Vinay Narkar with weaver Ambubai Dhotre.
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For sari revivalist Vinay Narkar, the six-yard and nine-yard unstitched drapes usually are not merely a bit of material however a repository of India’s custom of native weaves and patterns that showcase the unequalled expertise and creativity of the subcontinent’s weaving communities. The threads of a quest started in a verse that Vinay first got here throughout in ‘Ukhane’, a type of Marathi poetry.
To unravel the story behind the verse, Vinay adopted a path that took him from Nagpur in Maharashtra to Karnataka and Telangana. He has made it his mission to revive designs and patterns in saris which have pale away. Lots of the designs had been unique to a area or group of weavers. “A few of these saris had markers that reveal the identification of the group that used to put on them, the provenance of the weaver, the event the sari was used for, and several other different fascinating fragments of data,” Vinay explains.
Designs from the Deccan
Vinay first got here throughout the phrase motichoor whereas studying Ukhane, during which a bride introduces her husband by together with his identify in a verse and avoids saying his identify as such. He gathered that the motichoor referred to a sample in a sari pallu. One of many verses talked about that it was a brand new design woven within the Deccan, as soon as a busy weaving hub. Nevertheless, it was unclear as to what precisely the motichoor pallu was. “I had many questions. How was the design woven within the pallu? What kind of saris would have this sort of sample? By which area had been saris with motichoor pallu woven.”
The sari with a Motichoor pallu, which is within the assortment of Gulbarga-based artist Vijay Hagargundag. The sari is about 150 to 200 years previous.
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That was when serendipity got here to his rescue and Vinay received acquainted with Gulbarga-based artist Vijay Hagargundagi. A collector of antiques, he had come throughout a couple of saris that had been the heritage of the Surpura royal household, now primarily based within the Yadgiri district in Northern Karnataka. “Vijayji discovered that the 150-to 200-year-old saris had been woven in that space itself. To get some woven for his assortment, he discovered weavers who recreated the saris for him. That was within the ‘80s.”
The stripes of the Motichoor pallu
The standard pallu of Ilkal saris is characterised by two or three bands with serrated edges of the identical dimension. The motichoorpallu has giant and small stripes in silk. Damaged straight traces indicative of motichoor design are seen woven above and under these stripes. “A collection of motichoor stripes woven in parallel resembles pearls strewn on the pallu and enhances the look of the sari. The identify motichoor pallu might have originated from this visible illustration. This design is understood by Mochur in Telangana and Muthada in Maheshwar,” says Vinay.
Realising Vinay’s ardour for classic weaves, the collector opened his treasure trove of heirloom saris to Vinay. He received a pleasing shock when Vijay talked about that one of many saris had a motichoor pallu. It was an ‘aha’ second for Vinay. Motichoor design is likely one of the signature patterns within the textile custom of Deccan, which is created with colored silk threads. The sample is made up of “straight traces which are interrupted at predefined, geometrically good linear intervals”. “This sample is prevalent even at the moment and will be noticed within the borders and pallu of saris. It’s typically used as a filler, so a pallu named by this sample was uncommon,” explains Vinay.
He says it was evident that the sari belonged to the design custom of ‘Irkal’ or ‘Ilkal’ of North Karnataka, which has a dagger sample on the border, often called Katyari Kath in Marathi. That design variation on the pallu distinguished it from an Ilkal.
Vinay Narkar recreated the Motichoor sari pallu, final woven some 40 years in the past, with the assistance of a weaving group in Telegana.
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To study extra concerning the saris and the weaving method, Vinay travelled with Vijay to Rangampet, Surpur, Rukmapur, Ammapur, and Kodaikal, as soon as handloom weaving hubs of North Karnataka. To his disappointment, the variety of weavers had considerably decreased and in lots of villages the looms had fallen silent. Though a few of the aged weavers talked about their weaving custom, he was unable to collect details about the motichoor sari. “Many children had no clue concerning the legacy of weaving of their villages. Vijayji remembered that he had received the saris woven by Mallamma Dhotre, an aged girl in Rangampet, who isn’t any extra” recounts Vinay.
Monitoring the Dhotres
Though Mallamma had handed away, her husband’s second spouse Ambubai, their son, and the household had been residing in the identical home. Ambubai had final woven a sari three many years in the past. The Marathi-speaking Dhotres belonged to the Swakulsali group, whose major occupation was weaving. Vinay discovered that a few of the members of the group had been additionally practitioners of native medication. Though they hailed from Paithan in Maharashtra, a few of them used to journey with the Maratha military to care for their illnesses.
The late Mallamma Dhotre had woven the Motichoor sari pallu with the assistance of her husband, Girappa, some 40 years in the past, for Vijay Hagargundagi.
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“About 250 years in the past, a division of the Maratha military had camped at Rangampet. The military left however the folks from the Swakulsali group stayed on and went again to weaving,” he says. Ambubai recalled that the duty of weaving the motichoor was performed by her husband Girappa. Since silk threads had been used, it was costly and woven solely for individuals who may afford it. This sari in addition to different saris of this area had been also referred to as Rangampet saris.
Not glad with merely discovering the origins of the motichoor sari, Vinay had his group of weavers in a village in Telangana recreate the weave. “It’s only when a design is revived from the previous that I really feel my mission is completed,” says Vinay.
Upwards of ₹28,000. For particulars, attain out to vinay_narkar_designs on Instagram.