The rich history of Patan Patola
Patan Patola can be traced back to the 10th century. Legends surround the mystery of how weavers in Patan originally came to be here. Some say they came from South India, while others trace their lineage to Rajasthan. What is clear however, is that Patola weaving in Patan is the monopoly of a community of weavers known as the Salvis. Patan Patola is believed to be one of India's oldest textile traditions. The weavers pass down their knowledge through generations so as to preserve its rich traditions of Patola weaving.
The most celebrated works of Patan Patola are the attractive, visually heavy, silk sarees. At first glance, Patola fabrics appear to be printed in how seamless its surface appears, but they are far from it! These patterns are woven using the challenging double Ikat technique, where silken threads of the warp and weft are tied and dyed prior to weaving. The mathematical precision with which these threads are placed and woven determine the unified pattern that will emerge from the interlacing of the threads. No wonder Patan Patola is acclaimed as one of the finest examples of Ikat weaving in the world.
A labour of love
One can imagine the patience, care and skill with which Patan Patola weavers engage in weaving the beautiful silk fabrics. Each thread is individually bound and dyed to produce stunning, reversible designs i.e. be it the front or the back, the cloth displays the same intensity of colour and clarity of design. This process may take months or even years!
Owing to the style of weaving, geometric patterns naturally predominate the eight yards of Patan Patola sarees. Even then, the creatively endowed weavers are able to produce a wide range of plant and zoomorphic patterns. Apart from sarees, Patan Patola weaving can be cherished in the form . One can observe a changing scene of dazzling patterns in Patan Patola sarees. These include the motifs named Nari Kunjar (elephant), Ratan Chowk (floral motifs in a geometrical pattern), Chhabdi (basket), Chokta (box), Paan (leaf), Phul (flower), Chowkadi (square), Panchphul (five flowers), Laheriya (stripes), Diamond, Star, Butta (vines) etc.
Vegetal dyes from turmeric, indigo, lac, and other natural sources are utilised in dyeing the fabrics in rich hues of vermillion, yellow, orange, pink, green, blue, purple, white and black. Parrots, women, plants, trellis and combination of other motifs (as mentioned above) are used to adorn the body, border and pallu of the Patan Patola sarees.
