. Gujarati
merchants brought Patola to Indonesian rulers and there this activity of
making Ikat was taken over by the Dutch. The patterns in the Patola Ikat are
prominently similar to the double Ikat produced in Bali, Indonesia. In Europe
in Mallorca and in Spain Ikat floral patterns are used.
• The name Ikat is derived from the Malay word ‘Mengikat’. It means ‘Tie’
which refers the amazingly complex and detailed craftsmanship of tying or
binding thread to create widespread pattern on canvas.
 Ikat

• The easiest way to create Ikat is to dye the warp. Before attaching the warp
strings to the loom they are arranged into bundles, every bundle is tied and
dyed individually, so that a pattern is visible when the loom is set up. To
keep dyes from penetrating the tightly bound bundles are covered with wax.
After the threads are dyed the loom is set up. The pattern is visible to the
weaver when the dyed threads are used as warp. Threads can be adjusted
so that they line up correctly with each other.
 Ikat

• The differences between warp ikat, weft ikat and double ikat depend on
whether it is the warp or weft yarns that are dyed to create the chosen
pattern.

• Warp Ikat
In warp ikat, the weft yarns are all dyed a solid colour and only the warp
yarns are ikat dyed. Here, the pattern is clearly visible when the threads are
wound on the loom, and weaving in the weft threads solidifies the colour
and completes the fabric formation.

• Weft Ikat
In weft ikat, it is the weft threads that are ikat dyed. This type of weaving is
more difficult than warp ikat, as the pattern will be formed only as the
weaving progresses. This means that the weaver has to constantly centre
and readjust the yarns to ensure the pattern is formed correctly.
 Ikat

• Double Ikat
The most complicated of the three, double ikat, is where both the warp
and weft threads are resist-dyed prior to weaving. This technique
requires advanced skill, takes time and hence is the most expensive.
The Pochampally Sari and Puttapaka saris are native to India, and
feature exquisite double ikat motifs on silk.

• It is interesting to note that every Ikat Weaving group has its own distinct
patterns, styles and choices of colour.
 Ikat

• Ikats from Pochampally are characterised by abstract and

geometric patterns like the squares of double ikat Telia
Rumal. Elephants, parrots, dancers and flowers are
sometimes incorporated within geometric patterns.

• Patola ikat from Patan and Rajkot, Gujarat, follow a complex

process of weaving for double ikat. Grid patterns combined with
geometrical, floral, and figurative motifs of dancing dolls,
elephants and parrots are common, along with tortoise, shells,
lamps and architectural forms.
 Odisha Ikat

• Ikat or Bandha of Orissa has gloriously woven, blurred, and gem-coloured

motifs in silk and cotton. The dominant motifs in this craft include animals
and birds, with the traditional designs being fish and conch shell as well as
bolmala, chandankora, and sachipar. As the design-type is single ikat, the
designs on the material are blurred";" however, this trace-design has a
beauty all its own.
• The intricate process involves tie and dye --- knotting sections of the yarn
before dipping them in colours one at a time, and finally weaving them to
produce motifs in multi-hued tones. While Sambalpur is famous for its
double-ikat textiles, Sonepur is known for its gold embroidered ones.
 Pochampally ikat

• Since Pochampally is also called as the silk city; silk is used in weaving
for Ikat. The Filature (local name) silk is used for Ikat weaving. The yarn
used for Ikat in Pohampally is thick giving fabric/ saree a stiffness it
requires. There are about 5000 handloom weavers in Pochampally who
create sarees in traditional Ikat work. This saree is known for its unique
design. The Ikat weaves involve the yarn being dyed first, with each
strand dyed on the basis of the final pattern that has been decided. This
means that everything has to be very precise and requires the skills of
true artists. This method is very similar to the tie-and-dye method; the
real difference being that here the yarn is dyed before weaving a rather
complex procedure. The yarn for the wrap and the weft is stretched on
wrapping blocks in the form of quarter circle. They consist of one strong
peg, connected with the circular segment of a wooden plank, studded
with about 35 pegs at regular intervals.
 Pochampally Ikat

• The thread – wrap as well as weft – is stretched on it and divided into a numbers of sets.
Later the designs are tied in the sets. While the yarn is held on the wrapping block. For
dying the yarn is taken off, but when dry, it is again stretched, partly opened tied and for
dyeing, a process which can be repeated several times. The red and brown design in
white and black area achieved using alizarin dyes. For this the cloth is first soaked in
mixture of castor oil and alkaline earth, then dried, again soaked, dipped in alizarin paste
and finally boiled till it becomes red. For the brown shades, iton splinters are added to the
colour. Dissolving iron splinters in vinegar produces black colour.

• Designs generally are worked out on graph paper. Great care must be taken in putting
the wrap on the loom, keeping all the threads in position is necessary for the design to
work. The natural movement during weaving gives Ikat designs a feathered edge which
characterizes this technique. The famous Pochampally Ikat tie-and-dye saree has won
Intellectual Property Rights protection. It is the first traditional Indian craft to receive this
status of geographical branding. The design won protection in the Geographical
Indications category. This will protect the pochampally handloom saree from unfair
competition and counterfeit.
 Telia Rumaal

• Telia Rumals of Chirala, Puttapaka and Ponchampalli. These double

ikat squares were created in a small area of Andra Pradesh using an
unusual combination of Alizarin, iron or indigo and numerous
vegetable oils in the process. The colours were all a variation of red,
pink or purple depending on the oil mordants used. The name Telia
means oil and Rumal means handkerchief or square. The finished
cloth has a strong oil smell. These were used by fishermen as turbans
and loincloths as well as by nobility. The history of this technique has
not been recorded before 1955. Therefore it is interesting trying to find
remaining practitioners who can add to the scant knowledge in print.
These weavers find their children are not interesting in carrying out
this traditional craft, as the time consuming process is not
economically rewarding.
 Telia Rumaal

• Chirala, is thought to be the town where this weaving craft began. Out
of a population of 100,000 there are 20,000 hand weavers, but only one
family until recently involved in the Telia Rumal. Mr. Gunti Bhaskara
Rao who worked with his brother, now deceased, stated that it took
them one month to complete the dyeing process for one warp of Telia
rumal yielding 8 pieces each about one metre square. Then of course
the weft must be dyed before the actual weaving can begin. They had
been doing the dyeing and had 6 weavers in the village to complete
the cloth. However they are all over 65 years old and have retiring from
this work. This finishes a craft that 50 years ago had several thousand
weavers in full time production. The designs, mainly divided up into
grids, varied according to location. Near Hyderabad mainly small
geometric designs were used. However in Chirala they included
figurative work including modern images airplanes, Victrolas (early
record players) and clocks.
 Telia Rumaal

• Puttapaka
During the Nizam's dynasty "Puttapaka" a small backward village of
Telangana region of A.P. had about 20 families engaged in handloom
weaving, who were patronized by The rich Muslim families,
Damsthanams and Nizam rulers. With very limited resources the
weavers used to achieve spectacular results. The Gajam family have
lived in Puttapaka for the last 100 years having a pioneering history
of producing the Telia Rumal.
 Patan Patola

• The making of Patan patola sarees is extremely laborious and requires

anywhere between five months to one year to create a single saree. Four to
five family members work in unison, delicately weaving the unique creation.
Another feature of these hand-dyed patolas which makes them stand out is
that the feel and look of the fabric is exactly the same from both sides. This
is due to the use of horizontal double-resist technique of dyeing in the
process of colouring the fabric. The use of natural dyes makes it very eco-
friendly, garnering even more applause for the technique.
 Patan Patola

• The art of Ikat weaving is also practiced in different parts of the country, but
patolas from Patan are hailed as the most exquisite among them. This skill
of ikat weaving has spread to several parts of South-East and Central Asia,
producing different variations of the same technique. Patan patolas have
taken several forms in the past, appearing as sarees, stoles, scarves and
handkerchiefs. An indulgence for the elite, these sarees depict a slice of the
region in which they are created. The extraordinary levels of skill required in
the creation of fine patola makes them highly prized, and it is unsurprising
for them to be passed down as heirlooms.
 Patan Patola

• The creation of every opulent Patan patola is a great skill in itself, acquired
by the artisans from their age old traditions of spinning and weaving. Made
in pure silk, these sarees are the ultimate manifestation of weaving
perfection that has been attained over several centuries.
•
The town of Patan is located in the state of Gujarat, outside Ahmedabad.
The silk cloth with double Ikat patterns is considered to be holy and possess
miraculous powers of attracting prosperity. These sarees were also
mentioned in a 2000 year old Jain holy book, the 'Kalpsutra'.
 Benarasi

• Benarasi silk is an unmatched example of excellent artistry. Mughals

brought this fine craftsmanship in India. Mughals also tried their best to
glorify the art of weaving and designing. During the course of that act, they
inspired few craftsmen to work in intricate art of weaving. It was the
beginning of Sari weaving art. In addition, at that particular time, Persian
motifs were being mixed up with the Indian customary attire.
• Today’s Banarasi Silks are the product of this particular mix up of two
different cultures and exemplary enthusiasm of Mughals. In the earlier
times, silk for Banarasi Sarees were being imported from China, now it has
been provided by the southern part of India.
 Benarasi

• In the present days, Banarasi silk sarees are still considered to be one of
finest traditional saris. It has actually been well known for its designing and
gold as well as silver brocade or the ‘Zari‘. The special characteristics of
these sarees are their designs, which are Mughal inspired. Very often, it has
been decorated with intricate floral as well as foliate designs.
• Moreover, you may also find a string of upright leaves, which are called as
‘Jhallar’. The idiosyncratic features of these Banarasi silk sarees include
heavy working of gold, small detailed figures, metal visual effects and
compact weaving as well.
 Benarasi

• At least three craftsmen work together to make up one sari by using the
power-loom. One artisan has to weave the silk and one has to dye the silk,
where the other one has to engage the bundle of silk, which creates the
power ring.
• The designs are drawn previously on a graph paper. It has been imprinted
as a patter for the punch-cards. During the complete weaving procedure,
this will be used as a guide for threads.
 Tanchoi

• Tanchoi Silk was is said to have been brought to India through Chinese
traders in 19th century which was later adapted to suit preferences of Indian
wearers. Also, three Parsi (Persian immigrants to India) brothers are said to
have traveled to China in the 19th century and were enamored by the
technique. After learning the skill, they came back to Gujarat and trained the
weavers in the technique and then innovated the Tanchoi weaving technique
into Indian versions.
• Tanchoi is the self design produced on the surface of the fabric with the help
of resham or silk thread. There is no float either at the back or at the front of
the fabric.
 Tanchoi

• Tanchoi’s innovation can be credited to the weavers of Banaras who

brought in zari work into the already complex art. Banarasi Tanchoi has
several different varieties:
• Satin Tanchoi – As the name suggests, it is based on a Satin fabric base of
a single color and the weft threads of one or more colors. The additional
weft colors can also be used as a body weft.
• Satin Jari Tanchoi – This is an extension of Satin Tanchoi wherein the weft
is a combination of either one Silk and one Gold thread or two Silk threads
and one Gold thread.
• Atlas or Gilt – The fabric surface is pure satin. In comparison to other
fabrics, Atlas or Gilt is heavier and has more shine because of the extra use
of zari.
• Mushabbar – This version stands out with its net woven design to appear
as bushes or branches of a tree. The Mushabbar design is often associated
with a jungle or nature’s greenery.
 Kinkhwab

• “Kinkhwab” is a Persian word which means a “Little dream”. It is essentially

a brocade woven painstakingly with silk and gold or silver threads. This type
of cloth was popular in India right from the ancient times and was mentioned
in Vedic literature as “Hiranya” or “gold cloth”. In the Gupta dynasty, it came
to be known as “Pushpapat” or “Cloth woven with golden flowers”. But it
reached the peak of popularity during Mughal era and was called
“Kinkhwab”. Since in those days, this fabric was woven with actual gold and
silver and silk was used sparingly, it gained popularity among the rich and
remained a “little dream” for the general mass.
• In present days expert weavers of Varanasi (Banaras) continue weaving
kinkhwab but now majorly with “resham” silk and sparingly use gold plated
zari for maintaining the feel of Kimkhwab.
 Katan Silk

• Katan, a thread, prepared by twisting different numbers of silk fabrics as per

requirements, gives a firm structure to the background fabric.

• It is a plain woven fabric with pure silk threads and consists of two threads
twisted together. Katan is mostly used for the warp of light fabrics.
 Paithani

• The art of Paithan is more than 2000 years old, developed in the the city of
Pratishthan ruled by the legendary Satavahanas ruler Shalivahana now
Paithan by the river Godavari in Marathwada, about 50 km from
Aurangabad. In the far past it had been an international trade centre for silk
and zari.
• The Peshwas had a special love for Paithani textiles. During the 17th
century, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb patronized the Paithani Silk
weavers and introduced new motif that was called Aurangzebi. He
prohibited weavers to weave ‘Jamdanis’ except for his court and punished
the weavers who disobeyed his orders.
• Later during the 19-20th centuries, the Nizam of Hyderabad ordered large
quantities of Paithani silks. Paithani possibly survived because of the
patronage of the household of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Begum Niloufer,
from Nizam family, is attributed for her contribution of the motif Parinda
(Pheasant bird).
 Paithani

• Paithani comes in various colors. Some are pure and some resulting from
the blending of yarns of different colors in the weave. Usually the dominant
color in the border and Pallov is different from that of the body.
• The local name for the Paithani colors are aboli (peach-pink), Firozi (White-
red pale green), Gujri (black white blend), kaali chandrakala, Mirani (Black
red blend), orphankhi (green-blue blend), Motia (Pale pink) and Neeligunji
(Blue), Pasila (red-pink green blend), Pophali (Yellow), Samprus (green-
red), Sankirodak (White), Uddani (a fainterblack), Vangi (aubegine purple).
The darker shades of tones of red, green, blue, yellow are more popular.
• Borders are named after the motifs used in them or the name of the village
where they originate from, e.g. Asavalikath, Narlikath, Pankhakath,
Paithanikath.
 Paithani

• The oldest traditional Paithani designs are the Vine and Flowers (Asavali)
and Squarish floral motifs (the akruti).
• Some other traditional designs are the petal form (kalas Pakli), the Fan
(Pankha), Cocount (Narali) and cotton bud (Rui phul).
• Some of the motifs that were inspired by the Mughul influence were the
Humaparindas (the pheasant), the bangdimor (peacock in a bangle), the
Tota maina (parrots), the Anarvel (Pomegranate flower) and the Behesti
Parinda (the bird of paradise).
• The motifs which are still popular are the Drakshavel (Vine and Grapes), the
kuyri (the paisleys) and the gokarna vel.
 Paithani

• Paithani Saree can be classified by three criteria: motifs, weaving, and

colours.

• Classification by motif:

• Bangadi Mor: The word “bangadi” means bangle and “mor” means
peacock. So bangadi mor means a peacock in a bangle or in a bangle
shape. The motif is woven onto the pallu and the design sometimes having
a single dancing peacock. The Sarees using this motif are generally very
expensive because of the design.
• Munia brocade: The word munia means parrot. Parrots are woven on the
pallu as well as in border. Parrots are always in leaf green colour. The
parrots in silk are also called tota-maina.
• Lotus brocade: Lotus motifs are used in pallu and sometimes on the
border. The lotus motif consists of 7-8 colours.
 Paithani
• Classification by weaving:
• Kadiyal border Saree:The word ‘kadiyal’ means interlocking. The warp and
the weft of the border are of the same colour while the body has different
colours for warp and weft.
• Kad/Ekdhoti: A single shuttle is used for weaving of weft. The colour of the
warp yarnkis different from that of the weft yarn. It has a Narali border and
simple buttis like paisa, watana, etc. Kad is al3o a form of lungi and is used
by male Maharashtrians.

• Classification by colour:
• Kalichandrakala: It is a pure black Saree with red border.
Raghu: Parrot gre%n coloured Saree.
Shirodak: It is a pure white Saree.
 Jamdani

• As you can gauge from the name, Dhakai is a type of sari, whose weave
originated in the city of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. When the Hindu
weavers migrated from Dhaka (erstwhile East Bengal) to present day
Bengal, they brought this weaving technique here. Also known as Dhakai
Jamdani or Jamdani saree, it is considered by many to be one of the finest
varieties of the hand-woven muslin. This art of weaving reached its pinnacle
under the Mughal patronage. The name Jamdani is of Persian origin. It is an
amalgamation of two words “Jam” meaning flower and “Dani” meaning
vase. These sarees got this nomenclature due to the beautiful floral motifs
which are woven on Jamdani sarees. The original fabric of Dhakai saree or
Jamdani saree fabric is unbleached cotton yarn, while the designs are
woveninto this fabric with bleached cotton yarns, which gives these sarees a
unique light-and-dark effect. In earlier times, Jamdani saris in bright colours
were the most famous ones.
 Jamdani

• The Capital City of Bangladesh, Dhaka and one of the other most famous
place called Narayanganj in Central Bangladesh have served as hubs for
Jamdani handlooms for centuries. Large number of journals has reference
for the History of Jamdani Saree and jamdani weaving. In the book Sril
Silat-ut-Tawarikh, written in the 9th century, the Arab geographer Solaiman
talks about the fine fabrics fabricated in the state called Rumy, or modern
day Bangladesh. An interesting article in “The News Today” references the
famous Book of “Periplus of Ertitrean Sea” (written as an navigation and
trading story of the world), noting that it documents the fine fabrics available
in this area as far back as the first decade before the birth of Christ. The
golden age of Dhaka muslin, After all, began with Mughal rule in the 17th
century. Due to the labor and time demanding manufacturing operation,
Jamdani fabric was extremely expensive and thus a luxury afforded by only
royals and nobles.
 Jamdani

• Said to be woven with the ‘threads of winds’, the history of the Jamdani can
be traced back over 2,000 years and accounts by Roman and Greek
raconteurs prove that this ‘Gangetic muslin’ was amongst the most prized
article among traders even centuries ago.
• A figured muslin with floral motifs woven in by brocading method, Jamdani is
truly the queen of the delicate muslin of Dhaka. Elaborate motifs are
embroidered into the fabric by hand while it is being woven, making it a form
of loom-embroidery. The intricate patterns are formed by passing small
bamboo shuttles of coloured, gold or silver threads through the weft;
separate bobbins of different coloured threads are employed for weaving
the designs. Tamarind wood or bamboo is employed to fashion these fine
bobbins. The result is myriads of floral patterns interlaced with gold and
silver yarn which give the effect of jewels dotted over a shimmering surface.
 Jamdani

• Dhakai Jamdanis, the authentic ones, come only in Cotton Warp by Cotton
Weft. They are, no doubt, Expensive.
• the perfection of the Muslins of Bengal. Such was the excellence of this
fabric that it was thought to have been wrought by spirits and fairies, barely
discernible to the touch or to the naked eye. Ancient statues excavated in
Mahasthan, Paharpur and Mainamati depict female figures clothed in the
transparent delicacy of cotton muslins.
From the Mahabharat, which mentions the gifts of Muslin brought to
Yudhisthira, to Strabo’s account in the first century, there are numerous
historical records of the legendary Muslins of Bengal. Megasthenes, the
Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta, wrote about the “flowered
garments made of the finest muslins”. These embroidered garments were
probably the precursor of the loom patterned Jamdani, the most expensive
product of the Dhaka looms. Kautilya’s Arthashastra also referred to the
high value cotton of Vanga, a coveted product of royal courts and trade.
 Jamdani

• Sulaiman, an Arab traveler, who visited Bengal in the ninth century, wrote
“cotton fabrics made in the kingdom of Rahmi (Bengal) are so fine and
delicate that a dress made of it may pass through a signet ring.”
 Jamdani

• The unrivalled quality of Dhaka’s muslin was attributable to three important

factors – it’s special cotton, the fineness of its handspun yarn and the
extraordinary skill of its weavers. Writers have identified the unique quality
of the cotton grown only along the banks of the Brahmaputra and branches
of the Meghna as the best for muslins. They attributed this superiority to the
close proximity of the land to the sea, which mixed with the waters of the
Meghna during the monsoons, deposited rich layers of silt on the land every
year. Indeed it was believed that the freshness of the sea air nourished the
Kapas cultivations.
 Jamdani

• Hand spinning of cotton yarn for high quality muslin required extraordinary
skill and application. However, prior to spinning, preparation of the yarn
involved a laborious process. The cotton was first carded with the jawbone
of a Boalee fish to remove the smallest particles of leaf and dirt, then rolled
on a lacquered board without breaking the seeds and teased with a small
bow-like instrument. Finally, the downy fleece was wrapped with the soft
skin of the Cuchia fish to keep it from getting soiled during the spinning
process. Very specialised skill was required to spin the yarn for muslin. It
was done by a small number of young Hindu women working with a takma
(spindle) instead of the usual charkha (wheel).
 Jamdani

• Spinning required a certain degree of moisture in the air, with a temperature

of 82 degrees Fahrenheit or so. The women, therefore, spun from early
morning, a half-hour before sunrise, till nine or ten in the morning and late
afternoon to just before sunset. On dry days, the women would spin yarn
over shallow vessels of water to ensure the right absorption of moisture in
the yarn. They kept their fingers smooth by rubbing them with chalk from a
hollow stone. Since the women had other family commitments they were
not, on an average, able to spin more than three hours a day thereby
requiring months, sometimes a whole year
 Jamdani

• Muslin, the translucent fabric referred to variously as `woven air’, `morning

dew’, `crystal spring’ and other such poetic names to describe its
excellence, was woven on a simple pit-loom. Having dug a hole in the
ground to enable him to operate his foot treadle, the weaver set up his loom
by fixing four wooden posts and attaching the heddles to the roof or
branches of a widespread tree in his yard. Much of the weaving at the time
was done in the open air. “In such looms as this are made those admirable
muslins whose delicate texture the Europeans can never equal with all their
machinery”. The value of muslin was determined by its length, warp and
relative weight. The greater the length and number of threads in the warp
and lower the weight, the higher would be the value of the material.
 Jamdani

• Though muslins were woven by single weavers, Jamdanis required two to

work in unison to weave the patterns perfectly. Jamdanis involved the use of
discontinuous supplementary weft in the weaving process to create subtle
opaque designs, often matching the colours and weight of the ground and
occasionally adding gold or silver thread to highlight the motifs. Weavers
placed paper patterns under the warp and followed them by inserting the
required lengths of design yarn, instead of the common practice of using
bobbins; they drew two fine bamboo needles through the number of threads
of the warp necessary for the particular design. After completion of each
line, the lay was drawn in one stroke, with the shuttle then being passed
from one weaver to the other. This process was repeated again and again to
finish one line of designs and move on to the next, till the fabric was
completed. The real skill of a master weaver was determined by his ability to
conceal the joins and merge the patterns into the fabric, rather than on it.
It was the remarkable range and diversity of patterns which set Jamdanis
apart from all other muslins.
 Jamdani
• They were unique geometric representations of plants and flowers skillfully
adapted to the weave of the fabric; the finest patterns were the ones with
gently flowing lines instead of sharp edges. There were three basic layouts
of floral and linear designs, presented in various combinations. Simple
motifs scattered across the surface were called butidar, floral and linear
diagonals were known as terchi and the network of patterns covering the
entire ground, jhalar or jaal. The most favoured motifs were panna hazara,
phulwar, toradar, guldasta and jamewar.
 Jamdani
• In earlier times the finest cotton muslin had up to 2,800 threads for 40 inch
width fabric; today the best cotton saris of 46 inch width have a maximum of
1,900 or less.
• The range and variety of Jamdani designs are far too extensive and
numerous to be included here. However, as in the past there are three basic
layouts. Jaal, the most intricate, is an all over design covering the entire
ground, Terchi denotes floral or geometric diagonal and Buti is a
combination of individual floral motifs and sprigs scattered across the
fabric.
 Jamdani

• Over the years Jamdani weavers have replaced paper patterns with
memorised verbal instructions known as buli or sloka. The ostad
(masterweaver) sits on the right and calls out the relevant buli, to the hagrid
or shagrid (apprentice) on the left, who follows it with care. In a continuous
pattern like a border or a repetitive motif the buli is dispensed with once a
design has been completed; thereafter further instructions are no longer
necessary. The basic buli consists of core instructions with variations being
added according to the intricacy of the pattern. Single motifs are sometimes
retained in small woven samples known as doma but most of these were
lost in the turmoil of the Liberation War in 1971. Today all designs and
layouts are from memory and are passed from generation to generation.
 Uppada Jamdani
• Uppada Jamdani saris, once woven exclusively for the
royal houses of Pitapuram, Venkatagiri and Bobbili, have
been granted the Geographical Indication (GI)
registration in India.
• Uppada Jamdani saree weaving takes nearly 10 – 60
days time for which at least 2-3 weavers has to spend 10
hours of their day. Weavers uses pure lace (silver zari
often dipped in melted gold[5] ) and also finest silk of
Bengaluru area. Weaving of saree involves, laying out its
design, interweaving silk threads, looming, etc.,[7] There
are around 3000 looms producing Jamdani sarees in and
around Uppada and kothapalli area.[5]
 Kanjiwaram

• Any discussion on traditional sarees is actually incomplete without the

mention of these one of the most well-known South Indian saris. You
guessed it right; we are talking about the majestic Kanjeevaram or
Kancheepuram sarees. Kanjivarams derive their name from the small
temple town called Kanchipuram, located 80 kms away from
Chennai. Loved universally for their soft silk base, amazing weaves and
exquisite colours, they are specifically known for the simple Zari work,
showcasing traditional motifs like flowers, peacocks, horses, parrots,
elephants, etc. Some of these sarees also have motifs depicting the scenes
from Ramayana, Mahabharata and traditional temples. Heavy, ornate and
ostentatious Kancheepuram silks are as famous as the simpler, multi-hued,
classic temple border or check-design saris.
• Did you know? – Southern India accounts for the maximum amount of silk
production in India, and probably, it can also be credited for producing the
maximum variety of weaves and types of saris.
 Kanjiwaram

• Apart From The Mythology, Kanjivaram Sarees Also Has A History To

It:
• During the reign of the Chola Dynasty in South India, silk trade evolved as
one of the famous craftsmanship between the years 985 and 1014, around
hundreds of years back. There were two weaving communities the
Devangas and the Saligars who migrated from Andhra Pradesh to
Kanchipuram, a city in Tamil Nadu.
• These weaving communities were highly inspired the availability and
popularity of silk weaving and hence joined hands with their expertise in silk
weaving. And, this marked the inception of the silk industry in the
15th century. Even today, the main occupation of the people living in and
around Kanchipuram is weaving silk sarees.
 Kanjiwaram

• Did You Know There Is A Mythological Story Behind The Kanchipuram

Silk Sarees?
• It is said that once upon a time there was a master weaver who weaved for
the Gods, named Sage Markanda. He was known for his artistry skill
amongst the Gods because he could weave tissues from the petals of the
Lotus flower.
• Sage Markanda was favourite of the Lords because he knew the fabrics that
each of them preferred like Lord Shiva liked cotton and Lord Vishnu liked
silk. And, from then on his expertise was sent to his descendents who were
hailed as the Kanchi Silk Weaver.
• And, they started weaving Kanchipuram sarees, also known as Kanjivaram
sarees on Earth. This is the original story behind the existence
of Kanchipuram sarees.
 Kanjiwaram

• How Is The Weaving Method Different In Kanchipuram Or Kanjivaram

Sarees?
• Kanchipuram sarees are no wonder of a different character altogether.
They are especially hand woven by the craftsmen who are the weaving
experts. Hailing from South India it was primarily woven with mulberry silk
in temples. It is said that pattern and design of the sarees were highly
inspired by the sculptures of the South Indian temples and natural elements
like leaves, animals and birds.
• It is still woven with mulberry silk thread. The entire stitching is done in the
handloom structure giving it a hand-made art look.
• The saree is weaved in three parts where the body, border and the pallu is
weaved separately. And in each case single silk threads are used that
accounts for its durability and hence can be passed along to the
generations.
 Kanjiwaram

• In Korwai technique the body and the border are two different colors and are
joined using the third shuttle. Normally this is how Kanjeevaram sarees
were woven, and it requires a third hand in the weaving and it used to be
the child of the family, but with the abolition of child labour, it became difficult
to employ one more working hand and that is why the sarees with Korwai
technique are more expensive.
 Kanjiwaram
• The sheer magnitude of textures, colors and designs of Kanjivaram silk
saris of India is incredible. Simple saris can be prepared in about 10 to 12
days. However, decorative ones require up to 20 days of workmanship.
Kanjeevarams are expensive and can cost anywhere between Rs. 2000 to
Rs. 50,000. The cost of the saree depends upon the amount of zari
intertwined with the silk. The more the zari work, the more expensive the
sari will be.
• Making of a Kanjeevaram Silk Saree
• The procedure of making an Indian Kanchipuram sari commences with the
task of preparing the thread, which is used at the weaver's loom. This
involves, first, twisting the thread and then, dying and drying it in the sun.
The border, the body and the pallu of the sari are created separately by the
weaver. Then, he interlocks them together in an extremely tight joint.