Why weaving a Jamdani sari is a true labour of love

The art of weaving is exactly that—an art. It requires skill, precision and rhythm, which when repeated over and over, produces a delicate weave. Jamdani weaves, however, require more than this. Since the defining aspect of this textile are its rich motifs, which are all intricately added by hand, Jamdani is touted as the most advanced hand weaving technique in the world. Each motif has to be inlaid into the fabric by adding denser threads to fine warp threads, and this process is so time intensive that on a usual day, an artisan can weave only between a quarter and one inch of fabric. That shockingly translates to a year if we’re looking at a handwoven Jamdani sari. No wonder the traditional art of weaving Jamdani was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. Vogue sits down with the master of weaves, Gaurang Shah, who helps us understand the nuances of weaving this fabled fabric. Excerpts from the interview:

Can you tell us a bit about the origin and history of the Jamdani weave?

Sulaiman, a 9th-century Arab traveller, wrote of cotton fabrics made in the kingdom of Rahmi (erstwhile undivided Bengal) which were so fine they could pass through a signet ring. Around the 12th century, Islamic influences infused the fabric with countless motifs and colours. And through the magic of one inlaid thread—added discontinuously onto the loom—it turned into a surface for mesmerising patterns. The technique created motif-rich fabrics that bore poetic names like Shabnam (morning dew), Ab-i-rawan (flowing water) and Baftnama (woven wind). It was during the Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign that the art blossomed into its most exquisite form—the flowered muslin, Jamdani.

How is the fabric created?

Jamdani is a discontinuous weft technique of weaving, and can be defined as the art of fine ‘Parsi Gara’ done on the loom. In Jamdani, motifs are inlaid into the fabric by adding a denser thread to fine warp threads by hand. This process is considered the most time intensive and one of the most advanced hand weaving techniques in the world.

Jamdani weaving is like tapestry work where small shuttles of coloured, gold or silver threads pass through the weft. Designs range from the “butidar” (wherein the entire sari is dispersed with florals), the “tercha” (diagonally striped florals), or “jhalar” (a network of floral motifs).

Originally, the base for the Jamdani technique was muslin—the finest cloth ever woven by human hand. It shares its lineage with several ethereal muslin fabrics of India, which were lost when the erstwhile East India Company began its systematic destruction of India’s textile industry in the late 18th century.

A matchless interweave of age-old tradition and constant revival, Jamdani—the flower vase—survives as a living relic of a glorious legacy. It is a celebration of beauty passed on to us, despite all odds, by those who came before.

How long can one Jamdani sari take to weave?

A Jamdani weaver can have between 100 and 300 different discontinuous weft threads laid out before her as she weaves. She picks the right thread and interweaves each weft by hand through thousands of warp threads. On a usual day, an artisan weaves between a quarter and one inch of fabric. This means a weaver could spend more than a year weaving one Jamdani sari. Largely, it depends on the intricacy and density of the design. That said, a sari takes anywhere between six months to three years to weave, where a pair of weavers weave for 10 hours a day.

For example, the costumes we designed for biopic Mahanati involved 100 artisans working around the clock for over a year. In our ongoing dream project, ‘Khadi‘, we are recreating a meticulous replication of Raja Ravi Varma’s well-known works of art woven on to the pallu of the sari, using the Srikakulam Jamdani technique and this is another example of how much effort goes into Jamdani weaving before one gets to see the final work of textile artistry

What are some of the motifs one will usually find on a Jamdani sari?

When Jamdani began in Dhaka, the motifs were nature inspired but geometric in shape. The weavers created these motifs by counting threads instead of any machinery. Hence, the geometric nature of the motifs. The Jamdani in Uppada was done with a jala (threads to pick up the warp) and saw small buttis which weren’t intricate.

In my pursuit of Jamdani around Uppada, I took the traditional small buttis and made simple modifications in size and intricacy. Teaming up with my master weaver, we developed paper Jamdani wherein the paper design is kept under the warp and the weaver replicates the design. The paper Jamdani gives boundless opportunities for experimentation and the liberty to design anything. For the weaver, it gave him the capability to weave wide-ranging design. In one of our creations, called ‘Tree of Life’, no flower, leaf or shape is repeated in the entire sari that replicated paintings, abstract and geometric designs, Paithani motifs and even temple architecture.

What makes Jamdani so special as a weave?

Image: Gaurang

Jamdani is an enduring craft; its specialism lies in the ability to integrate new techniques. From contrasting monotones of white-on-white, its palette has expanded into colourful, vibrant forms. While Jamdani began as cotton muslin, its weaves have incorporated threads of silk, silver, gold and more to create fascinating iterations. Today, Jamdani is done on various materials, without involving machinery.

This art has travelled far beyond its birthplace—Dhaka, Bangladesh (erstwhile undivided Bengal). We can find the finest Jamdani weavers in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The technique has gained unique features; it’s an art that displays an amazing variety.

Every piece I have created is my homage to the past masters who made Jamdani by infusing tradition with a spirit of experimentation. The skill of our weavers (over 70 per cent of whom are women), have the mastery to weave any pattern, no matter how intricate it is. Yet, like true artists, they keep pushing their craft.

Why is it important to support Jamdani today?

Image: Gaurang

It is a national heritage and preserving the national heritage is a responsibility. The Indian Jamdani weave form has enormous potential to make our traditional fabrics and design gain global appeal. The weavers in recent years have discovered that it is the only weaving technique with a sustainability factor. They have also found that this technique has given them enormous scope to bring about artisanal diversity.

The handlooms have always enjoyed the prominent place in the fashion world as the most enduring, comforting and body friendly fabrics. As we move into an age of eco-friendliness, it has become even more relevant to preserve these ancient traditions that have eco infused in every step.

According to you, how has the textile evolved over the years?

 

On a Jamdani weave, the word ‘contemporary’ takes many meanings. Sometimes, it means a revival of lost motifs and patterns. Sometimes, it means finding new inspirations.

There have been many variations engraved in the Indian Jamdani weaving technique, including gentle alterations of technique, the subtlest changes in yarn or number of threads, the most elusive hint of a new colour, and this weave continues to surprise handloom connoisseurs for its distinctive royal appeal coupled with the diversity of pattern and texture.

Some classics created by us include work on the Paithani-style bangdi mor with a 2D effect, which is underway. Paithani bootas on three or four shuttle looms for varying colours and textures are part of the expanding universe of the Benarasi sari.

Indian textiles have witnessed an amalgamation of varied textures of the finest moga yarn, pure zari and silk. In textures, changes have occurred, like silk by muga for its substantive solidity, tissue by tissue for its sheen, silk by silk and the sheer organza to highlight different elements. Over the last 20 years, we have introduced over 20 varied textures in weaving, 100 plus uncommon colour combinations and 300 design innovations using the age-old techniques.

How do you modernise the age-old weave in your collections?

Image: Gaurang

The biggest modernisation has been to spread the art of Jamdani in different clusters where they never did Jamdani. For instance, the weavers in Kota only wove saris which were plain, striped or checkered. By teaching the artisans the art of weaving Jamdani, we have been able to create Kota saris which are not just simple summer saris, but also something that is richer and can be worn for bridal and evening wear occasions.

In coastal Andhra’s area called Srikakulam, we trained weavers and encouraged them to venture out of the comfort zone of their inherited skills of weaving fine khadi yarn with temple borders. As a result, the weavers could make bootis in Jamdani, a new technique in handmade saris never experimented. The same set of weavers enhanced their skills further to weave intricate designs including Mughal patterns, florals and geometric blueprints.

Modernising the weave combines inventing designs, motifs, colours and textures. The beauty springs from keeping the identity/ technique of the cluster and juxtaposing it with sensibilities that resonate with the present times.

Where are your artisans based out of? How long have they been weaving Jamdani?

Image: Gaurang

Over 800+ weavers are located in all the important centres for Indian textiles; Kota, Varanasi, Kanchipuram, Paithan, Srikakulam and Dhaka. The team includes families who have been working for generations, including the generations’ next.

My weavers have been part of my journey since 20 years ago and they are still with me; the heartening factor is the next generations have also followed the family weaving traditions.

What are some of the challenges that the artisan community is currently facing in weaving this fabric?

This challenge has two key parts. First, the socio-economic task is to make handloom a sustainable grassroots activity which can offer weavers and other ancillary trades a viable livelihood as opposed to a low paying and intermittent sector.

The second one relates to inducting creative, aesthetic ideas and vision into the minds of weaving community to make Indian handloom relevant to the lifestyle and choices made by modern Indians—the young, well-travelled global trendsetting fashion consumers and ambassadors for their nation and its unique textile heritage.

The biggest test the sector faces is to develop continuous, constant skilling of weavers at the village level by master weavers and supervisors. As part of the social contribution, we have introduced a lot of programs to upgrade the skills of weavers, enrich their looms, and help them adapt to newer design approaches and bring about artisanal diversity, resulting in work for the weavers throughout the year.

Going forward, we believe that if the next generation isn’t enthused by handloom business prospects and the capabilities of Indian Jamdani weaving, we will be left with a handful of weavers. Fortunately, the fact is that there is a change, and there is a new sense of revival as a new generation of weavers carry forward the art within the weaver family.

Also read:

This London-based designer’s new collection will feature Indian textiles

The incredible history of the traditional Parsi Gara sari

This is where your old saris end up (and how they can help empower women)