Shopper's Paradise: Textiles
The textiles of India demonstrate skillful weaving techniques, inimitable
colour combinations and fascinating designs that make them a class apart
in domestic & overseas markets.
BROCADE TEXTILES
Extremes softness, vivid colours and translucent texture characterizes the
silk weaving of India.
Varanasi an important silk
weaving centre is famous not only for its brocade or kinkab
(superb weaving in gold and silver), but also for the wide variety of
techniques and styles.
The brocades are distinguished by apt
poetic names like chand tara (moon and stars), dhupchhaon
(sunshine and shade), mazchar (ripples of silver), morgala
(peacock's neck), bulbul chasm (nightingale's eyes).
Varanasi
is also famous for the tanchoi saree which resembles a fine
miniature. Its origin can be fraced to three Indian pursi brothers by the
name of Choi. In tanchoi sarees the designs fre always
floral with interspersing of birds.
Mubarakpur, is one
of the important silk weaving centers in the area.
Jamdani or
'figured muslim' traditionally women in Dacca is now the specially of Tanda
in Faizabad. The cotton fabric is brocded with cotton and
sometimes with zari threads.
Each refion has its typical
technical skills and variations and the silk of Mysore, Kanchipuram,
Murshidabad and Kashmir are as well known as the cotton sarees
of Bengal or the cotton and silk maheshwaris of Madhya
Pradesh.The famous ikat technique is used in the Patolas of Gurajat
and Orrisa.
EMBROIDERY
In the field of
ornamentation, embroidery alone can match jewellery in splendour. It is an
expression of emotions, rendered with patient labour which induces grace
and elegance into articles of everyday use.
Noor Jehan, the wife
of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir is said to have introduced the art of
chikan embroiery to Utter Pradesh.
The chikan work of Lucknow,
patterned on lace is delicate and subtle. The stitch by its sheer
excellence provides ornamentation to the material. The charm lies in the
minuteness of the floral motifs. Stitches used are satin, knot stitch,
netting and appliqué work which brings a charming showdowy effect
on lace.
Embroidery done in metal wires by kalabattu
or zari as it is popularly called, is in a class by itself.
The heavier and more elaborate work is called zardozi. The
ground material used is heavy silk, velvet or satin. Salma sitara,
gijai, badla, katon, seed pearls are used for decoration.
Kamadani, a lighter needle work done on lighter material,
produces a lovely glittering effect, especially in designs known as
hazara booti, thousand dots, done with zari
thread. Karmdani is used for weaving apparel such as scarves, veils, caps
etc.
HAND BLOCK PRINTING
The fabric is further
decorated by printing designs on it. Hand block printing in India was the
chief occupation of the chhipas - a community of printers. They used
designs on the fabrics by hand. This techniques is in vogue even today.
Besides Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh is also of a veritable
treasure-house of traditional designs which range from the classical
booties, known as dots of Kanauj, to the universal Mango, to
the famous Tree of Life.
The great colour belt in India extends
from the interior of Sind through the dersets of Kutch, Kathiawar,
Rajasthan and Gurajat. Rajasthan and Gurajat are particularly
noted for its bandhini design.
ETHINIC DRESSES
Smile, but do not laugh if you see a young French woman wearing a Kashmiri
Shikara dress or Rajasthani ghagra and choli. India being a land
of various communities, you can be sure of falling to temptation of buying
atleast half a dozen ethnic dresses from various parts of the country.
These are freely available in repective local markets.
IDEAL
PLACE TO SHOP
Varanasi, Mysore. Kashmir, Luchnow, Bihar,
Rajasthan, Gurajat, Chennai, Kerala.