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History of
Costume
Textiles of Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir
Antwin James
FD IV
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Acknowledgement
We would like to e
p
ess our sincere gratitude to Mrs RoopaliRawatfor providing usthe opportunity to make this document related to the te
tiles of two different states of
India- Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir. We would also like to thank her for her guidance and
patience, without which this document would not have been possible.
I would also like to thank my friends who helped me and support ed me throughout
this assignment.
I also thank the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bangalore - Resource centre
for all the materials and references.
Thanking You,
Ant
in J
s
&A 4
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Gujarat
Gujarat is one of the most vibrant states of
India. This is due to the fact that it has a rich
culture. Thepeople of thestatestill follow the
ancient practices of art and craft with great
zeal. Gujarat arts and crafts are famous world-
wide. They were originally made for daily use
purpose in homes. But with time, thestature of
the crafts grew, converting it into a full-fledged
industry. Skilled artisans, inherent good taste,
creativity and economical use of the resources
contributed to the growth of the art and the
state.
The wide array of items to choose from include
furniture, jewellery, metalwork items,
embroidered garments, colourful linen,
leatherwork, beadwork, mirror work, baked
clay articles, etc. Gujarat is famous for its
furnishings also. You can decorate your home
with ethnic craft pieces, ranging from elegant
cushion covers to quilts and from tablemats to
bedcovers. These items are available in simplecolourful geometric designs as well as comple
patterns. Gujarat's arts and crafts are
essentially the legacy of its glorious past. They
truly reflect the lifestyle, culture and, above all,
thespirit of thestate.
GujaratCulture
Gujarat is a place of rich culture and heritage. They havepreserved the ancient art and craft techniques and still practice them
with great determination. Thepeople of Gujarat are very simple and
live life to the fullest. The spirit of Gujarat is quite visible from the
varied fairs and festivals celebrated in thestate. It is further enriched
by the tribal people residing here. Thus, Gujarat has a cultural
diversity which is a unique feature of thestate and is randomly seen.
Dances
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Gujarat is known as the land of festivals. A number of fairs and festivals are
celebrated in the state with great fervor and joy. The celebrations of these occasions are
accom
anied with traditional dance and music
erformances. The state has been blessed
with a rich tradition of
erforming arts.
M
usicGujarat is a state of music lovers and has roduced some of the best musicians ofIndia. It is said that the legendary musicians BaijuBawra and TanaRiri belong to the state
itself. Narsinh Mehta
of the 'VaishnavJanto' acclaim
also hails from Gujarat.
ReligionLike all other states of India
Gujarat is also inhabited by
eo
le of different religions
castes and creeds. It is one of the most industrialized states of India and rovides
em
loyment o
ortunities for the youth. As a result
eo
le from across the country have
settled in the state.
PeopleGujarat boasts of a rich culture and heritage. The
eo
leof Gujarat are commonly
referred as Gujaratis and the main language s oken by them is Gujarati. Gujarat is a
flourishing state in all s heres and as a result numerous eo le from different arts of India
have settled here for various reasons.
HistoryGujarat has an ancient history and origin to boast of. It was earlier known as
Gujarata (GurjarRashtra) which means Gurjar nation. Gurjars was on old clan which
inhabited the area during the Mahabharat
eriod. Another o
inion regarding Gurjars is that
they belonged to Central Asia.
Gu r t T xti
Gujarat textiles reflect a love of Colour an eye for design and form. They are the
ex ression of an initial artistic ersonality and rich cultural heritage. The state excels in both
quality and design of textiles
traditional and modern. The larger variety mills are combined
to
roduce a rich mingling ofcolours and textures.
The widest s ectrum of woven fabrics is found in the resist technique. These range
from
atola
double ikat
to the bandhej tie and dye the woven mashru and the resist or
resist or reserved
rinting on cotton and silk.
Patola
Patolu and atola are the terms normally
used in Gujarat for art of silk weaving with design in
Patola silk is often termed as the queen of all silks. Patola Saris of Gujarat are one of the
finest hand-woven saris roduced today. The lace associated with Patola is Patan. Here
exquisite
atterns are woven on saris with great
recision.
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double ikat i.e. for fabrics where the wra
and weft threads are coloured in section by tie
dying before weaving and are then woven to form intricate multi-coloured designs. Today,
PatanPatola is one of the finest hand woven textiles roduced. Besides,Patan the double
ikat is found only in Bali in Indonesia.
Mashru
Mashru, a mixed fabric, woven with a
combination ofcotton and silk, was essentially for
the use of Muslim men as there was a rohibition
on their wearing
ure silk. The tradition of
mashru may have been influenced by weaving
traditions
revalent in Iraq and the Arab
countries where the habits were strictly adhered
to Mashru was woven all over India, though it
survives today only in Gujarat.
Brocades
The brocades has a distinct style of
weaving of silk satin cloth, gold brocading with
coloured threads on the borders and in the lay
technique in some cases. They carried traditional
atterns of
o
atvel, stylized
arrot flower
border, jhardh, jhardh, flowering shrub or tree motif or the mango and ashorfi circular gold
coin. Today only sim le ashorfi brocade used in the rural areas is woven in Mehsana district
of Gujarat.
Bandhani
The tied and dyed fabrics, known as bandhej
or bandhani, of saurashtra and kutch are
erha
s the
finest roduced in India. Amongst these, the most
intricate and refined styles are to be found inJamnagar, Bhuj and Mandavi. Jamnagar bandhej is
roduced on su erfine cotton mulmul and Muslim,
sometimes combined with gold checks and motifs worked
in Jamdani technique.
Prints
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The oldest known
atterned fabrics from India are from Gujarat. They are resist-dye
and rinted cottons excavated at Fostate, which was the centre of distribution of Indian
rinted cotton to the west. Their styled delineation of the atterns was based on the
decorative styles of West Indian
aintings and designs.
The matani
Pachedi made by the vaghris for ritual
ur
ose used a combinations of block
rinting
for the outline of the
attern and the
ainting of
the mordents. The dominant motif is of the
mother Goddess in her many forms and as
ects.
Embroidery
Gujarat has the most vibrant, fine and variedcollection of embroidery to be found in any
art of India.
The movement of
astoral no made and their settlement in
different
arts of Gujarat gave a wide variation in
embroidery styles. Strong class and community instincts
maintained the distinct style. Kutch in North Western
Gujarat and Saurashtra in western Gujarat have the finest
embroidery and variety of styles.
Specimens of folk tradition, with its bold and igorous
patterns and colours, are made bypeasant women for their own use. It is this embroiderywhich even today enriched the life of the people of Kutch and Saurashtra.
Gu r t Ha i rafts
Gujarat has an ancient history and a glorious cultural heritage. The age old crafts of
the place have survived till date. The art and crafts are preserved andare even practiced
widely across the state. The handicrafts of Gujarat are famous for their colour scheme,
detail and intricate work and artistic appearance. These handicrafts are a product of skilled
craftsmanship of India. There is a wide variety available in handicrafts. One can choose fromsilver jewellery, embroidery, furniture,clay items, handmade durries (carpets), stone crafts
and other materials.
Brass and Iron Items
These items are best found at former princely state of Saurashtra and Kutch. The
items available here are fine beetle nut crackers, copper coated iron bells, knives and
cutlery.
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Clay Items
Pottery is one of the oldest handicrafts of thestate and is being practiced since the
ancient times. Those in the Aravallis and ChhotaUdepur tribal lands areproficient in making
long necked terracotta figurines of the Gora Dev (tribal Horse -God).
Furniture
The craft of making wooden items includes rounding the wood with tools. This is
followed by painting it with floral and abstract designs in bright shades of gold, silver,
maroon, green, vermilion, and brown.
Dhurries
Dhurries, carpets, blankets and rugs are still woven on primitive pit looms in the
villages of Kutch. As a result, handloom weaving is an important occupation in villages,
situated on the Ahmedabad - Bhavnagar highway.
Silver Jewellery
Silverjewellery is thespecialty of thestate of Gujarat. Thepremier centres ofsilver
ornaments are Rajkot and Ahmedabad. Other than this, Kutch is also known for silver
engravings and ornaments.
Jammu and Kashmir
Kashmir, the "Paradise on Earth", is known for its captivating beauty. It is
encircled by three mountain ranges of the Himalayas - Karakoram, Zanaskar and
PirPanjal , running from northwest to northeast. Forming the backdrop of Kashmir,
thesesnow-capped ranges make Kashmir look like a picturestraight out of a fairy-tale.
Dazzling rivers,serene lakes,splendid gardens, flowering meadows, etc. aresome other
features of the landscape of the Kashmir valley. The breath-taking beauty of Kashmir
has earned it the name of the "Switzerland of the East". Nothing describes the beauty
of Kashmir better than the following words of a Mughal emperor:
"Gar Bar-ru-e-ZaminAst; HaminAst, HaminAstHaminAst."Kashmir valley of India is also popular for various adventuresports that it offers.
Skiing, golf, trekking, river rafting, paragliding, camping and a number of other sports
draw large number of tourists to the Kashmir valley. Kashmir also boasts of a numb er of
pilgrim places. In fact, it is the starting point of the most revered pilgrimages of
Amarnath and Vaishno Devi. The handicrafts of Kashmir are almost as popular as its
scenic beauty. Thepopular handicrafts of the valley arePashmina shawls,silk car pets,
papier-mch products,e
quisite woodwork , copperware,silverware, and a number of
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other crafts. All said and done, the beauty of Kashmir is unparalleled and it is truly
known as the "Paradise on Earth". Once you visit Kashmir, its beauty and charm will
remain etched in your memory forever.
Culture
The cultural heritage of Kashmir valley is an amalgamation of sorts. The numerous
civilizations that have inhabited the Kashmir valley from time to time have left theirimpression on the culture of Kashmir. The state
of Kashmir abounds in ancient literature,
language, religion, arts,crafts, dance, music, etc.
In fact, the people of Kashmir have made
significant contribution in the fields of
storytelling, poetry, philosophy, sciences, etc.
The handicrafts of Kashmir like Pashmina shawls,
papier-mchproducts, silk carpets, woodwork,
etc are admired throughout the world.
Ja u a
Kash ir Textiles
Carpet
The kind of carpets made in Kashmir resembles Central Asian styles like bokhara and
Turkish makes. Often, a cotton warp is mixed with a woollen weft. Silk carpets are also made.
Medallions, horse designs, and hunting and animal scenes are the motifsused. Floral
and plant designs in unusual sizes can also be found. Trellis designs, the hallmark of Mughal
traditions, are combined with plant motifs. Medallions in many varieties and shapes are found
along the borders.
Barajasta is the technique in carpet-making
where the main design is worked out in pile and
the background has a plain weave in gold thread
which adds a lustrous appearance. Bokhara
carpets are made in pure wool and three rows of
irre ular octa ons form the main motif
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Kashmiri shawls are decorated by various kind of embroideries Art or hook
embroidery; motifs are well-known flower designs and 'sozni' or needlework's, is finely done
by experienced craftsman's material & fine embroiderycauses the hike in prices
You can get three main fibres types from which the Kashmiri shawls aremade, these
are - wool ,P
ashmina and most expensive Shatoosh.P
ure wool shawls called raffal whichhave different counts of wool - 40, 60, 80 etc., if the count increases so does theprice.
Pheran
Pheran is a traditional Kashmiri garment worn in winters to
get some warmth from frigid weather .It is eminently suited to theKashmiri way of life, because it provides space for "Kangri", an
earthen lamp carried close to the body for more warmth when
Temperature goes down from zero degree.
Men's Pherans are always made of tweed or coarse wool ,
while women's pherans, are more stylized, commonly made of
raffel with ari or hook embroidery at the throat,cuffs and edges. The quality of embroidery
and thickness of the raffel determines the price.
Ja u a Kash ir Ha i rafts
Kashmiri crewelwork or Chain stitch
It is in great demand all over the world
because high quality ofcrewel embroidery done on
wall hangings and rugs. Chain stitch, be it in wool,
silk or cotton, is done by hook rather than needles
on white backgrounds The hook is referred to as art,
and quality for quality, hook work covers a much
larger area than needle work in the same amount of time.
Small stitches are used to fill the entire area-the figures or motifs look fascinating in
striking colours. Cotton based crewel art pieces make excellent household furnishings being
hand or machine washable.
Kashmiri willow baskets
Shahtoosh, the legendary ring shawl is famous for its lightness, softness and warmth.
But it is a banned item now because hair of the Tibetan antelopes throat is
painstakinglycollected until there are enough for a shawl.
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These are decorated by mesmerizing intricate designs.Surprisingly strong, these baskets
made by Willow rushes that grow in abundance in marshes and in
lakes of Kashmir.
For local Kashmiri's use There is a covering case , made for the
Kangri - an earthen pot in which burning coals are kept on a bed ofashes , these baskets can be used in homes or used as picnic
hampers, lampshades, glass holders for holding tea, work baskets,
packing cases and large presentation hampers .
Other Handicrafts
The art of casting copperware & brassware in
Kashmir had flourished from years. The Kashmiri
brassware is noted all over the world for good quality
and design. The brassware objects in Kashmir ranged
from household, decorative and ceremonial items. They
comprise mostly cooking pots and sundry articles for
the household. However, the most celebrated item is
samovars (tea-kettle of Russian origin).
The Kashmiri craftsman also produces excellent
products of copper-ware consisting mostly of cooking pots
and samovars and sundry articles for the household or the
mantelpieces, they are admiringly adapted for electroplating.
There is a good demand for beautiful copper trays inlet into
tables of carved walnut-wood, there are floral, stylized,
geometric, leaf and even calligraphic motifs that are
engraved or embossed on copper or brass.
C lusi
From the thorough research of the textiles of Indian states, like Gujarat and Jammu
& Kashmir, it is concluded that even if India is very united in all the cultures and other
factors when compared to the other countries, still we find lots ofculture difference inside
the country as well. All the states of India have a very distinct and unique culture and
textiles. Their mode of life is different so are their hobbies and jobs related to textiles.
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Thus we can conclude that India is a very rich and vibrant country in terms of its
culture, te
tiles and handicrafts. We as designersshould focus on implementing and using
the abundantly available resource and take inspirations from the different cultures. The
te
tiles can also bee
plored while designing.
Bibliography
http://hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu
http://www.bestofkashmir.com
http://www.azerbaijanrugs.com
http://www.indianetzone.com
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.wovensouls.com
http://www.starhandloom.com
http://te
tonte
tiles.files.wordpress.com
http://www.culturaltoursindia.com
http://www.bharatonline.com
http://gaatha.com
Silk in Kashmir- Sir Thomas Wardle