The most beautiful tradition founded back in the days of Indus Valley Civilization and dates till now into the manufacturing world, is that of the Bandhani cloth form. It is the most auspiciously worn apparel by women across the western India. Bandhani comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Banda’ which means ‘to tie’, made by the simple tie-and-dye technique and manufactured profusely in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Sind (Now in Pakistan).
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If you get a chance to witness a Gujarati or a Marwari wedding, make no mistake of missing it. It was during one of these elaborate and gorgeous weddings that we came across the world of Bandhani. The beautiful bride is seen wearing a ‘Ghar-chola´meaning ‘Outfit for home’ implying the purity of the saree and its importance for the bride to be. It is the most detailed and expensive form of Bandhani. The saree is woven on cotton or silk, mostly in red and its shades, cloth in large checks of silk using golden zari threads. Further these checks are colored by the tie-and-dye technique and beautiful motifs comprising of elephants, peacocks, lotus, human figures and other floral items. It is may take about a month to complete a piece making it a one of a kind Bandhani.
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Gujarat and Rajasthan being one of the most swiftly developing states of India, when we had a chance to witness the making of these Bandhani sarees, we were astonished by the fact about how these artisans are still grounded to their roots even though technology has taken its stride. “The artisans believe that no machinery ever can make something as beautiful as ‘hands in action’ can and after seeing their work, we surely believe them without any doubt.”
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The technique involves dyeing a fabric which is tied tightly with a thread at several points, thus producing a variety of patterns like Chandrakala, Bavan Baug, Shikari etc; depending on the manner in which the cloth is tied.
Now days, intricate Bandhani dupattas are made that look lovely when worn with a simple salwar-kameez, because obviously the gorgeous dupatta stands out giving a boost of confidence to the women wearing it. This hand loom is so evergreen and comes in a variety which makes it a prized-possession of every woman.
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We at loveknits are mesmerised with this beautiful tie and dye technique from our very own India.
To buy these beautiful traditional tie and dyes log on to : www.loveknits.org