Eternal India Encyclopedia

HANDICRAFTS

Eternal India encyclopedia

HANDICRAFTS handlooms engaged in weaving cotton, silk and other fabrics (including man-made fibres) out of which 3.5 million weave cot- ton. Nearly 10 million are employed in the handloom sector. The export of handloom products went up to Rs. 807 crores in 1989- 90 from Rs. 631 crores the previous year. The popularity of the handloom fabrics lies in their attractive colour schemes, de- signs and craftsmanship. Although the handlooms now use mill made yam and chemical dyes, the use of handspun yarn and vegetable dyes has not been forgotten alto- gether. The looms have been modernised to increase productivity. Yet it is the deft human hands that have to weave the fabric inch by inch. The entire process of weaving, including dyeing, is done manually. The for- tunes of the industry are closely linked with that of the village. Each village in India specialises in a different variety of fabric. All the four types of natural silk — mul- berry, tassar, muga and eri are produced in India. While India stands fourth in the pro- duction of mulberry raw silk, she has a mo- nopoly in the production of muga. She is also the second largest producer of tassar silk. Sualkuchi in Assam is a famous centre for silk weavers, which produces typical Assam items like mekhela, a women's lungi, chaadar and riha. Kashmir has become an important centre for the lighter type of modern silk fabrics like georgette, chiffon, ninon etc. South India is known for its heavy qual- ity silks. In Tamil Nadu Kanchipuram and Kumbakonam are famous centres. Kan- chipuram silk sarees with their rich gold borders with traditional designs adopted for modern wear have become very popular. Karnataka is known for its silk sarees, being one of the states in the country which produces silk. Kollegal is a famous centre in Karnataka. There are several varieties of silk sarees— thick raw silk, soft Bangalore silk, spun silk, crepe silk and georgettes. Madhya Pradesh has Maheswari sarees, which are woven with fine cotton and silk and have reversible borders which can be worn either side and Chandiri sarees in which silk as warp and fine cotton for the weft in subtle shades are used. The rich gold brocades of Banaras (Var- anasi) are famous all over the world. The best weavers are Muslims. The best known brocades are the Belbar or scroll pattern

which appears in the Ajanta frescoes. An- other is the Butidar or sprig design. All the sarees have heavy gold borders or silver background with gold patterns superim- posed. The Patola sarees of Patan (Gujarat) are produced by the Ikat technique, a tie and die weave resulting in identical patterns on both sides of the fabric. Orissa has its own Patola style done in tussar silk and in single Ikat. The cottons of Andhra Pradesh are known for their fine quality. Gadwal and Kothakota produce fine cotton sarees with rich borders. Venkatagiri makes sarees which are a sheer weave with gold coins, dots, leaves, parrots or simple geometrical patterns. The plain white saree with a gold band for border is typical of Kerala and is known as Karalkuda. Aurangabad, which was part of Hydera- bad State till States' reorganisation in 1956, is the home of Himroo. The style of weaving is associated with the advent of Muslim rule in India. It is Persian in origin. Himroo cloth is an extra weft fabric with a solid coloured background decorated with floral motifs. The tradition of Himroo weaving has been revived and kept alive in Hyderabad through the efforts of Suraiya Hasan Bose. The textiles of Manipur, Assam and Tripura have near-geometric motifs sym- bolising animals, birds, flowers and human beings. The Orissa weaver is inspired by temple carvings and weaves patterns of fish, flowing streams, trees and flowers using the Ikat technique. In Rajasthan, the tying and dyeing of woven fabrics, known as Bandhani , is a technique representing the earliest form of resist patternings. Parts of the fabric are tied with thread into minute knots to form a design and dipped into dye. The combination of various colours with the base which is dyed in a different shade produces innumer- able variations in pattern. But despite this regional distinction there has been a great deal of exchange in technique and styles. The Surat tanchoi, based on a technique of satin weaving with the extra weft floats absorbed in the fabric itself, can also be seen in Varanasi. The Jamadani technique — the patterns are worked in white on a white background, the extra weft threads which create the pattern

The ancient culture of the country and its rich diversity are reflected in the infinite variety of its handicrafts. The skills of its craftsmen have evolved over the centuries shaped by the cultural influences and cross- currents that have been generated by the making of Indian history. What is the real significance of handi- crafts? It lies in the newness and surprise of each object. No two are alike, for each is a fresh creation. Standardisation is alien, in ‘fact a negation of all that handicrafts stand for. Even the poorest enjoyed a variety in the articles of everyday use, for a special article was assigned for a particular use. This meant a wide range even in the clay water pots and pans, clothes and garments with distinctive colours and designs. Wall and floor decorations varied according to the days of the week and to mark special festi- vals. All this broke monotony which is per- haps the most deadening element in life. HANDLOOM TEXTILES India has been the source of fine cotton, wool and silk textiles for centuries. Cotton was first produced in India and fine cotton cloth called muslin was in great demand in the Roman Empire, and the other ancient civilisations of Egypt and Babylonia. Dis- tinctive styles of weaving developed in dif- ferent parts of the country. Handlooms have survived the process of industrialisa- tion and today there are nearly 4 million - Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay