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Handicrafts
Gujarat has a very rich heritage of art
crafts. The
excavations at the Harappan sites in Gujarat at Lothal, Rangpur, Rozdi etc.
have brought to light some of the very ancient handicraft articles.
Patola
 The
Patola of Patan is a unique fabric of Gujarat. This special variety of
women's wear is strikingly attractive with its colourful geometrical
patterns. This lovely silken fabric, which resembles a printed sari is
not an apparel printed by blocks. Its tie and weave method resulting
in identical patterns on both sides of the fabric, involving complicated
calculations, is entirely based on the geometry of the design. The process
consists of dyeing the warp and the weft threads in conformity with the
proposed design on the fabric. Hand-woven and silk yarn is used
for weaving. The process is both costly and time consuming and the
market is limited with the result that the families doing this work
are fast dwindling.
Jari Industry
The Jari industry of Surat is one of the oldest handicrafts
whose origin can be traced to the Mughal period. Surat is one of the biggest
and important Jari manufacturing centres in India. The principal
types of products are real gold and silver threads, imitation gold
and silver threads, embroidery such as the Chalak, the Salama, the Kangari,
the Tiki, mainly the Ring and the Katori for motifying in the Kinkhab
(cloth of gold) and the Jari border weaving, embroidery, laces, caps,
turbans, saris, and blouse pieces.
The
Tanchoi or silk brocade is woven on silk cloth is decorated
with the designs of birds, animals, leaves, fruits etc. The cloth is used for
costly saris, blouses and tapestry. The Kinkhab or the Indian brocade is
woven on the silk with gold and silver threads.
Dyeing
Dyeing is a hereditary art. In the past cloth was dyed
in colours extracted from trees and flowers. The Sarkhei suburb of Ahmedabad
was one of the indigo manufacturing and exporting centres.
The Bandhani, tie and dye variety of sari is a very popular
women's wear. It involves an intricate process of tying knots on the fine
white fabrics, which are dipped in colours. The hues of deeper shades
are used over the previous ones to form the coloured back ground of the
cloth.
Cloth printing
Cloth painting is a complicated and specialised job.
It is done with engraved wooden blocks and with screens. Certain craftsman
are doing superbly the work of printing different varieties which are
locally called Chundadi, Patola Plain Gala, Lehria, Bandhani, Pomcha,
Nagaria and so on. House hold utility and decorative materials such as
table-cloths, bed -covers, curtains, tapestries, handbags and carpets
are also prepared by this type of printing processes.
Temple curtains popularly known as
Mat-no-Chandarvo is another
type of printing work. The Vahari-Harijan families of Ahmedabad were
engaged in this type of printing. It is prepared in the old madder process
and depicts goddess Durga seated on the throne or on the back of a tiger
and surrounded by her devotees.
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