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IKAT TEXTILES

OF INDIA

NAME-TAPASWINI BEHERAROLL NO.-32FD-1VSESSION-2012-2016NIFT KOLKATA

• Ikat is otherwise known as tie and dye textile design known round the world.

• Some experts are of the opinion that the technology came from far eastern countries since the term Ikat is a Malayan word.

• But the study reveals that it was started and developed in India also at least in certain clusters like Odisha, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh and upto certain extent in North East and North Eastern India.

INTRODUCTION

• In India Ikat is known as Bandha in Odisha, Bandhani in Rajasthan, Pochumpalli in Andhra Pradesh. However in textile term it is commonly known as Ikat.

• The term ikat is a malayan word and introduced on to the european language by Rouffaer comes from word Mangikat which means to bind, knot or wind around.

• It is used for yarn tie and dye only as against tie and dye of fabrics which, in India, is known as Bandhani.

• During early 12th century in Patola of Gujarat this type of fabric was reported to be used by the royalty .

• In Odisha the art is being practiced in two different clusters –

1. One is Western Odisha having no. of clusters like Sambalpur, Bolangir, Sonepur,Boudh etc., where ikat is produced by the communities like Bhuliya assisted by Kostha and Kuli.

2. The second cluster of villages such as Nuapatna , Tigiria, Maniabandha, Badamba, Narsinghpur etc., all were ruled under feudal chief if Tigiria.

IKAT TEXTILE: A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS

Bandhani is a well known art of Rajasthan. These fabrics are often called one of the type of Ikat for two basic reasons:

• Because of its name Bandhani which has similarity with Bandha.

• Because the desighn is done by Tie and Dye method similar to Ikat.

THE COUSINES OF THE IKAT FABRIC

• Traditionally Patola was considered as popular dress for marraiges, as dress for deites and for various other rituals since it was considered that patola brings good luck.

• In the process the design was decided and the design is drawn as a blue print on a graph paper, and is then painted with various colors to feel how it will look like as fabric. Most designs are traditional like diamond, floral design , moon etc..

• The warp and weft yarns needs to be dyed separatly such a way that on the loom the adjust to give final design as drawn on paper earlier.

• According to the size of cloth to be woven are laid longitudenally , fixing at two ends.

• According to design knots are tied with the help of small yarns and then the entire yarn complex is dyed leaving the knotty portion undyed. The knots are then shifted as may be needed by design.

THE PATOLA OF GUJARAT

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Detail of a classic Gujarati Patola from the early 19th century.


• Similarly weft yarns are also dyed . By dyeing both warp and weft it gives double ikat on the loom thus ensuring sharper design.

• The traditionally used vegetable and natural but of late they had to switch over to chemical dyes

• One of the major problem of ikat is its primitive loom. The loom do not have peddles and thus adjusting the designs and other operations has to be done by hand so it takes much more time and thus the fabric is too costly.

• Bulk of their products are obviously sarees. Besides ikat designs they also ude gold yarns or gold coated yarns to make the fabric more attractive.

• It is said that Patola has global demand due to its unique design.


• Pogdubandhu is a type of ikat art, those are produced in Andhra Pradesh where it is known as Pochampally, named after one of the village where it is produced.

• It has its unique character of design, different from either Patola or Bandhni of Gujarat or Odisha respectively, however it does not have connection with ritual or worship.

• The craft is produced by weaver community called Debanga, Dera, or Padmashali.

• As on today the craft survives in two villages like Pochampally, Koyalgudam, Chowtuppala, Siripuram, Bhubangiri, Chuigottala and Galteppala and a few villages around them mostly in Nalgonda district.

• The process begins by creating design on graph paper and thereafter vacant positions are filled in with colors. In this art both single as well as double ikat are practiced thogh bulk of them are single ikat unlike Patola og Gujarat.

POGDUBANDHU OR POCHAMPALLY OF ANDHRA PRADESH

Pochampalli silk sareePochampalli cotton saree

• In single ikat warp is dyed while weft is left either undyed or entire yarn is dyed as the design demands.

• After drawing designs on paper , the yarns are grouped and subgrouped and laid longitudnally. According to design , knots are made with the help of rubber gutters and then they are dyed in bunches. This makes entire yarn getting dyed leaving knotty portion undyed.

• Essential technology of producing ikat fabrics in Andhra Pradesh is the same as that being adopted in Odisha and Gujarat. The main feature is grouping warp threads and/or weft threads and sub grouping warp them for tie and dye by leasing. In Andhra Pradesh semi circular frames with pegs are used for preparation of weft and leasing as well as for tying.

• Tying threds obviously givrs better and sharper design. Tying is done in 6 picks to 6 picks instead of 2 picks to 2 picks as in Odisha so andhra pradesh never achieved fineness of that of Odisha at any point of time.


Pochampalli silk sareePochampally silk saree in mustard & maroon combination

• In silk 20/20 and 16/18 deniers are used. Acid and direct dyes are often used. Colors are not fast to washing.

• Weavers use fly shuttle loom for weaving fabrics, which ensures higher productivity thus the cost of fabric is much cheaper than Patola of Gujarat.

• This is the reason why the Andhra ikat is growing fast but the Patola is dying.


• Out of different types of ikats produced in India perhaps “Bandha” of Odisha stands apart. Not only in respect of designs but the process, its expression and so on can be summed up as poetry on the loom.

• It is also found different sets of community develop this form of art by keeping in tune the tradition of land reflecting the raligious sentiments like Jagannath cult as well as environmental reflections.

• The art is limited to bhuliya. Kostha communities of Western Odisha, and Gudiya Patra, Asini Patra and Sarakha of Eastrn Odisha settled in clusters.

• The pattern is not formed by weaving together yarns of different colors, nor it is printed on the fabric: it is made by dyeing warp and weft threads before weaving. Following the precise plan , pieces of anothetr material are tied with hanks of yarn at certain points. This material absorbs the dye stuff and is removed on completion of dyeing, leaving the yarn dyed only where it was exposed to the dye liquor.

BANDHA- THE UNIQUE IKAT OF ODISHA

Cotton Ikat saree with animal and leaves motifs

Extra weft cotton saree od Odisha

• Before the warp and weft are interlaced to produce the cloth, the yarns, generally weft and sometimes warps are tied in portions according to the designs and then dyed resulting in the untied portions being colored.

• Designs produced in this method differ from printed and jacquard woven designs.

• Bandha or Ikat design is unique since it does not need extra yarn and its back and face gives same design. It is again different since it gives natural motifs.

• Unlike in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, the Odisha Bandha artsans do not draw the designs before transferring into yarn rather many experienced artisans straight away transfer the design from their imagination. That is the reason why they can bring natural motifs so well.

• The design also comes out well since the tying is on 2 picks to 2 picks consequently ensuring finer design.


BOMKAI SAREE OF ODISHA

• It has reflections of Odisha’s tradition, social norms, cultural and above all the cult of Lord Jagannath which has influence on every walk of life of people of Odisha .

• Jagannath cult has not only influenced the design but also the choice of color, since every color used symbolises certain conceptand norms in accordance to philosophy of Jagannath cult.

• Traditionally 4 basic colors were used such as white, black, yellow, and red has deep philosophical meaning representing certain concept symbolically according to Jagannath cult.

• Not only colors but also motifs choosen has also influence from Jagannath cult. ‘Singha Bandha’ or motif of lionwhich is at the gate of Jagannath temple, Sankha(conch shell) , Chakra(devine wheel) , Padma(lotus) , Gada(the mace) are found as motifs, also various motifs used are Peacock, Goose, Duck, Parrot, Deer, Fish.


BANDHA WORK WITH TEMPLE MOTIFS AND ORGANIC MOTIFS AT BORDER

• Before obseving the motifs of Ikat texile it is necessary to divert to divert the attention towards art of temple architecture. ‘Deuli Bandha’ is a motif which has resemblence with shape of temple which is found almost in every saree either on border or aanchal.

• Between two different regions of bandha textile in Odisha, Bhulias (Western Odisha) gives better fabrics with better design from Eastern Odisha as Bhulias gives Double Ikat.

• However wonder of Odisha being these artists straight away go for creation without drawing designs on graph or paper.


BOMKAI SAREES AND SAMBALPURI SAREES

• Madhya Pradesh is considered as the heart of India. This region is famous for tassar silk and of course Ikat work which came today perhaps because of influence of Western Odisha.

• Kosthas are considered as one of the weaver community though their tradition says they are the spinners of tassar cocoon.

• The art of ikat of Madhya Pradesh has impact of Odisha design on it. Same natural motifs like fish, elephant, horse, lotus, and floral designs.

• The choice of Design motifs though resembles Odisha , however they are not as organised as that of Odisha.

IKAT OF MADHYA PRADESH

• It is a general belief that the art of Ikat only exists in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha , and Madhya Pradesh perhaps because of typical unique designand design expressions.

• The art is basically Ikat and has resemblence with South European Ikat that existed during historical era, a few pieces are still kept in meuseum piece in Switzerland.

• Since the meaning of Jharna is fountain , the design is so called because it resembles the flow of water either in line or in bulk.

• There are also Single and Double Ikat , usually known as single and double Jharna.

JHARNA- THE COMMON INDIAN IKAT

• Manipur may be divided geographically and culturally into two distinct regions, such as hills and the valley. The production of Jharna is limited to valley which is limited to cotton yarn producing lungi, Khudei (towel) upto certain extent.

• In Assam it is practiced in Barak valley and Brahamaputra valley. Jharna design is used in cotton textile only in both the regions of Assam producing lungis , often shirtings too.

• Tripura produce lungi, gamucha, or even shirtings and were known for their high quality.


• West Bengal is well known for prodution of Jharna both with cotton as well as muslin or silk jharna. They produce it notably in Malda and Midanpur

• Odisha is well known for jharna and is produced almost in entire state. They used cotton, silk, and muslin to produce their fabric.


To analyze it quickly most modern and effective method is of course SWOT analysis. Incase of Ikat too there is neet for these type of analysis of action plan need to be drawn ultimately.

STRENGTH

• The design itself is unique cannot be imitated so easily.

• The design is equal on both side of the cloth

• There is a social support in certain Ikats since they are linked with social tradions and rituals.

• The states where Ikats are produced, considers it as a pride of craft.

• The craft has been produced and the persons are trained from generation to generations therefore no need of additional training input

• Being unique it has export demand too.

SWOT OF IKAT FABRICS

WEAKNESS

• Since they are produced in traditional loom, so the productivity.

• The weavers are conservative thus do not accept new design. Thus repeatation of design causes erosion of local market.

• The weavers are not organised lot. Thus they are often exploited by traders and do not get value they deserve. This causes desertation of weavers from the profession.

• Being produced in low productive loom cost of fabric become abnormally high often beyond buying capacity of common customers . Therefore customers switch over to cheap imitations.

• Dyes they use often not standard . Since fast dye is not always used the fabric earns bad name, ultimately market.


OPPORTUNITY

• The uniqueness of design has great opportunity in future if design are suitably developed according to customers choice.

• Using dress material shall fetch greater opportunity for market growth if customer friendly readymade garments be made.

• Due to uniqueness in design, fabrics have opportunity in interior decoration.

• If design be combined with other traditional weaving , scope of market can further be enhanced.


THREAT

• Due to comparative high price and production of imitation prints of ikat in mill sector the market is threatened.

• Due to corruption in high places there is possibility of sabotage even in Khadi and Handloom sectors in favour of multinationals

• Due to social changes with change in social value use of Ikat in ritual and in tradition may be forgotten.

• If conservative approach of weavers continued and there is resistance in change of design there may be erosion in market demand.

• If standard yarn or dye are not made available, the fabric automatically shall earn bad name hence shall perish.


• It is one of the difficult subject to discuss at present level of technology in various Ikat clusters

• Technology of Patola of Gujarat ia at the lowest level.

• Pochampally cluster of Andhra Pradesh is certainly better economically than that of Gujarat

• In case of Nuapatna belt of Odisha, the situation is almost parallel to Andhra Pradesh. In Western Odisha the weavers weave 8 sarees at a time. Thus their productivity is slightly lower than Nuapatna and Pochampally.

ECONOMY OF IKAT

Ikat textiles right from jharna design to various complicated motifs may be termed as pride of India. Various scholars give various concepts regarding its origin. Many scholars feel it originated in Far East, the term Ikat being of Malayan origin. There is no doubt that Malya and Indonesia were the countries which are considered as father of textile designs particularly printing designs. However in respect of Ikat . Irrespective of the origin of term it can not be definitely said where the Art actually originated. The design motifs of various clusters in India were developed in their own way.

The art is a pride if India, it is a symbol of “Swadesi”. That is the reason we must patronise it and necessary action plan be drawn for its growth. Not only every citizen of India must patronise it, there is also a need for policy support from Government. It has it, there is also a need for policy support from Govt. . It has survived of its own so far, we must patronise so that it flourishes further.

CONCLUSION

• Ikat Textiles of India by G.K. Ghosh and Shukla Ghosh

• Images from google.co.in

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Documents

india ikat

term ikat

ikat fabrics

double ikat

patola of gujarat

single ikat warp

ikat textiles of india

type of ikat art