JAMDANI iS BACK

The magic weave is not just a celebration of an age-old tradition but a luxury item whose conspicuous consumption can help revive a dying industry, says Ramya Palisetty

Described as “woven silk” by Roman author Petronius in the 1st century CE, the soft and delicate muslin was worn by Indian royalty since the days of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Kautilya’s Arthashastra, a book on economics, is thought to be the earliest account of the origin of Muslin and its development. Bengal’s muslin finds mention even in the writings of Pliny, who lived in Rome from AD 23 to AD 79. You would be interested to know that the muslin variety, which was produced during the Mughal era was so fine and transparent that even when Zeb-un-nisa wore seven layers of muslin to court, her father and Emperor Aurangzeb chided her for obscenity as her attire remained transparent.

Jamdani uses the technique of loom embroidery wherein discontinuous extra or supplementary weft yarn is woven into the warp threads with the desired pattern while the weaving progresses. Considered to be precious cargo, it is one of the most complex weaving technologies ever developed in India.

This wonder fabric was displayed as part of a revival project by the Delhi Crafts Council. Master weaver Jyotish Debnath, who conceptualised the exhibit, has been credited with the development  of the muslin for the last 35 years. Said he, “For the past six generations, Jamdani runs in our blood. Muslin has a language of its own and once you understand and know how to craft it, you would be amazed by your creations. It has infinite possibilities.” Debnath has taught 180 weavers the traditional art of making Jamdani, including his son, at   Kalna, West Bengal. Over the past 10 years, he has produced almost 500 designs. It takes two months to weave a than. “The most essential work of setting up the wefts and threads is done by the women.” The father and son wish to establish a school which will impart training of this weaving culture so their beloved tradition is preserved. There is no end to learning and Debnath hopes to be a passionate student till his death.

As we entered the hall at Bikaner House, we found hand-woven, fine cotton fabric embellished with intricate motifs, expertly woven into it. On each display panel was our inheritance, our forgotten history from as far back as the 19th century.

The Jamdani is woven in several parts of India, mainly West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and southern India.

The Benares Jamdani is elaborate where a single warp is usually ornamented with two extra wefts followed by ground weft. The mango motif signifying fertility, growth and marital bliss is a popular design woven on the old fashioned Jala loom, where ‘jala’ is a kind of frame on which the design is first created using threads by nakshabands or pattern-makers. This is attached to the loom as a master harness.

It has a modern innovation or variant in the form of the tanda, that has small simple designs made with gold threads on warm, dark colours.

The one that had everyone transfixed was the indigo or Nilambari Jamdani from West Bengal. Indigo was considered auspicious and sacred when the first weavers attempted it. The floral pattern on the pallu is very precise and accurate, its broad gold border shimmering in contrast. The Jamdani sarees of West Bengal have tighter weaves and depict the lotus, lamp and the fish scale matrix. The weavers of West Bengal draw designs on paper before  articulating them on the sari. Given the intricacy of extreme detailing, they usually work for around two hours each day. If a weaver works for more than two hours, they might lose their vision and become completely blind in a span of four years. Or so said Debnath. It takes up to nine months to weave a sari. Of course, weavers are nowadays noticing a revivalism in story-telling, with each sari telling a story from either the Ramayana, Mahabharata or other mythological lores.

In southern India, the patterns are bold motifs on pure silk. The weaving is carried out using the jacquard loom. Uppada is one of the most time and labour-intensive weaving traditions with tapestry like patterns of paisleys, flowers, leaves and creepers. The contemporary Uppada has a new design vocabulary, contemporary colour palette, delicate zari patterns and a naturally light drape. 

Mulmul or Dhakai Jamdani is described as the wind, the sky, the smoke, the dew, resembling a snake skin and running water. A fabric like that can make any woman envious. One finds mention of it in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, written during the Regency era.

The term Mulmul can be best described as lightweight, gauzy, expensive and fine texture.

Jamdani is now being showcased by various Indian designers at international fashion weeks. With the rising demand for exclusive clothing, the modern version of Jamdani is woven in pure silk along with cotton and contemporary designs. The two popular modern styles include the “self coloured style” and the “half and half style.” An authentic Jamdani is high maintenance but in a world of good appearance and great dressing, it can be flaunted at weddings and corporate gatherings as a statement piece.  

Throughout the Mahabharata, Jamdani is narrated as a phenomenal cotton but many samples have been destroyed today due to climatic change. The industrial revolution, colonisation by the British and the decline of the Mughal dynasty led to its decline. The fixing of prices by the agents of East India Company, who exploited weavers for their own financial gains, imports of cheaper and shoddier quality yarn and mass produced machine textiles from Europe were the most destructive factors.

According to representatives of the Delhi Crafts Council, it took them eight months and immense research to showcase and design the exhibit. “If you washed the muslin and threw it in the air, it would be dried. The cloth was dried on a bed of thorns to keep the threads intact,” shared Ritu Sethi, who has worked on this project tirelessly with her team. The exhibition is an attempt at reviving the ethereal fabric and educating the nation. “The aim of the display was to educate ourselves and analyse the facts to give people a contextual and historical background for better understanding. Education, awareness and consumerism are inter-connected dots”. The elite society is willing to pay incredible amounts to possess this fabric, thereby increasing the wages of the craftsmen and weavers.

A few stalls by weavers from Benares, Fulia and Venkatagiri were set up for sale of Jamdani sarees, wall hangings and dupattas. The designs involved birds, flowers, tree of life and even bulls. The price ranged between Rs 2500 to 80,000.