Stunning Metamorphosis--Humble cotton to Himroo & Paithani
Yes—It is cotton. We then came across lots of bits of white dotting the road. Did feel like it had snowed in parts! There were a LOT of cotton fields.
Cotton fields --White bits are cotton pods. Click to enlarge
This part of India is famous for its really beautiful fabric called “Himroo” and “Paithani”. Himroo is an age-old weaving craft. Himroo in its original form is made of silver and gold. The threads of silver and gold were so fine that the final cloth appeared as "GOLD CLOTH".
It is indeed fabric fit for royalty.(Aurangabad was the capital of the last Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, as I mentioned. and the city is full of reminders of this era)
I could not resist buying a saree for my mom. It was so beautiful .What is amazing is that it is hand woved—painstakingly.
She is an unknown artist.Nobody knows her or appreciates her.There are hundreds like her. She weaves, she creates. She is forgotten, but what she has created gives so much joy, that lasts a lifetime.This is my salutation and my applause to that silent face in the crowd.
Cotton fields --White bits are cotton pods. Click to enlargeThis part of India is famous for its really beautiful fabric called “Himroo” and “Paithani”. Himroo is an age-old weaving craft. Himroo in its original form is made of silver and gold. The threads of silver and gold were so fine that the final cloth appeared as "GOLD CLOTH".
It is indeed fabric fit for royalty.(Aurangabad was the capital of the last Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, as I mentioned. and the city is full of reminders of this era)
I could not resist buying a saree for my mom. It was so beautiful .What is amazing is that it is hand woved—painstakingly.
I bought this one on the for my mom
You can see a lady, working on her weaving loom, transforming threads of cotton into a work of art.
She is an unknown artist.Nobody knows her or appreciates her.There are hundreds like her. She weaves, she creates. She is forgotten, but what she has created gives so much joy, that lasts a lifetime.This is my salutation and my applause to that silent face in the crowd.
Truly amazing. What a lost art.
ReplyDeleteThe art is not lost at all.Only the artists are not 'recognised'. There are two main centres namely--Aurangabad Himroo Industry and the Paithani Weaving and Training Centre in Aurangabad. Both are Government of India undertakings. The government sponsors the looms for the work and runs training schemes for people interested in the art of weaving.People come from all over India and the world, to buy Paithani sarees at this factory. The factory also serves as a showroom for exquisite shawls, wall-hangings, cotton and silk bedspreads, decoration pieces, elaborate brocaded lengths of cloth, and Batik paintings that people take as souvenirs.
ReplyDeleteIt takes two people upto ten days to weave a two-metre Himroo shawl. The weavers skillfully combine silk with gold thread to produce some of the most opulent and sought after brocades in India. The shawls, depending on the material, cost between Rs. 800 and Rs. 25,000.
For those really interested,here is the address:
Aurangabad Himroo Art & Paithani Weaving & Training Centre, Jaffar Gate, Mondha Road, Aurangabad 431 001.
E-mail: himroo@hotmail.com
A friend once gave me a beautiful length of cloth woven in India. I loved it's drape and pattern and how it felt warm and human against my skin. It wasn't large enough to make into an item of clothing, I wanted it to be though, I wanted to feel the drape of it across my skin. There is something completely different about cloth that is handmade and cloth that is churned out by machine. A part of the artist goes into it I believe.
ReplyDeleteThe gold fabric is truly amazing!I am in awe of the time and concentration needed..then for the fabric to be taken away to sell..I just wouldn't be able to do that!
ReplyDeleteWhere I live, in New Jersey, we have many stores for sarees. I have often wanted to buy one of the sarees, but they seem quite expensive and I don't know if I would ever wear it. I love to window shop downtown, though!
ReplyDeletehi, I was just at the Aurangabad Himrro Industry the other day and bought for exquisite silk and wool shawls. They were truly beautiful and I was very much looking forward to gifting them to my parents and boyfried. Unfortunately on my way back to mumbai my bag got stolen with all the shawls in it. If anyone has a contact number for Aurangabad Himroo Industry, could you please send it to me at dlbprod@hotmail.com.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
i just went 2 aurangabad to study about the craft, and was astonished with its beauty and the talent of the weavers. i wish every1 can see and dis beautiful art and also appretiate it
ReplyDelete