Hail the handloom! A National Handloom Day preview

The Solapur sarildquoThere are barely 100 handlooms left in Solapur I am trying to revive them but itrsquos difficult to make the Solapur sari consistently as the weavers are not forthcoming Most are nearing retirement and donrsquot feel the need to earn since they depend on their wives a majority of whom are in the beedimaking businessrdquo rues Solapurbased lawyerturneddesigner Vinay Narkar right known as much for his Solapur sari creations as his Gadwal weavesA Kosa silk outfit designed by a NIFT studentBelonging to Southeastern Maharashtra the cotton Solapur sari also called the Deccan sari is handwoven using a twoshuttle technique Created in a stark colour palette featuring reds blues purples and browns it was traditionally a nineyard wonder with motifs crafted in the borderShelves with Ilkal saris in SolapurConsidering the proximity of the two regions the sari bears similarities with Ilkal produced across the border in this town in North Karnataka Now on the brink of a fadeout this sari has been replaced by Ilkal varieties at most shops in Solapur and adjacent areas though customised according to the taste of the stateA Solapur sari with the Ruiphool motif from the book The Sari History Pattern Style Technique by Linda LyntonldquoThe checks and motifs are different While Karnataka Ilkal has a plain body the Maharashtra version features different types of checks known as chokda square checks duphda double checks along with motifs like Ruiphool Aankh and Karvat axerdquo he addsKhun weaveOriginating in Maindargi a town in Solapur district Khun aka Khand is a coarse fabric mostly woven into a blouse ldquoIt is difficult to find weavers of the original Khunrdquo says designer Vaishali S who featured it in three of her collectionsldquoKhun was used as offering to the goddess and so you can see the goddessrsquos face on the borders along with flowers and temples It retains its colour and lustre even after several washes and can be used as a modern silhouetterdquoMotifs of MaharashtraTotapuri or the parrot motifNarli coconut motifs Pics courtesyShruti SanchetiRasta parallel linesWeaves of VidarbhaldquoEast and South Maharashtra is rich in weaves though many are lesserknown Irsquom working with weavers to add contemporary design motifs and a better thread count so they can get global exposure toordquo says Nagpurbased designer Shruti Sancheti the face of Maharashtra State Handloom Corporation She guides us through different weaves and motifsgtgt Tussar silk Few might be aware that Tussar silk is also produced in Vidarbha Unlike other states Tussar here uses a subdued and dark colour palettegtgt Kosa silk From Gondia and Bhandara regions the fabric is woven in vibrant colours though it doesnrsquot have the luxurious fall of a Tussar silkgtgt Nagpur checks Similar to the Solapur checks the Nagpuri version is woven in a twocolour tonegtgt Narayan Peth This sari bears resemblance with the Paithani ldquoIt is seen across Maharashtra It is woven in checks mainly in silk with temple motifsrdquo says SanchetiThe Paithani sariProduced for over 2000 years Paithani sari originates from Paithan near Aurangabad and Yeola near Nashik and it is the most popular Maharastrian weave Traditionally it was an essential part of a bridersquos trousseau often woven in silver and goldldquoThe Paithani technique is close to the ones of tapestry weaving Due to proximity to the Ajanta caves the influence of the Buddhist paintings can be seen in the Paithani motifsrdquo says Nilima Singh director of NIFT MumbaiShobhaa De in a Paithani sari at a NIFT eventThe most popular motifs include kamal lotus flower on which Buddha sits or stands hans swan ashraffi coin bangadi mor peacock in bangle totamaina parrotmynah humarparinda peasant bird the Amar Vell a Moghulinspired design and Narali a traditional coconut border which was the most common Paithani border until the end of 19th century Small motifs like circles stars kuyri rui phool kalas pakhhli chandrakor and clusters of three leaves were common for the body of the sarildquoPaithani also features animal motifs like the peacock elephants and parrots that are stylised to make attractive patterns The weaving is intricate The contrasting colour combinations in the motif with bright colours like pink green blue and magenta makes the Paithani stand outrdquo sums up Singh whose students and the institute have worked extensively with the weaveHimrooSingh believes that the Himroo textiles of Aurangabad are unique The word Himroo originated from the Persian word Humruh that means similar Himroo is a replication of Kumkhwab which was woven with pure golden and silver threads in the olden days and was meant for the royal familiesNilima Singh director of NIFT MumbaildquoHimroo uses Persian designs and is distinctive in appearance However some historians believe that Himroo was the innovation of local craftsmen with little Persian influence In the earlier days it was made using the brocade techniques of Jaala Now the Himroo is largely done on power looms using Jacquard mechanism Such high is its worth and texture that this fabric is often seen resembling a golden clothrdquo shares Singh adding that ldquoof the all the weaves Himroo is lesser known as the art of making by hand has diminished and few artisans are ready to work on the craft However some of the power loom versions are now being sold in the marketrdquo Popular motifs from Himroo include decorative ambia derived from the mango the stylised form is also known as paisley globally and intricate floral patterns inspired from the Moghul architectureKolivanApart from the Solapur sari the region also weaves the traditional attire worn by the Koli fisherfolk in Mumbai Known as Kolivan meaning Koli design the sari is heavier than other versions since it is woven with a regular 60 or 80 thread count ldquoIt is 10 metres in length and mainly worn by the older generation from the community A few handlooms in Solapur make the saris but they add synthetic material to cut costs I am trying to replace them with cotton and using the weave to construct garments and folders to increase its awarenessrdquo adds Narkar