My love affair with Indian handlooms

Welcome to my extensive world of the warp and weft of handlooms. The texture, the hues, the feel, the way the yarn is woven in such intricate detail to become a magical dream does not fail to fascinate me. I can indeed gaze and gaze and be mesmerized by the processes that go into the manufacture of a handloom fabric drape.

Maheshwari Brocade

Each motif or print and the methodology used to create folklore into the fabric is also enthralling. The end product is like reading an epic! The blocks are mostly made of teak and the designs are traced on to it like we do on paper. This design is then carved into the block which is dipped into the dye and pressed on to the cloth.

Block printing

Since it is a hand block print, you may notice that the prints may not all be equal. There may be some prints bright and some a little dull. All prints may not be uniform in size either. Many people mistake this as a flaw in the fabric but this is the quintessential essence of a typical handloom, as it is hand-printed.

The looms of India are rooted in our ancient past which is unfortunately not very well chronicled. When I visited places like Lothal, Paithan and Patan, I learnt that the Indian textiles were already on the looms in Mohenjodaro and Harappa. Like the Indian spices, these weaves were in great demand during those days itself in China and Egypt. Hence, they were being exported from time immemorial. 

The dyes used for printing are made from eco friendly material like Indigo, flowers, roots, rice flour, turmeric, saffron, barks,leaves, gum etc. This in itself is a labour intensive process which involves drying, powdering and finally mixing with water or other liquids to get the right consistency. Other than blocks, matchsticks, twigs, fingers are used for painting. 

In case you love re-visiting history, you will come across varied sculptures and designs on temple walls, step wells and palaces. The length and breadth of India is a stock pile of stunning examples of art and architecture. Most of the prints are copied from such ancient art forms onto yards of silk and cotton. A single saree may tell you a part of a story on history or a part from our epics and the everyday life of a bygone era. Remember, when you are wearing a heritage six yard, you are also wearing a part of a story in history!

India being an age old civilization, she can boast of more than a hundred different kinds of handloom. It is one of the biggest cottage industries.

Kerala Kasavu Saree

Unfortunately, many such production units are at a nadir. The reasons are that most people prefer going in for drapes manufactured on the power loom which turns out to be much cheaper. Another big reason is the inability to assess the difference. Let me guarantee you that the disparity is huge. Another malaise devouring this industry are the lookalikes or fakes which are easily available. Be sure to read up on a particular handloom and print before trotting off with your shopping bag! 

Himroo

It is very relevant for us to safeguard our heritage before it is completely annihilated by the power looms and counterfeit. The weavers are mostly in the villages and they do not have a market to showcase their breathtaking fabrics. Hence it falls in the hands of the retailers who pay the weaver a frugal amount. The weavers put in intensive hard work which sometimes involve many hands and many man days.

Uppada Silk

Finally, what he gets is not even sufficient to sustain himself or maintain his trade. We as individuals must try our best to acquire these handlooms directly from the weaver thereby short-circuiting the retailer. This is the only method of preserving the industry for posterity and uplifting the meagre lot of our weavers. By buying one saree, each of us is helping this industry to swim above the tide. 

An unusual Paithani with Bal Krishna's Matkas

We are actually spoilt for choice with the Queen of sarees, the Kanjivaram silk, Banarasi brocade and Paithani.

A traditional Kanjivaram

What about the Manipuri silk, Kerala Kasavu Saree, Mysore silk, Tanchoi Tussar, Himroo, Gicha, Munga, Mulberry silk, Chanderi, Maheshwari, Baluchari, Matka, Bomkai, Sambalpuri, Ilkal ,Narayanpet, Gadwal, Venkatgiri, Mangalgiri, Uppada and Jamdani - My list can go on and on. 

The Kalamkari work is done by a pen dipped in dyes and hand drawn on the fabric. History dates it back to the 13th century when songsters with a cultural bent of mind went from one area to the other practicing this art which got patronage from the Golkonda kings.

Madhubani Silk

Madhubanis belong to the same category as Kalamkaris, done by twigs, matchsticks etc. Warli designs are done by a fine brush. Ajrak is also block printing but the print is also on the reverse side. It dates back to anywhere between 2000-3000 years and is mainly done on cotton and silk. The Bagh prints are manufactured  in the village Bagh on the banks of the Bagh River in MP. It dates back to the times of Alexander. The Himroo woven near Aurangabad is almost 500 years old. Even today, it continues with Persian designs. It is believed to have had the patronage of Mohammad bin Tughlaq. The Bagru print came into prominence about 500 years ago. It is done in a small town called Bagru near Jaipur. Dabu printing came into India during ancient times when the Chinese visited India for trade. It is practiced in Rajasthan and so is the Sanganeri print.

Bagru print

The Ikkat is very commonly seen these days and are found on Pochampallys, Patolas, Sambalpuris etc. The Tie and Dyes are done in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The fabric is tied with strings and dyed in different colours. When the strings are removed, and the fabric is dried, the design emerges.Some good examples are the Bandhani, Lahariya and Shibori which dates back to the 8th century. Batik work is done from wax and the best of them come from Chennai, West Bengal and other states as well.

Gharchola Saree

I have to thank my parents for my beautiful trousseau which is beyond reach anymore and my husband’s Army tenures which has taken me to far flung areas like Kashmir and Manipur, where I have learnt so much about handlooms. 

Manipuri Silk Saree

The travels have exposed me to an awesome learning experience and have also made me add to my collection. When I got to know that my ‘Lakshmi’ would soon join us, I started collecting sarees from various states for her and thus the saga still continues!

Bomkai

Pochampally

Chanderi silk

These elegant and sophisticated weaves are a must for every Indian woman who loves to look glamorous in an alluring traditional Saree or Kurta . They make fabulous hand-me-downs too. So the next time you are out trousseau shopping or gifting yourself a saree, don’t forget the spectacular Indian handlooms. You will be the pivot of attraction of any get-together adorning this dexterously woven, venerable and time honored drape . 

Venkatagiri

* All sarees shown are from my personal collection