Costumes and textiles of madhya pradesh & maharashtra

1. Costumes and Textiles of Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra
BAGH
Bagh, which lends its name to the Bagh prints, is a small tribal village/ town in Dhar
district of Madhya Pradesh.
Legend has it that the village of Bagh, the Bagh river, and the nearby Bagh caves (3rd &
5th century AD, with rich carvings and paintings dedicated to both Hindu as well as
Buddhist deities) got their name from the baghs or tigers that inhabited the region.
The Bagh river flows at a distance of about a kilometre from the Dhar-Kukshi road.
The khatri community, who comprise the chhipas or printers are believed to have come to
Bagh - about 400 years ago - from Larkana is Sind, which is famous for its Ajrak prints.
What motivated these families to cross the capricious Indus and settle in the interiors of
India, far away from their ancestral homes, is not known for sure but what is certain is
that they carried with them a strong tradition of hand block printing.

4. The chippas settled near water sources, along the Bagh river, where they set up
centers of hand block printing.
Bagh's proximity to the river was an important reason for the chippas selecting
it, as flowing river water is vital to the process of printing. (However, since the
river Bagh that flows through Bagh is dry several times during the year, the
material to be washed has now to be taken to the Narmada river, about 30 km
away.)

6. PROCESS & TECHNIQUE
Every single process in Bagh hand-block printing is manual. Even the cotton
saris are hand-printed. Each sari takes a minimum of three weeks to complete
after the design is printed. During this period it is washed in the river at least
seven times and sent to the bhatti at least twice.
Two persons stand knee deep in water to wash the fabric/sari so that superfluous
colour is removed without touching any other part of the printed surface. The
fabric/sari is boiled in a cauldron of water on a bhatti - with regulated heat - to
allow the correct colour to emerge. This is a painstaking process and has to be
executed with utmost accuracy, care, and skill.

7. BUYING THE CLOTH
The cloth - mainly cotton and sometimes silk - is usually bought from the
market. The fabric used by the Khatris may be Bangalori silk (bought from
Indore), cotton or grey latha (bought from Indore and Bombay) or silk-cotton
mix (bought from Maheshwari in Khargoan district). Silk needs much more
delicate handling and care; generally a silk cloth takes almost double the time for
its completion than does a piece of cotton cloth the same size.
The cloth is taken to the river where it is thoroughly washed. 100 single sheets
are washed at one time - that is, 250 cuts of fabric 60" wide. The fabric is soaked
in water for 2 hours. It is washed by beating it on riverside stones several times.
It is brought back to the workshop after drying.

8. The cloth is brought back to the workshop, and dipped in a particular
solution for an entire night, after which it is put out to dry by spreading on
a floor of stones out in a verandah.
This involves three items:
a. A solution of 3 kg of sanchara (rock salt) soaked in 15 litres of
water, stirred till it melts.
b. 10 kg of mengni soaked in 10-15 litres of water. When it is soft, it is
made into a paste by grinding it with a brick on a stone surface.
C. 1 kg of arandi ka tel or unrefined castor oil. The three are mixed to
make a dhaul solution.
The fabric is immersed in this water - it is to be kept under water for the
whole night. The fabric is then taken to the river and washed in
flowing water. Then it is dried. This process has to be repeated three
times; each time the fabric has to be kept in the water for 10 to 15
minutes. By this time the material becomes quite soft. It is cut into
manageable pieces.

9. TREATING WITH HARARA
Treating the cloth with harara gives an off-white or off-yellow background to
the cloth and also aids in strengthening the tones of the black and red colours
that are printed later.
The fabric is now ready for printing
PRINTING
At this stage the cloth is meticulously and patiently printed by hand with the
help of small design blocks. The designs are transferred very neatly on to the
cloth. The time taken depends on the design and pattern, though, on an average
about 5 metres can be printed by an expert worker in two to three hours.

10. Trays with colour are covered with a bamboo frame called a kartali. On top of
this a felt piece is kept through which the colour is picked up by the portion of
the block that has to be printed. The rest of the block is filled with coarse felt -
this is called naman. The printed material when dry is rolled into bundles and
kept away for eight to fifteen days. This allows the colour to set in properly.
The next part of the process - bichalna - involves taking the printed bundles to
the river. The printed material is pushed into the water and taken out swiftly so
that the extra colour is removed and flows into the river water. This process
requires a lot of strength - two people stand in this running water and hold the
fabric with their hands firmly, while ensuring that the fabric is under water most
of the time. Each piece needs to be kept under flowing water for at least 20
minutes. It is then held over the shoulder and beaten against stones so that all the
residue is also removed from the printed fabric.
If this process is not followed correctly, stains and smudges can appear on the
printed surface.

11. After being washed thoroughly, the cloth is taken back to the workshop where it
is boiled in a solution of dhavda ka phool (for shining and fixing) and alizarine
(to fasten colors). After the boiling process, it is again dried.
After drying, the cloth is taken to the stream where it is washed three to four
times. This process is also called tarai: after washing the cloth, when it is being
dried, it is repeatedly moistened by spraying water on it with the hands. This
helps to gradually set the colors permanently.
Sometimes, to save time, a bit of bleaching powder is added in a drum of water
and the cloth is passed through it. This obviates the need of washing the cloth
three to four times.

12. The blocks used for stamping are intricately and deeply carved by block-makers
in Pethapur in Gujarat. The design repertoire of Bagh prints covers geometrical
and floral compositions. Bagh layouts are dramatic in the use of black and red
alternately on a white background.
The printing is done with vegetable colours, derived from plants, fruits, flowers,
and minerals.
Ismail Khatri (an artisan) claims that there are only four basic (natural) colours:
red, black, khaki, and indigo. He says that he can lay a bet with anyone who says
that there is a fifth colour. The black colour is prepared with ferrous sulphate
mixed with tamarind seed powder and glue, which is cooked in water and stored
for use. The red is similarly produced from alum

13. Ismail Khatri remembers his father making different prints and even different clothes for
different communities and castes like Brahmin, Harijan, Bhil, Bhilalas, Jats, Bharur,
Mahajan etc. He remembers that even Khatris used to wear particular clothes with
specific prints. However now none of this differentiation remains. Expect the Adivasis
(that too only for particular occasions), all buy all types of prints and fabric.
Bagh printers use a number of implements in their printing process. These instruments
hold a specific significance for the printers, a means of their roji-roti (daily bread) and are
sometimes an object of worship.
The bilals or blocks are the most critical tool in hand-block printing. For the chippa
printers of Bagh, blocks are shoji (money and life). Blocks are of two types:
a. Blocks made of one piece of solid wood are costly but convenient to handle for
printing purposes.
b. The second type of blocks, which are cheaper, are made of two pieces of wood. The
holder wood is attached to the printer wood by two screws. The advantage with these
blocks is that the handle can be manoeuvred to change position, in different positions of
printing.

14. Blocks are generally made of good quality wood: sagavan wood from Balsar (Gujarat)
and good quality shisham from Farakkabad (Uttar Pradesh).
The Khatris get their blocks made from Pethapur in Gandhingar. Earlier some old Khatris
in Kherala in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh made blocks
Blocks of superior quality are finely carved wood-base with holes on top or sides to
release air during printing. Patas (plain) blocks, especially require these air opening.
(However, some block do not have these holes, as these are not mandatory.) To make the
printing surface of the blocks smooth, a piece of cloth is stuck on the patas (plain) blocks,
in other design blocks, wool-piece are stuck on its face using the takla

15. It is the water of Bagh-river which give particular colour to Bagh print. In fact, when
the Bagh river dries up during the summer and he has to go to Narmada (40 km away)
to wash the textiles, he finds that reds and greys do not come out properly. (The
scientific reason may be that the Bagh soil has high contents of lime and iron, which act
as cleansing and fastening agents).

16. Chanderi
Traditionally, the Chanderi had a silk warp and
cotton weft, with zari ornamentation, enameled
in soft tones, woven into the pallu/pallav (end-
piece), kinara (border), and body of the sari. In
the last few decades, silk has replaced the cotton
weft to a large degree. The designs are
produced by the extra warp and weft
techniques

17. Types of Chanderi Sari
Narrow border: These are the plain sarees having a very narrow border of
complementary-warp zari and an endpiece containing a few narrow zari bands,
or one single, wider band.
Broader border: These are the sarees with broader borders woven in
supplementary warp zari with coloured supplementary-warp silk embellishments,
woven into small repeat floral or geometrical designs. The endpiece consisted of
the border elements repeated twice as two parallel bands, often with narrow
woven lines and many buti woven between them.
Wide border: The third type called do-chashmee (two streams) is no longer
made but had wide borders with brightly coloured supplementary- warp silk in a
satin weave upon which were supplementary bands of white geometric patterns.
In some sarees the borders were reversible.

19. Fabric in Chanderi Sarees
The Chanderi sari is woven in cotton as well as silk. Chanderi silk from India is
the result of traditional methods of hand-weaving that have been developed
over the centuries, and passed down through generations. Chanderi silk is
considered the fabric of choice for sarees produced for royalty, due to its light-
weight quality and intricate designs.

21. Colours and Design
These sarees are a rare fusion of soft & contrasting colors.
The plain cotton ones are with borders and have stripes and floral patterns.
There are also ones which have butis on the body of the saree as well.
Silk sarees are woven with zari borders and have zari and thread work all through the
length of sari, giving it an elegant and dazzling look.
Chanderi sari is known for soft colors and the harmonious balance between the border
and the body of the saree.
These sarees are also known for their contrasting colors and the depiction of animal and
human figures on them and patterns taken from the Chanderi temples.
Traditionally, the Chanderi had a silk warp and cotton weft, use bright but subtle colours
and rich gold borders making them quite distinctive. It has zari ornamentation, enameled
in soft tones, woven into the pallu/pallav (end-piece), kinara (border), and body of the
sari. In the last few decades, silk has replaced the cotton weft to a large degree. The
designs are produced by the extra warp and weft techniques

22. Maheshwari Sari
The sari derives its name from the town of Maheshwar in west Nimad district of
Madhya Pradesh, located on the banks of the Narmada river. Legend has it that it
was set up by the queen Ahilya Bai Holkar - the light, yet rich Maheshwari was
once the exclusive privilege of royalty. Ahilya Bai built a temple and a palace
with beautiful carvings - it is estimated that these could well have provided the
inspiration for the designs of the Maheshwari sari.

23. The sari is comprised of either pure cotton or of mixed silk and cotton thread.
Silk warp with a fine count and cotton weft is being used in the weaving. There
is often a narrow border of zari or contrasting coloured silk, intricately woven in
geometric designs. The pallus are woven with a silk weft.
Field: Usually there are no motifs in the main field. The buttis so common to the
chanderi are definitely not in the maheshwari, though very fine checks or stripes
can sometimes be found in the field.
Borders: Traditionally, these have narrow bands of supplementary-warp
patterning in zari or coloured silk. (Today, maheshwari borders are often
broader.)
End-piece: The pallu (end-piece) is quite distinct - with broad and narrow white
bands (either the five-band Maharastrian style, or a series of bands of different
widths) across the base colour of the sari.

24. Fabric in Maheshwari Sarees
The Maheshwari saree is woven mostly in cotton and silk. The saree woven
from pure silk, is famous for its strength, elasticity and a unique luster of the
fabric. Nowadays these sarees are made in natural and artificial silk as well.

25. The borders of Maheshwari saris are reversible, and are embellished with
intricate designs. Its pallu is also quite distinctive. It commonly has five stripes,
three coloured alternating with two white, in the Maharastrian style. Nowadays,
Maheshwari fabrics are available in many other designs as well.
Worked on handlooms, the sarees with a plain, soft coloured body, have a
trademark border and pallu, setting them apart from the Paithani, Potla,
Kancheepuram and the rest. Modern day Maheshwar sarees are a blend of 80-
120 counts cotton yarn and fine silk yarn though in ancient times, they were of
pure cotton with the weave carrying a distinctly Maharashtrian style.
The handlooms are 48 inches in size with silk yarn bought from Bangalore and
Benares used on warp and super fine cotton yarn from Coimbatore inserted on
the weft.

26. The plain sarees are known as Chandrakala and baingani Chandrakala, which is
woven with blackish violet wrap and chocolate weft. The saree can be worn
either side because of the reversible borders of the saree which is known as
'Bugdi‘.
The saree woven from pure silk, is famous for its strength, elasticity and a
unique luster of the fabric. The use of zari and particular texture and sheen of
the "garbh reshmi" saree of Maheshwari give it a distinct identity amongst the
wealth of Indian sarees and made it a much coveted item even in time as far
back as 18th century India.
The pallav of the Maheshwari sarees is also unique with five stripes with three
coloured and two white colours alternating. Now these Indian sarees are made in
natural and as well as artificial silk also. The sarees usually have rich golden
borders and two gold bands on the pallu. The traditional sarees have gold
chicks, with lotus rounded all over are known as butis.

27. Colours and Design
The typical Maheshwari saree is either chequered, plain or has stripes, combined
with complementary colours. These sarees have a trademark border and pallu,
setting them apart from the Paithani, Patola, Kancheepuram and the rest.
Originally, the pallu is particularly distinctive with 5 strips, 3 coloured and two
white alternating, running along its width. The reversible border of the saree
known as bugdi which can be worn either side, is a speciality. It has a variety of
leaves and flowers on the border, in karnphool pattern, which is quite popular.
But now a lot of experimentation with respect to the fabric and motifs has been
done in Maheshwari sarees, no doubt to increase its appeal in a market of
changing and varied tastes. The use of zari and kinari is also unique to the
Maheshwari saree. The golden thread is used to weave exotic motifs and designs
on the body, border and pallu of the saree.

28. The colours and textures are a play of weft
colours, subtly different from the warp
yarn. Soft and gentle colours are more
common; occasionally a brighter colour can
be found.
As is normally the case with any long
regional tradition, the language of the
Maheshwari sari evokes images of serene
fruitful nature. The hues and shades of the
fabric are referred to in the vernacular as
Angoori (grape green),Dalimbi (deep pink),
Gul Bakhshi (magenta), Rani (deep mauve
pink), Kaasni (light violet), Jaamla
(purple), Dhaani (green), Chintamani
(peacock blue), Aamrak (golden),
Tapkeeree (deep brown).

29. The Maheshwari sarees were initially made only in red, maroon, black, purple
and green but today these sarees are also made in lighter shades. The colours
used in the Maheshwari saree are grape green, magenta, deep mauve pink, deep
pink, golden, dark brown, cyan and many more.
The one trait of Maheshwari fabrics that has stood the test of time is its motifs.
Even today, they are mostly geometric. The most common ones include chatai
(woven mat pattern), Iinth (brick pattern), hira (diamond pattern) and chameli
ki phool (the chameli flower) – all of which may be traced back to the detailing
on the walls, niches and cornices of Maheshwar Fort.
The designs of the motifs are derived from the temples and the palaces of
Maheshwar.
The golden thread is used to weave exotic motifs and designs on the flowdah
(body) kinar (border) and the anchra (pallu) of the saree. Especially lovely are
motifs like Guldasta, Aambuta, Ghunggroo, Chatai kinar, Bel phool, Jai phool,
Hansa, Mayur, Baila Ankhi, Ambi Buti and Chandtara.

31. Paithani Sarees
Paithani sarees are the famous silk sarees of Maharashtra named after a village
near Aurangabad. Traditionally it has a coloured cotton muslin field that often
contains considerable supplimentary zari patterning. It is a hand-woven sari of
gorgeous colours, intricate design and painstaking labour and treasured as a
valuable possession in every Maharashtrian family. No Maharashtrian wedding
trousseau is complete without the Paithani sari.
Fabric in Paithani Sarees
The Paithani sarees, are made of silk in rich, vivid colours with gold
embroidery. In the modern Paithani sarees, silver threads coated with gold are
used instead of pure gold threads. Intricate weave of silk warp and gold weft.

32. The borders are created with the interlocked weft technique, either with
coloured silk or zari. A wide band of supplementary – warp zari (in a mat
pattern) is woven upon the coloured silk border. In borders woven with a
zari ground, coloured silk patterns are added as a supplementary – weft
‘inlay’ against the ‘zari’, usually in the form of flowers or creeping vines.
The end piece has fine silk warp threads that are cut and retied to a
different colour, as in the petni technique of Kanchipuram. The weft
threads are only of zari, forming a ‘golden’ ground upon which angular,
brightly coloured silk designs are woven in the interlocked-weft technique,
producing a tapestry effect.
These patterns usually consist of intertwining vines, branches, leaves and
flowers, as well as parrots, peacocks and even horses and riders.

34. Design
Distinctive motifs such as stars, peacocks, mangoes, flowers, coins, fans,
petals, lotus, coconut etc. are woven into the sari. Many of these designs are
found on the border and pallu in different sizes and patterns. In the pallu, the
base is in gold and the pattern is done in silk, giving the whole sari an
embossed look.
Paithani are generally decorated with the gold dot or coin motif. The speciality
of the paithani is its border and pallav. Gold threads run s right across the warp
threads with motifs picked up in silk thread and jewel like colours worked in
tapestry styles similar to meenekari work of gold jewellery. Ornamental zari
borders of oblique square design and pallavas mostly in peacock design.

35. Colours
These sarees have a special dhoop-chaav (light and shade) effect which is
achieved by bringing two different coloured silk threads together in the process
of a simple tabby weave. The shades vary from vivid magenta, peacock greens
and purples. The dominant traditional colours of vegetable dyes included blue,
red and green, black and white, black and red, pink, purplish red and yellow.

39. Material assembly
20-22 denier - organzine silk is used in warp, while two ply, very lightly
twisted 30-32 silk is used for weft. The warp is usually made in the pegs
or drums warping process and is tied in ball form at the back of loom. It
is usually made for 2 pieces of sari and is about 11.5 meters in length.
While coloured silk is mostly used in figure work, the solid border have
extra weft figuring threads.
The weft for borders and body being different, three shuttle weaving is
adopted, two for border and one for plain body. The border therefore
appears as separately woven and then stitched to the body of the sari.
Some times a separate pallu warp is twisted on the body. The end piece
has fine silk. Warp threads are only of zari forming a golden ground upon
which angular, brightly coloured silk designs are woven in the interlocked
weft, producing a tapestry effect.

40. Motifs
Due to proximity to the Ajanta caves, the influence of the Buddhist
paintings can be seen in the woven Paithani motifs:
The Kamal or lotus flower on which Buddha sits or stands
The Hans motif
The Ashraffi motif
The Asawalli (flowering vines), became very popular during the
Peshwa's period
The Bangadi Mor, peacock in bangle
The Tota-Maina
The Humarparinda, peasant bird
The Amar Vell
The Narali motif, very common
Small motifs like circles, stars, kuyri, rui phool, kalas pakhhli, chandrakor,
clusters of 3 leaves, were very common for the body of the sari.

41. Weaving
Paithani saris are silks in which there is no extra weft forming figures. The
figuring weave was obtained by a plain tapestry technique. There are
three techniques of weaving:
Split tapestry weave - the simplest weave where two weft threads are
woven up to adjacent warp threads and then reversed. The warp threads
are then cut and retied to a different colour.

42. Interlocking method - two wefts are interlocked with each other where
the colour change is required. The figuring weft is made of a number of
coloured threads, weaving plain with warp threads and interlocked on
either side with the grounds weft threads are invariably gold threads
which interlock with the figure weft threads, thus forming the figure. This
system of interlocking weaves, known as kadiyal, is done so that there
are no extra floats on the back of the motif thus making the design
nearly reversible.
Dobe-tailing method - two threads go around the same warp, one
above the other, creating a dobe-tailing or tooth-comb effect.
Weaving could take between 18 to 24 months, depending upon the
complexity of the design. Today there are many weavers who are
working for the revival of this treasured weave.

47. Fisherman Costume of Goa

48. The main costume for women in Goa is the nine-yard sari, or 'nav-vari'.
Worn all along the Konkan coast in a typical 'cassato' style (tucked in at
the back). The sari was practical for working in the lush fields and on the
beaches.
During the tribal festival Shigmo (the spring festival), men wearvibrant
attires decked with coloumn style red spotted dwajas (flags). The Kunbis
celebrate 'Chowrang' (four colours), through a dance that, despite its
name, bears no relation to colours. Rather it signifies an impeccable
blend of music, dance, tradition and costume. Dressed up in a white
dhoti, with flowers in the hair, garlands on the neck and 'ghungroos' on
the anklets, they surely create an impressive sight.

49. From the history of the inquisition, rose one garment that became the
epitome of Goan fashion. It successfully bridged the aesthetics of East
and West and later stood out as a signature of colour, music, wealth,
beauty and culture of Goa. The garment came to be known as 'pano
bhaju', the ingenious invention of converted orthodox Hindu women.
Today, the Portuguese influence can be seen in men's wear and in a
few prominant garments for women. However, the Hindu Goan woman
retained her 'sari' and traditional way of dressing, throughout the reign of
the Portuguese.

50. The climate of Goa demands tropical influence in its costumes. The
tropical costumes are best suited for the climate of the region. During
summers, when the temperature is quite high, the best option is cotton
clothes. The woolen clothes are not frequently required in Goa and even
in winters, a sweater or a light woolen jacket will do. The cold climate
usually stays in Goa from December to early February.
Besides climate, the pluralistic heritage of Goa has also contributed to the
Goan costumes. The costumes of Goa show a colourful variety. In Goa,
Portuguese influence is evident in men's and even women's western
wears. There are a number of different costumes that are worn by the
people of Goa during different occasions.
The main costume for the women of Goa is the 9-yard sari, which they
complement with traditional jewelry. Pano bhaju is another important
traditional costume of the women of Goa. The Koli fishermen of Goa, who
wear colourful shirts and half pants, and a hat made of bark of the
bamboo trees, make for a wonderful sight.

51. But arguably the biggest attraction for the tourists and also a great
platform for showcasing different types of costumes of Goa is the Goa
Carnival.
The people in the carnival wear many different types of colourful
costumes and beautiful masks. This three-day festival is a melting pot of
several cultures, and besides Portuguese influence, it has over the years,
infused and got enriched by the traditional revelry of Hindu festivities. As
such this animated pageantry showcases a wide variety of costumes.
The most popular among the people are the off-shoulder dresses and
colourful suits.
There are costumes that help the contestants represent Goddesses and
those of its followers. Most of the carnival costumes depend on the props
and the sets that are setup on the vehicles. There are also the special
long gowns that are specially designed to look extravagant, and shiny for
the Carnival. These costumes are the special attractions of the carnival.