Issue 149 – June 2006.

The romantic rustle of the silk has fascinated mankind over the ages, conjuring up images of grandeur and splendour and in India, has been an integral part of society. A forex earner, it clothed nobility and royalty; it was and is a part of all weddings and other auspicious occasions. Cotton also held its own as a day-to-day wear and as muslin for the rich in the hot summer months. Given this penchant for silk and fine cotton, it is natural that pockets for hand weaving these textiles developed across the country. Each was distinguished from the other by the type of loom used, the combination of weaves, colours and of course stylised motifs. The weaving incorporated features which spoke volumes of the dexterous fingers of the craftsmen while, at the same time, absorbing myriad cross-cultural influences, to develop its own typical flavour. It is in one such tradition that the weaving of the Baluchari saris evolved.

Baluchari sari
Baluchari sari gets its name from the place where its weaving originated, Baluchar in the Murshidabad District of West Bengal (Murshidabad is roughly 225 kms from Calcutta, today). This tiny village rose in prominence and was subsequently abandoned. The characteristic feature of the sari is its spectacular pallav (the visible end of the sari which falls on the back when draped). The pallav almost 3/4 of a meter in length, contains sets of panels depicting a story. The same theme is carried on to the border as well. This stylized use of motifs gives the sari its magnificent look. It has not been possible to pin point when this manner of weaving originated or who started it. Several conjectures though exist. It is usually traced to the mid 18th century, around 1757. Murshidabad was ruled by Nawabs, who were not only wealthy but had a certain panache for good life. The then Nawab of Bengal, Murshid Quli Khan, transferred the capital from Dacca (Dhaka of today) to Murshidabad in 1704. It was under their rule that the craft flourished with the weavers competing to produce more complicated pieces. It is said that the craftsmen migrated from other areas like Varanasi (holy city of Benares) or Gujarat but there is no denial of the skill of the weavers and the way they adapted the traditional skill to fashion out a rich array of textiles. The Muslim nobility had these beautiful fabrics fashioned into tapestry and robes while Hindus into saris. The presence of wealthy patrons and nobility gave impetus for the craft to survive. Murshidabad was and is well known for its silk called Murshidabadi silk. This availability of raw material could also be a reason for the development of the craft here.

Weaving technique
It is however the technique used in the weave that was not only mind boggling but very complicated and intricate. Such that it has been possible only to replicate it, creating original pieces by learning it in totality is still long way off. The weavers used an indigenous system, a contraption like device in wood called jala (meaning web in Hindi) system colloquially. This can be called a precursor to the modern day jacquard looms. The jala was a web like contraption that would be tied according to the pattern and
motifs to be woven. Using this system, the saris were woven. The same jala could be used for weaving saris with a similar motif but different colour combination or jalas could be tied singularly for exclusive one-of-a-kind pieces. Silk used in these saris was fine silk (fine twisted silk on the warp and heavy silk on the weft). The patterns on the border and pallav were woven using untwisted silk. This combination of silk gave it softness, a unique drape-ability and a certain texture. The silk was dyed using vegetable colours that remained fresh and improved with every wash.

Pallavs
The grandeur of the sari as mentioned was of course the pallav with panels depicting stories. The thematic presentation of the stories is astounding. The use of the jala technique to weave almost painting like images was where the expertise lay. The themes were drawn from mythology - tales from the two great Indian epics, Ramayana, Mahabharata to the Puranas and even folk-lore. Tales of bravery, of wars etc. were also depicted. The stylization of forms included animals, birds, human figures together with floral and geometric combinations. It is this stylization of figures that makes textile historians liken them to miniatures; there is the same attention to detail and use of fine colour combination. It is perhaps the only instance in a sari where human figures were woven. The forms were proportionate and symmetrical. Some weavers were enterprising and wove panels that reflected current happenings. So the advent of Englishmen in Calcutta replete with a hat and pipe, the introduction of trams, the advent of the steam engine, huqqa smoking landlords, the Anglicization of the upper class and so on, were shown as stories. This could also be called a chronicle of social happenings. Most of the pieces woven during this period are either museum pieces or prized possessions of private collectors. The end of the tradition Again just like the tradition began, it came to an end and it has not been possible to pinpoint the reasons. Many theories exist. The dwindling of nobility and the lack of patronage could have resulted in a decline in the craft. Competition from mill made fabrics, when in comparison, hand work was more expensive could be another reason. Another is that in the 19th century the town was abandoned with the River Ganges changing its course. Most books refer to Dubraj Das as the last known weaver of Baluchari in this area. When he died in 1903, the technique and skill of weaving this brilliant technique also perished. It is a very rare case of a craftsman signing his name on a creation especially one on the loom, but several saris signed by him have been found.

Contemporary Baluchari
However all is not dead at Murshidabad. Today, Baluchari saris (the sari is usually 45" wide and 6 metres or 5.5 yards in length) are hand woven with gusto on jacquard looms using punch cards. This is primarily being done at Jiaganj and Vishnupur (152 kms from Calcutta). Though not using much of the technique, the jacquard looms replicate the pictorial sequence in similar panels and of course the repertoire of stories. Most purists though scoff at the jacquard versions saying they are not a patch on the ones woven a century or more earlier. True, but these jacquard ones are also breathtakingly beautiful. Yes, and if one could like these contemporary versions so much, the earlier ones are necessarily to die for.

Weaving with punch cards
Today, most saris are woven using Bangalore silk on the warp and Malda silk on the weft. The silk is softened by repeated washing of the natural coloured yarn in hot soda water. This is then dyed in various shades, using chemical colours, as envisaged in the final design. Then comes the important design or patterning for the saris. The pattern is first drawn on paper then transformed proportionally onto graph paper. This transformation will ensure the proportionality of the figures and how they will ultimately look on the sari.
Rectangular cards are punched in accordance with the pattern on the graph paper, hence the name ‘punch’ cards. It is through these cards, punched at the appropriate places, that the silken threads pass and the design flows on to the sari. The number of cards in a sari varies depends on the intricacy of the design - some highly stylized pallav could have more than 18000 such cards. A separate punch card sequential is used for the pallav depending on the depth of the weave. The process, though complicated to the untrained eye, is done with practised ease by the punch card makers. The weaving also occurs expertly, almost by rote. On a jacquard loom it takes 5 – 8 days to weave a simple sari while a complicated one could take as much as 20 days, the time being directly proportional to the intricacy of the work. The original 19th century versions could easily have taken 6 months to one year to weave. There are suggestions to introduce computer aided designing, but for now the majority are still hand woven on looms.
If the present punch card involves so much calculation, it is a wonder how it was done earlier by the tying of the jala. The designer then was not only good at mathematical and graphical calculation but was also well versed in the repertoire of stories to be told through the panels.

Design
Almost all saris are woven from pastels to deeper shades of blue, purple, red or black. Double shaded effect is achieved by having different colours on the warp and weft, which merge on the loom. Unlike other saris woven in the country, these use very little zari (gold thread) in its weave. The panels or borders are woven using 2 or more contrast colours. Complicated ones using as many as 6 – 7 colours. All the colours are not used simultaneously. The motifs are woven in single or at most two colours. The other colours are used sparingly to highlight certain portions of the motifs. This gives an almost enameled effect to the motif. The body of the sari is usually covered with little motifs of drops, circles, coins, flowers, paisley (mango motif) or just one tiny panel from the story. It is the use of contrast colours that make the panels stand out. Even now, the high point of the sari is its striking pallav and border. The designs are drawn from mythology. The wedding scene is a typical charming one. The pallav could have rows of four or five panels - the centre one showing the exchange of garlands, the smaller ones the playing of musical instruments, the palanquin bearers set to take the bride away or taking vows by going around the fire. Lord Krishna forms the theme for many a piece – dancing with his consorts, with his beloved Radha etc.; Geetopadesha, Lord Krishna expounding on the Geeta to Arjun is a story drawn to the last detail from chariots, Lord Krishna playing his trademark flute and so on; forest scenes come replete with deer, a typical cottage, petting a deer, the stylized swans and peacocks, trees and bushes. The Indian epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata in themselves contain hundreds of stories, each of which provides creative material for weaving. Not all designs are drawn from literature and religion. Cavalry scenes, horses, elephants, chariots and folk-lore all find their way to these panels. One of the panels from the pallav is then carried on to the border of the sari. The combination of the paneled borders on both sides and a breathtaking pallav gives the sari a festive, grand appearance. What stands out is the understated elegance of these saris, the subtlety in the visual sense of using only silk threads for embellishment. A casual observer could easily mistake the weaving for embroidery. In keeping with the times, these saris are also being woven in cotton. The costs are much lower then for silk ones and externally have the same detailed paneled look. Tasar silk is also being used.

Revival of the old technique
A revival of the traditional weaving style was sought by showing the pieces to various craftsman. Finally one from Varanasi figured it out and was able to replicate it but it proved to be very expensive and unviable. In a very small way, there is still some hand weaving in the age old style at Varanasi, but not anymore in Murshidabad, although revivalists are working hard to bring it to its home town. If the old technique of weaving with the jala system is revived at Murshidabad, what a home coming that would be for this rich weaving tradition!