The fruits of India’s looms attracted traders from countries across oceans and mountains over many centuries. The visitors were fascinated by the soft cottons, the sheer muslins, the rich silks. And fine fabric, from the gleaming Bararasi silks to the comfortable, homespun khadi cottons, continues to be much valued, not only abroad, but also by our own countrymen.
In pockets across the country, handloom weavers have been creating their own special brands of cloth, with typical designs and counts of threads. Mechanisation gave them stiff competition, and the craft fell into the doldrums, but luckily, those who realised the value of the age-old traditions breathed new life into spinning and weaving, adding contemporary touches to patterns and finding new uses for the textiles. And handloom is beginning to find its feet again.
“It is essential to reflect on the remarkable, globally influencing journey of our handloom sector and the incredible innovations that have breathed new life into this ancient craft,” designer Gaurang Shah, known as the master of weaves, says. A household name for his high-end jamdani sarees and outfits, Gaurang has recreated renowned Raja Ravi Varma paintings, weaving them as Khadi cloth. He says, “The evolution of handlooms is not just about preserving the past; it’s about reinventing it to resonate with the present and future generations.
Khadi, with its simplicity and natural charm, has seen a resurgence through the introduction of varied tex.