Revisiting The Lanes Of 5 Gorgeous Indian Textiles

                                              By Vaishnavi Srivastava

The last time we started our expedition of exploring the various incredible textiles of India, we were completely awe-struck by witnessing such beautiful and intricate work done by our craftsmen on various fabrics. And we know for a fact that you all too loved to be part of this journey of ours! 

India is a country of colours, everything in our beloved motherland right from the spices to the cultures is full of colours, enthusiasm, and exuberance. And so are our textiles. Various regions of our country are touched by unique legacies that gave birth to the various forms of art and the creation of textiles are one of them. 

From north to south and east to west, India is equipped with some the best fabric and extremely rich textiles that are not only famous in the country but globally too. 

Keeping our promise, we are back with another 5 stunning textiles of our country and will be throwing some light on their craftsmanship and their intricate delicacies. We will explore all of these Indian textiles and fabrics and will unveil their beauty in front of you. 

Keep reading if you want to get as thrilled as us by gradually knowing about the rich textile culture of our country. 

1. KHADI

Source:https://craftatlas.co/crafts/khadi 

If we turn the pages back in the history of India, Khadi or Khaddar will prove to be the royalty of our country. It is a fabric that is woven by hand on the spinning wheel by using two or three fabrics together. Our Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi started the production of this fabric to give an impetus to the self-employment rate of India. This fabric is produced in several parts of our country and mainly in the villages. Khadi was a fabric that was earlier regarded as the one worn by poor men but not anymore, it is one of the most wanted textiles of India in the international market. 

The making of this textile is done by hands by the craftsmen using the spinning wheel also known as ‘charkha’. There are several designer clothes that are now being designed using Khadi and we can surely say that this textile is the pride of India. 

2. KANJIVARAM 

Source:https://www.sarangithestore.com/products/1123376bro 

Moving in the southwards direction of our Indian map, we have Kanjivaram sarees. This textile is everything between intricacy and gaud. The embroideries using gold and silver wefts on thick fabrics with a splash of bright colours steal all our attention to the intricate work done on these sarees. Famous for its delicate yet rich work with gold and silver on fabrics with loud colours is the speciality of this textile. Extremely famous in Chennai, India, this textile stands a very important place because of its rich and royal hand embroidery and intricate work. Anyone who ever gets a chance to visit this city will surely get their hands on one of these extremely gorgeous Kanjivaram sarees to adorn their closets. 

The brocade design patterns used in these sarees use motifs such as animals, flowers, etc. The embroidery work done on this textile is worth every ounce of appreciation. 

3. PATOLA

Source:https://www.facebook.com/SinghaniasHyderabadOfficial/ 

This is a textile that is extremely famous for its weaving techniques and the place famous for this is Patan in Gujarat. It involves the process of double IKAT weaving of the wefts and threads that are tied and dyed and are then woven on the fabric as per the designs. The patola sarees are used in auspicious occasions so they contain motifs of peacock, kalash, dancing dolls, etc. This is a gorgeous textile that is not only extremely religious to look at but is also very artistic and choreographed in terms of its patterns and designs. 

The tie and dye process of the threads or wefts is done by mainly using vegetable dyes and these are then woven together to form the patterns. 

4. PASHMINA

Source:https://www.kcsshop.in/product/phool-jaal-pure-pashmina-shawl/ 

Navigating from the southern to right to the northern parts of our India, we have to stop by this extremely rich and intricate textile called the Pashmina. This is mainly made by using the fine wool of the goats in the region of Kashmir with very intricate and fine embroidery over the same. It takes around a week to complete the making of one pashmina shawl. The embroidery done on this fabric is purely done by hand using the fine threads. There are several patterns and designs that can be embroidered on the fabric and it will give it a very royal look due to the fineness of the work done. 

This intricacy and time that is needed by this textile allows it to secure a place for itself in the costliest textiles of India. 

5. KANTHA

Source:https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/216735800790360538/ 

The last but not the least textile on our list is Kantha from West Bengal. The significance of this particular fabric are the running stitches all over the cloth that is mainly tussar silk. The motifs on this fabric are inspired by ancient symbols. The making of this textile or fabric dates back to several centuries and there are various forms of stitching used to elaborate the motifs across the fabrics. There are seven types of Kantha stitching that are used to make various items such as sarees, quilts, etc. 

The significance of this textile and work is related to the Vedic times and this makes this textile a fostered art of our country. 

With this, we reach the end of another round of exploration of textiles in India. We hope we were able to bring across a few thrilling textiles that you might be rolling over by now. 

India is a culturally rich country and our textile industry is flourishing. We have housed a few amazing textiles that involve pure handwork and skills that none but the Indian craftsmen have mastered. This is the reason why the textiles of our country are so in-demand globally. We have a very rich and alluring textile market across the country that is also the pride of our nation. 

Do let us know which textile you fell in love with and are at once going to get your hands on to grace your wardrobes!