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| 2002, 15th Nov, Patan's Patola India Rs.5.00 |
Patan's Patola 5 Rs. 15th Nov 2002
Text: Patan's Patola 5 Rs. 2002
Condition: Ø =
used/cancelled
| Country / Post | India |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | 15 November 2002 |
| Primary theme | Fine Arts Mankind (Ethnology) |
| Subject | Handicrafts of India - Patan's patola |
| Width | 28.5 mm |
| Height | 28.5 mm |
| Denomination | 5.00 INR |
| Number in set | 4 |
| Layout/Format | sheet of 48 of 4 designs |
| Perforations | 13.3 by 13.1 |
| Stamp issuing authority | Ministry of Communications Department of Posts |
| Printer | Calcutta Security Printers Ltd |
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India has a rich and unbroken tradition in handicrafts, the antiquity of which dates back to the period of the Indus Valley Civilisation [Circa 2600-1700 B.C]. The vast diversity of the country -cultural, climatic and geographical - has enabled a variety of techniques,crafts and motifs to flourish on this land. The stamp here shows the image of Patan's Patola. Among India's legendary heritage of textiles, few are as rich and highly prized as the Patola. It follows the double "ikat" technique of weaving, in which both warp and weft are separately tie-dyed before weaving. The fabric used is silk and the process is extremely complicated as well as sophisticated. The "Patola" also has social and religious significance and is worn at the time of important ceremonies.
India has a rich and ancient heritage in fine textiles. (Double Ikat) Patola from the area of Patan in the North Gujarat region of western India glorifies this heritage. With its unique gem like qualities-gorgeous colours, designs and durability.
Its very appearance lures the connoisseur of fine textiles. It has no reverse side. Both the sides have equal intensity of color and design.
The peculiar quality has its origins in a very intricate and difficult technique of Tie dyeing or Knot dyeing known as "Bandhani Process" on the wrap & weft separately before weaving.
Before World War II, Indonesia was major buyer of patolas. Historically, the art of Double Ikat patola weaving dates back to centuries. Paintings in Ajanta caves resemble the tie-dye technique of patola. Legend indicates that sometimes in the 12th Century AD, King Kumarpal of Solanki dynasty, invited 700 families of patola weavers from Jalna (South Maharashtra) to settle down in Patan in North Gujarat.
Salvi family is one of them who has continued this traditional art and has preserved it even today. This is our heritage art from four generations.
The Patola Silk from Patan is famous and one of the biggest selling fabrics in some of the larger cities.The patola is one of the finest hand-woven sarees produced today. This is a specialty of Patan, and is famous for extremely delicate patterns woven with great precision and clarity. Besides Patan, Surat is acclaimed for velvets with patola patterns. There were four distinct styles in the patolas woven originally in Gujarat by the Salvi community. The double ikat sarees with all over patterns of flowers, parrots, dancing figures and elephants were used by the Jains and Hindus. For the Muslim Vora community special sarees with geometric and floral designs were woven for use during weddings. There were also the sarees woven for the Maharashtrian Brahmins with a plain, dark-coloured body and borders with women and birds, called the Nari Kunj. There was a cloth specially woven for the traditional export markets in the Far East. The weaving is done on simple traditional handlooms, and the dyes used are made from vegetable extracts and other natural colours, which are so fast that there is a Gujarati saying that "the patola will tear, but the colour will not fade." A patola saree takes 4 to 6 months to make, depending on how complicated the designs is and if the length is 5 or 6 metres, it can cause from Rs.50, 000/- to over Rs. 100,000/- a piece. The Rich History :
The salvi silk weavers from Maharashtra and Karnataka opted to make Gujarat the home of their renowned Patola fabrics. The Salvis are said to have arrived in Patan from Maharashtra and Karnataka in the 12th century to make the most of the patronage of the Solanki Rajputs, who then ruled all of Gujarat and parts of South Rajasthan and Malva with the capital at Anahilwad Patan.
According to folklore, as many as 700 Patola weavers accompanied Raja Kumarapala to the palace of Patan, and the ruler himself wore a Patola silk robe on the occasion. After the fall of Solanki dynasty, the Salvis found patronage in the affluent Gujarati merchant, and the Patola sarees soon became a status symbol with Gujarati girls and women especially as an important part of 'stridhan' for the departing wedded daughter.
Design & Pattern :
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
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.
The Patola of Patan is done in the double 'ikkat' style, which is perhaps the most complicated of all textiles designs in the whole world. Each fabric consists of a series of warp threads and a single weft thread, which binds the warp threads together. Each one of the warp threads is tied and dyed according to the pattern of the saree, such that the knotted portions of the thread do not catch the colours.
The result is not only a tremendous richness in colour of the fabric, but that both side of the saree look exactly alike, and can be worn either way. In fact except to an expert, a Patola looks like a piece of silk fabric, printed on both sides in the same design. The weaving is done on simple traditional handlooms, and the dyes used are made from vegetable extracts and other natural colours, which are so fast that there is a Gujarati saying that "the Patola will tear, but the colour will not fade."
A Collector's Delight
A Patola saree takes 4 to 6 months to make, depending on how complicated the designs is. The more elaborate ones may take a weaver a whole year to complete. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that they have fabulous price tags, but then it is a collector's item.
If the length is 5 or 6 metres, it can cost from Rs.50, 000/- to over Rs.100,000, a piece. Patan produces very intricate patterns worked with precision and clarity, with the characteristic geometric delineation of the design, while maintaining the soft hazy outlines, a natural effect of the technique. In an area called Sadvi Wada, you can watch the complex weaving of silk Patola saris, once the preferred garment of queens and aristocrats, and now made by just one family.
The Distinct Styles
There were four distinct styles in the Patolas woven originally in Gujarat by the Salvi community. The double 'ikkat' sarees with all over patterns of flowers, parrots, dancing figures and elephants were used by the Jains and Hindus. For the Muslim Vora community special sarees with geometric and floral designs were woven for use during weddings.
There were also the sarees woven for the Maharashtrian Brahmins with a plain, dark-coloured body and borders with women and birds, called the Nari Kunj. There was a cloth specially woven for the traditional export markets in the Far East.
Main Centres
Patola is a specialty of Patan, and is famous for extremely delicate patterns woven with great precision and clarity. Besides Patan, Surat is acclaimed for velvets with Patola patterns.
Its very appearance lures the connoisseur of fine textiles. It has no reverse side. Both the sides have equal intensity of color and design.
The peculiar quality has its origins in a very intricate and difficult technique of Tie dyeing or Knot dyeing known as "Bandhani Process" on the wrap & weft separately before weaving.
Before World War II, Indonesia was major buyer of patolas. Historically, the art of Double Ikat patola weaving dates back to centuries. Paintings in Ajanta caves resemble the tie-dye technique of patola. Legend indicates that sometimes in the 12th Century AD, King Kumarpal of Solanki dynasty, invited 700 families of patola weavers from Jalna (South Maharashtra) to settle down in Patan in North Gujarat.
Salvi family is one of them who has continued this traditional art and has preserved it even today. This is our heritage art from four generations.
Patan Patola - The queen of Silks
Craft of : Gujarat. Main Weaving Centre : Patan. Known For : Colourful Geometrical Designs. Time Taken For Making One Saree : About 6 Months To One Year.
The salvi silk weavers from Maharashtra and Karnataka opted to make Gujarat the home of their renowned Patola fabrics. The Salvis are said to have arrived in Patan from Maharashtra and Karnataka in the 12th century to make the most of the patronage of the Solanki Rajputs, who then ruled all of Gujarat and parts of South Rajasthan and Malva with the capital at Anahilwad Patan.
According to folklore, as many as 700 Patola weavers accompanied Raja Kumarapala to the palace of Patan, and the ruler himself wore a Patola silk robe on the occasion. After the fall of Solanki dynasty, the Salvis found patronage in the affluent Gujarati merchant, and the Patola sarees soon became a status symbol with Gujarati girls and women especially as an important part of 'stridhan' for the departing wedded daughter.
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.
The Patola of Patan is done in the double 'ikkat' style, which is perhaps the most complicated of all textiles designs in the whole world. Each fabric consists of a series of warp threads and a single weft thread, which binds the warp threads together. Each one of the warp threads is tied and dyed according to the pattern of the saree, such that the knotted portions of the thread do not catch the colours.
The result is not only a tremendous richness in colour of the fabric, but that both side of the saree look exactly alike, and can be worn either way. In fact except to an expert, a Patola looks like a piece of silk fabric, printed on both sides in the same design. The weaving is done on simple traditional handlooms, and the dyes used are made from vegetable extracts and other natural colours, which are so fast that there is a Gujarati saying that "the Patola will tear, but the colour will not fade."
A Patola saree takes 4 to 6 months to make, depending on how complicated the designs is. The more elaborate ones may take a weaver a whole year to complete. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that they have fabulous price tags, but then it is a collector's item.
If the length is 5 or 6 metres, it can cost from Rs.50, 000/- to over Rs.100,000, a piece. Patan produces very intricate patterns worked with precision and clarity, with the characteristic geometric delineation of the design, while maintaining the soft hazy outlines, a natural effect of the technique. In an area called Sadvi Wada, you can watch the complex weaving of silk Patola saris, once the preferred garment of queens and aristocrats, and now made by just one family.
There were four distinct styles in the Patolas woven originally in Gujarat by the Salvi community. The double 'ikkat' sarees with all over patterns of flowers, parrots, dancing figures and elephants were used by the Jains and Hindus. For the Muslim Vora community special sarees with geometric and floral designs were woven for use during weddings.
There were also the sarees woven for the Maharashtrian Brahmins with a plain, dark-coloured body and borders with women and birds, called the Nari Kunj. There was a cloth specially woven for the traditional export markets in the Far East.
Patola is a specialty of Patan, and is famous for extremely delicate patterns woven with great precision and clarity. Besides Patan, Surat is acclaimed for velvets with Patola patterns.
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