The state of Odisha has a rich the-old handloom traditions in India. The Dhalapathara Prada has a glorious history. Dhalapathara the ethnic weave got its name from the place of its origin, Dhalapathara of Odisha which is situated about sixty kilometres from the capital of Odisha, Bhubaneswar. The Dhalapathara technique of weaving is adopted by the “RANGANI” community in Odisha almost a century ago. In Odia “ranga” means colour and “ani” means “to bring”- “one who knows the art of bringing colour on fabric (Asia Inch). They weave saris, Curtains, lungi and gamcha (towels). These fabrics are hand-woven with thick threads of pure cotton and naturally dyed from the extracts of fruits, trees (mango tree and jamun tree) and mud. This rare weave is not just an art but a way of life.
Dhalapathara Parda (curtains /screens)
‘Dhalapathar Parda’ is one of the unique hand loom -woven traditional door screens of Odisha. The technique of weaving of the door screen is unique and not seen in any other parts of India.
Once most of the Odia household displayed dhalapathar parda with pride as the curtains of their homes showed motifs of temple. It is believed that the temple designs on curtains have an aesthetic look at the entrance and create a temple feeling in the minds of the viewer. Due to the popularity of temple design, the weavers created designs of all the famous temples of Odisha like Jagannath Temple, Konark Temple, Lingaraj Temple and also beautiful designs of Lord Krishna, Lord Hanuman, Tajmahal, Gautama Buddha and several other famous personalities. The re-creation of theTajmahal on curtains was not impossible for the two famous skilled artisans, Late Udaynath Sahoo and Harekrushna Rout. These beautiful curtains were liked by everyone and the demand increased. With time, demand for the product decreased and the Dhalapathara Parda is going to be extinct. Dhalapathar Parda has found a place in the list of 50 exclusive and iconic heritage textile crafts of the country released by UNESCO.
Dhalapathara Sari
Dhalapathara sari used to be the first choice for a bride. It is believed that during the1950s dhalapathara saris were in high demand for festivals by traders from Kolkata and they used to buy it from Bhubaneswar weekly market. Some designs of these saris are KusumaKapta, Kankana Pedi, Muktapunji, Nahati and Akata. The designs on these saris are extremely sharp and so accurate that it becomes difficult to believe that these saris are made by hand. These weavers were so skilled that they can create exquisite designs with beautiful multicolour effects without the use of any graphs. Now weavers take the help of the graphs to weave designs with proper accuracy. Dhalapathara saris are precious and comfortable as it is made of pure cotton. These smooth textured premium cotton saris have traditional motifs of fishes, butterflies and lotus flowers in the pallu. In 2012, Dhalapathara parda and fabric received the status of GI tag.
Special Technique
The uniqueness of the Dhalapathara weaving technique is, that it is done without a jala, jacquard or dobby. The weavers weave the fabric with the help of wooden planks known as ‘‘Chiari’’ (wooden sticks). To strengthen the thread they put it in the mixture of rice and water. Then the hank is squeezed, taken out and dried in shadow over a bamboo bar. Then the threads of the hanks are separated for easy warping. The beams used in this weave are made up of Sal wood. The loom is arranged in such a way that the wrap beam and the cloth beam are parallel to each other. Once the warping is complete the weavers insert the chiaris in the frame of the loom which holds the warp thread. The number of chiaris are to be inserted depends on the requirements of the designs. This technique enables the weaver to create a very large design on the centre of the door screen.
Challenges
Like any other traditional craft the dhalapathara weave is also not free from challenges. Here the process is time consuming, tiring and labour -intensive so relatively more expensive than the power loom products. The younger generation of artisans do not find the craft lucrative and moving towards other profession. GI tag status too couldn’t be effective in safeguarding the craft because the dhalapathara saris sold in the market follow the designs but not the technique.
Now the weavers are no doubt exposed to a wider consumer base in India and abroad, financial and marketing support by the initiatives of the Governments, NGOs and textile designers. They are trying to target marketing for consumers, not only interested in organic and sustainable fashion, but also have the purchasing power and have the knowledge of the culture and beauty of the material to share the sentiments and value to buy this premium products. Now the market trend is moving towards organic, eco-friendly and non-toxic products, so let’s hope the younger generation of artisans will be inclined towards this ancient tradition.
