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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 They were originally made for daily use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

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