Historical Background
Tradition of Indian Handlooms dates back to prehistoric
ages. Its early origin and development through ages can be traced through
various Hindu literary sources like Veda, Upanishad, Ramayana, Mahabharata and
Kautilya's Arthasastra etc. In Brihatsamhita, Varahamihir who lived in AD 405
describes a wide variety of textiles that were in existence in those days.
On the basis of the archaeological evidence i.e. fragment of
cotton cloth dyed with madder found in Mohenjodaro and Harappa (Indus Valley
Civilisation), it is known that the art of hand spinning, handloom weaving and
dyeing/printing of cotton with natural dyes were practised by our people and it
formed an established industry in the country, about 4500 years ago. All
testifies to a glorious tradition that has remained for about fifty centuries
with changing and reshaping according to the creativity of the artisan and the
demands of the monarchs as well as market. It also has a lot of influence from
the invasions, trade and cultural contacts with various sects like Mughals,
Portuguese, Dutches, Britishers etc. Till 18th century, India was the largest exporter of textiles, obviously hand woven and hand processed with
natural dyes, in the world.
Beauty of Indian Textiles, through the centuries, was
expressed in various poetic forms by many poets. Two thousand years ago the
Tamil poets of Sangam age compared them to the ethereal elusiveness of smoke
and vapour. Sheer muslins were the prized possessions of the Romans. They used
to call them "Venti nebula", clouded winds echoing their airy and
transparent textures. Amir Khoosru, the poet described the muslin "A
hundred yard of it can pass the eye of a needle, so fine is its texture, and
yet the point of the needle can pierce through it with difficulty. It is so
transparent and light that it looks as if one is in no dress at all but has
only smeared the body with pure water". Zeb-un-nissa, the daughter of the
Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was once chastised by her father for appearing in the
court without clothes until she pointed out that she had put no less than eight
robes around her body. Sant Kabir, who is basically a Julah or weaver, has
expressed many philosophical poetic versions of human life comparing with the
process of weaving of cloth with the intersection of warp and weft threads on
handlooms.
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About the Author
The author is Director at Weavers' Service Centre in Office
of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of
Textiles, Govt. of India, Chennai.
