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Patola
Woven with grandeur and dyed with royalty; such is the art of Patola Weaving. Since the onset of this art, Patola has been considered an inheritance of elegance and aristocracy. It still finds itself in the hands of only the highly influential and more affluent masses. It is believed that the cloth may tear, but its design and colour shall never perish.
Tracing Origin
The word Patola has come from the Sanskrit word ‘pattakulla’, which literally means a silk fabric.
History of Patola craft, that has been practised for over 11 centuries, dates back to the Salvi Community silk weavers of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Under the patronage of the Solanki Dynasty of Gujarat, these 700 skilled workers moved to Patan, Gujarat.
King Kumarpala’s love for Patola fabric was what brought the workers from a place called Jalan, Maharashtra to Patan.
How It’s Done
What differentiates Patola from any other craft is that it is a reverse process. The threads are dyed first according to the design decided. The warps are then aligned on the loom and a Vi (A rosewood stick) is used to adjust the yarns. Weft threads are wound on bobbins and kept in the bamboo shuttle for the weaving process. Patola fabric is weaved on a hand-operated harness loom made of rosewood and bamboo strips. The bamboo shuttle is crafted to move to and fro through warp shades. Each warp is carefully matched with weft while weaving.
The process takes around 8 workers and 5-6 months to complete.
The precision of this art is such that the fabric woven is reversible and workers themselves find it tough to differentiate.
The dyeing process is done using natural colours such as madder root, alum, pomegranate skin, turmeric, marigold and more.
Design Elements
The designs made on a patola are a manifestation of perfect skill and calculations. The designs are inspired by the intricate carvings found in the Rani ki Vav. The Rani ki Vav is a stepwell located in Patan, which today is a world heritage site and found behind the 100 rupee currency of India. The motifs used by Jains are mainly geometrical in nature. While the Vohras make use of elephants and flowers. The Salvi Community weaves motifs such as the Pan Bhat (peepal leaf), Rudraksha Bhat (a dried seed from the Himalayas), Chandra Bhat (Moon), Nari Kunjar (elephant), Popat Bhat (parrot) and more.
Patola Today
Today various designers are bringing this illustrious art on runways and trying to sustain the Salvi Tribe. Gaurang Shah is one of them who dedicated an entire collection to types of Patola Sarees and Lehengas.
Patola, a traditional Indian textile, showcases exquisite craftsmanship with its intricate bagru, zari work, mashru himroo, and silk ikat weaves, creating a tapestry of timeless beauty.
Image Credits
D Source | Holidify | Lost with Purpose | Make Heritage Fun | Patan Patola | Patola Munga Silk Sarees | Pinterest | Wikipedia | Verve Magazine | Utsavpedia