Modern History of the Jaipur Textile Handicraft in Asia

The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, led one of the significant struggle movements during the Indian struggle of Independence, the Non-Cooperation Movement. Aimed towards resisting the British occupation of the nation, hundreds of men and women rallied together. Following the ways of non-violence or ahimsa, the protestors actually tried to uphold the values of integrity and Indian honor by not buying British goods.

Since local handicrafts were dying a slow death due to persistent and forceful import of British factory-made goods, a mass scale protest was organised to save the local artisans and their artwork. The colonial oppression and the anger of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre were the major reasons behind such a mass led movement.

India has always been a traditionally agrarian economy. Inspite of lack of insufficient qualitative assessment of those times, there is an estimation that the country’s reap was quite an income. During the pre-colonial period of India, the raw and finished textile handicrafts like calicos, muslin, handcrafted shawls, along with other agricultural products were exported to Europe, South East Asia, and the Middle East in exchange of silver and gold. As the British colonialism started, the bankruptcy of the India’s handicraft industry took place. The Industrial Revolution in Europe and the policies implemented by the Company rule in India deprived India of its profits.

After Independence, the textile handicraft industry has been helped to revive by various initiatives by the government. With such measures undertaken, the industry has spread from the rural areas to the urban areas. The textile handicraft business has become a high paying job and a business option for entrepreneurs in India. Especially, the artisans of the weaker section are profited with such a respectable and dignified profession.

Talking about the various textile handicraft art forms that are popular are pashmina shawl, paithani saris, gara saris, and banarasi silk saris. Being a highly labor oriented, textile handicraft industry mainly occupies women artisans. Phulkari, block printing, jamawar, block printing, batik, tie and dye, and resist printing are popularly seen artworks on various textile handicrafts.

Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan. It is famous for its tourism and world heritage monuments. However, it also attracts tourists and people to its land due to its alluring textile handicrafts. The local artisans also offer colorful textile handicraft fabrics in bright colors with embroidery (zardozi and hand embroidery), prints such as traditional Sanganeri hand block prints, and Bagru prints on traditional dresses such as bandhej, lehriya, pachranga, etc.

Ethnic textile handicraft wear such as odhanis, safas, and other dress materials are available in plenty with an amazing play of colors and an exquisite mirrorwork on their surfaces. These actually are an excuse to create a style statement and almost every upscale fashion designer gets inspired with such trendy decorational patterns on their creations.

With such a playful experience of patterns, colors and designs with Jaipuri handicraft textiles, you can experience India with a rendezvous with Jaipur’s cultural and traditional beliefs that are popular worldwide.

The royal Pink City also offers some valuable carpets and rugs. Carpet making has been one of the main occupations in the textile handicraft business of Jaipur. Naming its art form roots since the Mughal era, the skilled carpet artisans are mostly the descendents of the Persian weavers that were brought to India. Since then, the erstwile city rulers have patronized carpet weaving inspired with Persian as well as Turkish motifs and decorations. Some of the carpets and rugs acquired from Jaipur have obtained the title of an antique, possessed. The specialty of such rugs is that they are all hand woven.

Hand knotted and hand woven floor coverings have been taken to a next level by Jaipur Rugs Company. The gobally renowned company offers quality and durability along with the traditional and contemporary designs. Being a major exporter of rugs and carpets to most countries in the globe, Jaipur Rugs delivers style with buyer satisfaction.

Come to Jaipur and buy these wonderful textile handicraft products at Kishanpol Bazaar, Tripolia Bazaar, Nehru Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar within the walled city.

New piece (25 October 2010)

After Independence, the textile handicraft industry of India has been revived by various initiatives by the government. With such measures undertaken, the industry has spread from rural to urban areas. The textile handicraft business has become a high paying job and a business option for budding entrepreneurs in India. Especially, the artisans of the weaker section are profited with such a respectable and dignified profession along with many of them setting up small cottage industries together in collaboration.

In this direction, the Indian government has set up Khadi Gram Udyog too, to give a boost to various traditional handicrafts of India. The several outlets can be found in many states of India. Especially the khadi cloth and its ready-made garments are popular in the domestic and international bazaar.

Jaipur’s local artisans offer colorful textile handicraft fabrics in brilliant colors with embroidery (zardozi and hand embroidery), prints and exquisite mirror work that it makes a mini fashion industry of Rajasthan’s own.

Origin of Textile Handicrafts

Textiles being a constituent part of any civilization, its origin cannot be marked precisely but started in prehistoric Indian history. Nevertheless, the Hindu civilization being one of the oldest one surviving, its traditional textile forms are very famous worldwide. The state of Rajasthan falls in the Northern region of India. The traditions show an enthralling and colorful culture with awe-inspiring royal architecture as well as textiles.

Traditionally, the rich culture and spirit of the Rajasthani native is largely held responsible for the beauty of its cultural attire that is preferred by tourists, home and abroad. Particularly Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and means truly in terms of the availability of various Rajasthani textile handicrafts.

Textile Handicrafts in Jaipur

Jaipur being a city of an amalgamation of both modern and traditional provides a unique and stunning assortment of cultural attires of Rajasthan.

The various textile arts are Handblock Prints, Tie and Dye, Lehariya Prints. Owing to the vibrant bright colors in the clothes, patterned arts such as Samdar Lehar, Chunari and Bandhej are a favorite amongst women and men both. Through tie and dye, splashes of white around the chosen color of the fabric are obtained as a result. Thereafter, the fabric is beautified more with further embellishments.

Traditionally, handblock prints are done extensively with vegetable dyes and wooden carved blocks. However, nowadays, chemical dyes are often used for permanency of the prints on the fabric.

The most famous gold-like lacework known as Zari, along with gota, zardozi, etc., seemingly cast a spell on eyes as they simply highlight a simple looking piece of cloth to an attractive one.

The skillful hands of the craftsmen ably design eccentrically pretty Lehariyas that means the ripples of a shimmering ocean. Each colorfully wavy lehariya is favored by most of the women during a particular festival in Rajasthan.

Batik is the freehand color textile form that generously utilises free imagination and big color palette. All blended with the proficiency of the maker turns it into a stylised form of a cloth piece that actually is a head turner.

Famous Screen Printing to provide a different type of textile form that is less time consuming to make. With the kind usage of a variety of bright colors on the cloth, the photosensitivity of the color dyes is credited to create wanted pictures or designs.

A textile form reflecting the epic story of Pabuji Par, a fourteenth century Rajasthani legendary figure, also exists. Every traditional native of Rajasthan recites his oral recitations and they proudly portray Pabuji’s heroism on textile forms.

Last but not the least, Jaipur’s famous Carpets and Dhurries are also one of the textile forms. The village artisans residing near and beyond Jaipur weave them. Most of them practice carpet weaving as an heirloom business since ages. Their ancestors came from Persia during the rule of Mughal ruler Akbar and settled here.

Making of Textile Handicrafts

Jaipur’s textile forms range from clothes, curtains, table clothes, bags, carpets and many more that are known especially for their rich textures and colors. People find them interesting because of the variety of threads or fibres used to reproduce the legacy that the Rajasthani culture essence contains. With a lot of style and grace, textile forms of Rajasthan very well add a lot of personality with an amazing color palette.

The rusticity of the Indian rurality with its creativity is present fully within the designs and patterns. Traditionally, every step is carried on by hands and using herbal colors. However, to meet growing demands, machines are also used often. For example, originally, hand block printing was done making patterns through cut potatoes. Later, the potato pieces replaced with teakwood carved blocks created the same magic called as Sanganeri Prints. Similarly, Bagru Prints show that opulence with the red and black combination.

Not-to-miss, carpet making has been one of the main occupations in the textile handicraft business of Jaipur. Patronized carpet weaving inspired with Persian as well as Turkish motifs and decorations can still be seen that are hand woven and hand knotted. Some of the carpets and rugs acquired from Jaipur have obtained the title of an antique, possessed.

Salability of Textile Handicrafts

With such a playful experience of patterns, colors and designs with Jaipuri handicraft textiles, popular ones are pashmina shawl, paithani saris, gara saris, and banarasi silk saris.

Ethnic textile handicraft wear such as odhanis, safas, and other dress materials are available in plenty with an amazing play of colors and an exquisite mirrorwork on their surfaces. These actually are an excuse to create a style statement and almost every upscale fashion designer gets inspired with such trendy decorational patterns on their creations.

Come to Jaipur and buy these wonderful textile handicraft products at Kishanpol Bazaar, Tripolia Bazaar, Nehru Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar within the walled city.