How the double ikat patan patola is woven?

History :

One of the folk-song of Gujarat in which the wife asks her husband to bring for her Patola of Patan while returning "Chhelaji re mare hatu patan thi Patola mongha lavjo"(O my dear! Do bring the precious Patola from patan for me!) Has remained very famous for the last so many years, and so is the fame, charm and popularity of Patola even today. Patola is a holy silk-cloth. It is believed that by wearing Patola containing religious and miraculous powers, one feels god. It was this quality, which made the people of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia value the Patola above all treasures. For them it was a magic cloth, which protected you in battle, which protect you from evil and bad health. It was the power cloth, which was inherited by the women and gave them a very high status. Today it is gifted to the daughter and daughter-in -law on occasions of marriages in rich families as a sign of good omen. It is considered to be bearing a high status. To possess and wear Patola on holy occasions is considered to be a mater of pride of the family and it highlights the culture. In Sulewesi Toraja, it was the cloth of ma'a or mawa (Indonesian word's meaning "created by god") which was considered so perfect that it could only have been created by the god. Patola has a very old history. It is believed that the word "Patola" must have been derived from the word "Pat", and in Sanskrit it is called "Patta"and Telugu "Patola". It has been mentioned in the tour-depiction that in 1342 A.D a merchant named IBEN BATTAU gifted patolas to many kings in their courts. Patolas were used in the 17th and the 18th centuries. They were used as precious gifts. Getting made patolas was as dignified as getting rich ornaments prepared. A French traveler has noted in his diary that the patolas of patan were sent up to Malaysia and Indonesia. Patolas were famous from Java, Sumatra to Samarkand, Basra, Damask and Rome in the 15th century. Gujarati Poet Premanand of the 17th century, in his famous narrative "Kunvarbai nu Mameru" has referred to patolas as "Lakho pachhedi pandar kodi, Patola pachas vahuji"[Kadvu-6] means (Please note that I will have 300 upper cloths and fifty patolas for marriage) "Laish patolu shrikar, sadi nahi pehru" [Kadvu-12] means[I will have the Patola of shreekar (sacred shaped), but will not wear a saree] Patolas are also referred to in the Duhas of Ranakdevi as "Juvo patolawallo lombdiwall no kand" The psychological motif behind the specific combination of colours and design of Patola is worth understanding. The square arouses the feeling of security, as woman generally desire security in every part of life. The symbols of elephant, parrot, peacock, kalash(jug) and the people left are all considered to be the auspicious symbol of saubhagya (a women's good luck of having husband alive!) The feeling of good luck and security are imbibed in the Patola, and hence, such auspicious symbols are found in them.

Introduction:

India has a rich and ancient heritage in fine textiles (double Ikat). Patola from the area of patan in the north Gujarat region of western India glorifies this heritage with its unique gem like qualities-gorgeous colours, designing and durability. Its very appearance lures the connoisseur of fine textiles. It has no reverse side. Both the sides have equal intensity of colours and design. This peculiar quality has its origins in a very intricate and difficult technique of the dyeing or knot dyeing known as "bandhani process" on the warp and weft separately before weaving. Before World War II, Indonesia was a major buyer of patolas. Historically, the art of double ikat Patola weaving dates back to centuries. Painting in ajanta caves, resemble the tie-dye technique of Patola. Legend indicates that sometimes in the 12th century AD king kumarapala of solanki dynasty, invited 700

Introduction :

India has a rich and ancient heritage in fine textiles. (Double Ikat) Patola from the area of Patan in the North Gujarat region of western India glorifies this heritage. With its unique gem like qualities-gorgeous colours, designs and durability.

Its very appearance lures the connoisseur of fine textiles. It has no reverse side. Both the sides have equal intensity of color and design.

The peculiar quality has its origins in a very intricate and difficult technique of Tie dyeing or Knot dyeing known as "Bandhani Process" on the wrap & weft separately before weaving.

Before World War II, Indonesia was major buyer of patolas. Historically, the art of Double Ikat patola weaving dates back to centuries. Paintings in Ajanta caves resemble the tie-dye technique of patola. Legend indicates that sometimes in the 12th Century AD, King Kumarpal of Solanki dynasty, invited 700 families of patola weavers from Jalna (South Maharashtra) to settle down in Patan in North Gujarat.

Salvi family is one of them who has continued this traditional art and has preserved it even today. This is our heritage art from four generations.

Material:

Traditionally pure silk and natural dyes were used.Since about last 100 years, tradition had given way to the use of fast to bleach and easy to dye chemical colours (dyes). Therefore the use of natural dyes in Patola is discontinued. But since last twenty years again the importance to use of vegetable dyes became the consideration of its eco-friendliness and to maintain the tradition of old natural dyes in Patola.

We have made many experiments and researches in redeveloping the old indigenous process of using vegetable ingredients to obtain different shades which are fast to bleach and sober and pleasing to eyes.

The re-introduced, vegetable materials are: Turmeric, Marigold Flower, Onion Skin, Pomegranate rinds, Madder, Lac, Catechu, Cochineal, Indigo along with different mordant like alum, tinchloride, ferrous sulphate, copper sulphate, Tennic Acid, Oxalic Acid, Potassium Dichromate etc.

Dewelling on the fast colour of the patola, a Gujarat poet wrote; "Padi patole bhat faatey pan phite nahin" meaning the design laid down in the patola may be torn, but it shall never fade.

Technique:

1.Warp and weft silk threads are tied separately with cotton thread on the portions already marked out in conformity with the proposed design in the fabric. This tied portion is meant to remain unexposed to the colour while dyeing. United portion which has absorbed one colour, may be tied while dyeing in another colour. Tyeing untying, retying and dyeing in different shades are the main features of this process.

2.After completion of dyeing work of warps & wefts, the threads of the warp of different repeats of a pattern are put together in a sequence on the loom, so that the design becomes visible. The threads of wefts are wound on to bobbins and kept in the bamboo shuttle for weaving process.

3.The patola is woven on a primitive hand operated harness loom made out of rosewood and bamboo strips. The loom lies at a slant, with the left side being lower than the right side. The bamboo shuttle is made to move to and fro through warp shades. Each weft thread is thoroughly examined and matched with each part of the warp design pattern while weaving.

4.The tension of the warp threads are removed by the help of needle after every time weaving of 8" to 10" of fabric. Patola weaving is a highly accurate just a positioning of warp and weft of similar colour to obtain perfect design and harmony.The process is labour intensive, time consuming and requires high order of skill and dexterity.

5.It takes three to four months to prepare tie- dyed design on warp and weft threads for one sari of 6 yards length by 48" width. Two Salvis (weavers) working together weave just about 8" to 9" a day. It takes 40 to 50 days to weave a sari. Thus 4 to 5 persons take a periods of 5 to 6 months to complete a sari depending on the intricacy of the design.

Product :

The patola was traditionally woven in a sari length of 5 to 9 yards by 45" to 54" width.

The range now extends to include tablecloth borders scarves, handkerchiefs

Design Elements:

Essentially the design in a patola are based on traditional motifs called "Bhat". These designs include "narikunj", "paan", "phulwadi", "chowkdi", "raas", "chhabdi", "choktha", "navratana", "paanchphul", "sarvariya", "laheriya" etc.

Flowers, animals, birds and human figures form the basic designs. New geometrical designs using vegetable dyes were developed and displayed at the Festival of India held in Paris, London, Tokyo, Washington and Moscow.

Awards :

Shilp Guru Award 2002 was conferred upon Shri Vinayak K Salvi by the Dr. Abdul Kalam, President of India on 15th November 2002.

Patola art has also received the National Award of Master in 1965 and CraftsMan of the year award in 1993.

The President of India has conferred the national awards for Master Craft Persons to these very Salvi's in 1978, 1987, 1997.

Also participated in regional trading workshop for women dealing with modern and traditional dyeing, weaving silk in Asia at Bangkok, Thailand in 1987.

Participated in Haebru Asia Kasuri Road Festival in Okinawa, Japan in November 2000.

Postal stamp of rs.5/- also launched by government of india