Jamdani Saree is perfect to create an elegant look

#Jamdanisaree#bangladeshisarees#handwoventextiles#traditionalsarees

 

The saree is one of the oldest forms of clothing of women in Bangladesh. The saree in its simplest form is an unstitched piece of cloth that varies between 5 and 9 yards.  It is the saree that makes a woman look elegant, dignified, beautiful and stylish. In present scenario, fashion designers globally glorifying the look and feel of this traditional garment.

This marvelous piece of clothing with various patterns, colors and fine weaving has given a unique identity to every Bengali woman.

In this blog, we are going to explore one of the most famous woven fabrics from the state of West Bengal which is highly rich in culture and heritage.

JAMDANI SAREE: Popularly known as Dhakai Jamdani, this art of textile weaving has its roots in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is one of the finest varieties of muslin that is woven on looms from cotton. The name Jamdani is of Persian origin and comes from the word ‘jam’meaning flower and ‘dani’ meaning vase. The name is suggestive to the floral motifs on these sarees.

 

History: It is strongly believed that Jamdani weaving tradition is of Bengali origin. Interestingly, the earliest mention of Jamdani sarees can be traced back to Chanakya’s Arthshastra( 3^rd century BC). The book refers to it as some fine cloth from ‘Bangla’ and ‘Pundra’ region. Significant mention of Jamdani can also be found in the book of Periplus of the Erythracean Sea. An Arab traveler from the 9^th century named Sulaiman wrote of cotton fabric that were so fine , they could pass through a signet ring. James Taylor, in the first half of 19^th century described the flowered Jamdani. In the late 19^th century, T.N Mukherjee  referred to this fabric as Jamdani muslin.

Weaving Technique:Weaving of Jamdani is one of the most intensive, time consuming and advanced hand weaving technique in the world. It may take 9 months to 1 year to weave this delicate and intricate matchless age-old tradition.

(Source: https://youtu.be/US0OyTYSHzM)

Jamdani is a discontinuous weft technique of weaving, where the artistic motifs are produced by a non-structural weft, in addition to the standard weft that holds the warp threads together. The standard weft creates a fine, sheer fabric while the supplementary weft with thicker threads adds intricate patterns to it. The pattern is not sketched or outlined on the fabric but it is drawn on the graph paper and placed underneath the warp.

Types of Jamdani: On the basis of regional variations in the Jamdani weave, sarees can be categorized as :-

1. Dhakai Jamdani- These are one of the finest sarees of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh with elaborate workmanship. They are known for their colorful motifs.

2. Shantipuri Jamdani-These are from Shantipur (West Bengal) and the use of striped motifs with fine, soft texture stands them out from the rest.

3. Tangail Jamdani – These came from the Tangail district of  Bangladesh and known for its traditional broad borders.

4. Dhaniakhali Jamdani- These are from the Bengal’s Hooghly district’s Dhaniakhali village. They are famous for their dense style of weaving and contrasting borders of bright colours.

In 2013, the traditional art of weaving Jamdani was declared a UNESCO Intangible cultural heritage of humanity and in 2016; Bangladesh received geographical indication (GI) status for Jamdani saree.

Price Range- The simplest of cotton Jamdani sarees starts at approximately £50. The prices vary depending on the use of silk thread, the work, zari and intricacy of the work, a bridal Jamdani can cost anywhere between £79 and £400 and above.

Ornaments of Jamdani Saree: For a stylish and ethnic look

A woman wearing saree without any ornament is just like a body without a soul. So to enhance your look ornaments and jewelry are must.

Superb craftsmanship, aesthetic sense, elegance and a wide variety are the hallmark of the Bangladeshi jewelry. Ornaments of gold, silver,meenakari, silver and gold filigree, pink pearl , kundan , terracotta, conch, or shell are integral to this region.

The Dacca collection has ornaments like armlets, brooches, anklet, waist chain or bicha, jhumka, kaanbaala, nolok, bauti, ratnachur, tikli, chik, patihaar  a few to name here as the list is endless. It will be continued in the coming blogs.