Notes on Indian Textiles
Indian textiles are as diverse as her culture: a result of centuries of complex yet colourful juxtapositions of cultural influences, climate conditions, geographical factors and trade. With their sheer beauty, colour and artistry, they have woven their way to win the hearts of both royalty and the common people across the country and the world. And with the wealth of knowledge and skills passed down from one generation of master craftsmen to the next, will continue to do so for a long time to come.
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"Cotton and silk cloth, hand-woven in all the different regions of this vast and varied land and often embellished with embroidery, metal threadwork, beads and even jewels, is fundamental to everyday life in India. It is through the cut, colour, texture and brilliance of their garments that Indians establish their exact position in a society so diverse and fragmented by religion, ethnicity, and the myriad divisions of caste . . . "
Cooper and Gillow, 1996
Textile production and design in India is unique. The predominant fibres are cotton and silk but it is the decoration of these fabrics that creates truly beautiful end products.
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Folk embroidery has always been a form of self-expression for the women. It mirrors their lives, reflects their hidden desires and aspirations, and expresses the cultural traditions and religious beliefs of the society to which they belong. India had attracted migrations from prehistoric times and people came with their cultural traditions, which were absorbed and formed the rich cultural traditions of the people. Embroidery, which is essentially meant to strengthen the fabric and to decorate it, was an important part of the household tradition. Pastoralists, who need to strengthen their objects of everyday use, and their dresses, as well as to decorate their tent dwellings, create rich embroidery. Gujarat, which had an open land route connecting it to Central Asia, had a large number of settlers from Central Asia. They settled in Kutch and Saurashtra and retained their traditions of embroidery that can be found in these areas. The women embroiderers prepared clothes for their personal use, for their children and even special items for the use of their men. The animals’ decorations with embroidery are also part of the pastoral tradition. They prepared decorations for the horns of the bull, for their forehead and also decorative covers. Horse and camel decorations were also embroidered with great attention to detail and some of the finest embroidered camel decorations are prepared by the Rabaris of Kutch. The bagh and phulkari embroidery of Punjab is a labour of love. At the birth of a male child, the dadi, paternal grandmother begins to embroider vari da bagh for his wedding, dreaming of the day when she will wrap the boy’s bride in it, before she enters her new home. TO REQUEST DETAILED NOTES ON INDIAN TEXTILE TRADITIONS GO TO> |