Textile

Applique Work
In appliqué, different pieces of cloth are patched together to make a multi – coloured mosaic. The exotic colours, shapes and pattern combinations against the contrasting background can catch the eye of any customer. Ahmedabad in Gujarat is the main centre of colourful applique work.

Brocade Textiles
Extreme softness, different varieties of colours and translucent texture are the characteristics of the silk weaving in India. Sometimes, the cotton fabric is brocaded with cotton and zari threads. The brocades can be distinguished by various poetic names like Chand tara (moon and stars), Dhup chhaon (sunshine and shade), Mazchar (ripples of silver), Morgala (peacock’s neck) and Bulbul chasm (nightingale’s eyes). Varanasi is an important silk weaving centre. Varanasi is famous not only for its brocade or kinkab (superb weaving in gold and silver), but also for the wide variety of techniques and styles. It is also known for the famous Tanchoi saree which resembles a fine miniature. It was originated by the three Indian Parsi brothers who were known as Choi. In tanchoi sarees, the designs are floral with interspersing of birds. Mubarakpur is another important silk weaving centre in India. 

Each region has its typical technical skills and variations. Jamdani or ‘figured muslin’ which was traditionally woven in Dhaka is today, the speciality of Tanda in Faizabad. The famous Ikat technique is used in the Patolas of Gujarat and Orissa. Mysore, Kanchipuram, Murshidabad and Kashmir are well known for their silk and West Bengal is known for its cotton sarees. The cotton and silk Maheshwari sarees are the speciality of Madhya Pradesh. Varanasi, Mysore, Kashmir, Gujarat, Chennai and West Bengal are the ideal places to shop for the brocade textiles.

Embroidery
Embroidery can match any type of jewellery in the field of ornamentation. It is an expression of emotions, which given with patience induces grace and elegance into articles of everyday use. Noor Jehan, the wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir introduced the lace pattern. The lace is very delicate and subtle and the stitch by its sheer excellence provides ornamentation to it. But, the charm lies in the minuteness of the floral motifs. Some of the stitches which brings a charming shadowy effect on lace are satin stitch, button hole stitch, dar stitch, knot stitch and netting and appliqué work. 

Embroidery done in metal wires by Kalabattu or zari is a vaery classic work. Zardozi is the heavier and more elaborate work. This work is done on the heavy silk, velvet or satin. Salma sitara, gijai, badla, katori are the various other work done on the fabric. Seed pearls are used for decoration. Kamdani, the needle work done on lighter material, produces a lovely glittering effect, especially in designs known as hazar booti or thousand dots, which is done with zari thread. Kamdani is used in weaving apparels like scarves, Veils, caps etc. The colour combinations are unusual and brilliant in a turban, flared skirt, veil or saree. The women of Rajasthan have mastered the art of embroidering fabrics. In Bikaner, the embroidery is done by counting threads. The use of double stitch method create an effect on both sides, which looks like the bandhani. The women of Sikar and Jhunjhunu are specialized in making patterns of animals. Chain stitch is very popular in Alwar. Dancing figures, flowers, peacocks and Mandala are the favourite motifs. The women of Barmer uses mirrors, thus increasing the beauty of the embroidered piece. The surface satin stitch, herring bone stitch and geometric styles are also the speciality of Barmer. Ahmedabad is also a famous place to buy the embroidered fabrics (bead and mirror work) and Zari work on silk and Patola silks. Ratanpol Road is the ideal place in Ahmedabad for the fine quality Zari work. 

Ethnic Dresses
India is a land of various states. Each state has its own speciality and colourful dresses. In India, you can buy atleast half a dozen ethnic dresses from various parts of the country. These dresses are freely available in the respective local markets and ranges from Ghagra-Choli, Saree, Kashmiri dress and Salwar Kameez. While shopping, you can even see some of the foreign tourists wearing a Kashmiri dress or Rajasthani ghagra and choli.

Hand Block Printing
Hand block printing was the main occupation of the chhipas, a community of printers in India. They used metal or wooden blocks to print designs on the fabrics by hand. This technique is even used today. Rajasthan is the main place of hand block printing. Sanganer, which is situated on the outskirts of the city of Jaipur is the main centre of block makers and printers in Rajasthan. The textiles are hand block printed in the courtyards of homes. The main colors which are used in printing are orange and red with floral prints in yellow and blue-black. They all combine together to give an excellent look. The art of Khari or overprinting in gold is also practiced here. Today, traditional vegetable and mineral dyes have been gradually replaced by chemical dyes. Sanganeri prints have always been in great demand from all the major fashion centres all over the world. 

The town of Bagru excels in delightful circular designs in dark glowing vegetable colours, printed on bedspreads, table linen and clothes. The printed textiles of Bagru are famous all over India and abroad. Barmer is known for the geometric Ajrak prints. These prints are printed in dark shades of blue and red color, so as to protect it from the sun. Nathdwara is known for its sarees, wraps, hand kerchiefs and quilt covers which are similar to Pichwais in designs. The red, black, olive green and mosaic like patterns of the Jajams of Chittorgarh are used in women’s skirts, wraps and floor coverings. Besides Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh is also a unique treasure-house of traditional designs which ranges from the classical booties, known as Dots of Kanauj, to Mango, to the famous tree of life. The great colour belt in India extends from the interior of Sind through the deserts of Kutch, Kathiawar, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Handloom
Handloom weaving is integral to life in Assam. This state also boasts of several special kinds of handwoven cloth. The fine golden ‘Muga’ silk is the most precious cloth. The traditional garments include the two-piece mekhela chadar worn by women. Sumptuous silk brocades woven with gold thread are also purchased by various people. These are bought equally for their beauty and value. 

Linen 
Some of the fabulous hand block printed linens on cotton looks like the provincial prints of French linen. The dining-sets, bedcovers, table mats and runners comes in linen. An exquisite variety of linen is worked with zardozi or gold embroidery, especially on silk.

Silk
Since Vedic times, silk has been manufactured in India. There is also a reference in Arthashastra, a second century manuscript about the silks of Bengal and Assam. Although, wild silk has also been spun in the remote areas of Assam for thousands of years, but the mulberry tree and silks were imported from China. Now, silk weaving is a major industry of India. India is also one of the important suppliers of fashion silk garments in the Western world. Often the samples of the latest fashion are picked up for a song in India. Western dresses can also be made from silk by experienced Indian tailors in one or two days. Silk has a special significance in India. It is considered as a pure fabric which is worn on all auspicious occasions, marriages and other religious ceremonies. Silk sarees are manufactured in many parts of India. Some of the major silk producing centres are Varanasi, Ahmedabad, Kanchipuram, Surat and Thanjavur. Apart from these centres, the gorgeous silk sarees can also be bought from Bangalore. Some of the famous shops in Bangalore are the Mysore Silk showroom, Cauvery Art Emporium, Nalli Sarees, Deepam Silks, Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation, etc. There are also good showrooms in T. Nagar (Tyagaraja Nagar) in Chennai where one could buy the Kanchipuram silk sarees. The best of India’s silk comes from Kanchipuram, which is available at Mylapore near the Kapaleshwar Temple, Panagal Park and Pondi Bazar at T. Nagar. The silk sarees can be bought from Varanasi, Mysore, Gujarat, Chennai and Bangalore.

Textiles
Throughout Rajasthan, the red and yellow colour of women’s odhni, breaks the monotonous desert landscape. There is a saying that the men’s turban and the patterns on the woman’s skirt changes after every twenty four miles. The textiles of Rajasthan came in the attractive and wide range of hand block prints, tie and dye and embroidered fabrics with mirror work. The art of Khari or over printing in gold is also practiced in Rajasthan. The bandhni or tie and dye work comes from Sikar, Jodhpur and Udaipur. The super light and painstakingly printed Kota Doria sarees which are worn by the women during the hot summer season are the speciality of Kota. Hand block printed bedspreads in Ajrak prints and embroidered textiles are the speciality of Barmer and Bikaner. Sarees, wraps and handkerchiefs are the famous items of Nathdwara. Mirza Ismail Road (MI Road) is a wide and long road in Jaipur where a large number of emporiums are situated and is the right place to buy variety of goods ranging from jewellery and brass work to textiles. There is a large square shopping area in Jaipur which is known as the Bari Choupar and is famous for Jaipuri Quilts. Ahmedabad is a centre for textiles, especially colourful patchwork and embroidery, tie and dye, Zari work on silk and Patola silks.

Tie and Dye
Rajasthan is well known for its textiles, dye in the bandhani or tie and dye. The art of bandhani is a highly skilled process. In this art, the fabric is tied into small points with threads and when dyed, the knotted parts remain uncoloured. Sometimes, various intricate designs are tied and dyed several times for each colour. Different methods produces different patterns. For example, Lahariya consists of diagonal stripes, Mothda is chequered, Ekdali has small circles and squares and clusters of three, four and seven dots is known as Tikhunti, Chaubandi and Satbandi. There are human and animal figures in the Shikari design while the Laddu Jalebi pattern has multi-coloured squares. The best bandhani work comes from Sikar and Jodhpur, while Jaipur, Barmer, Pali, Udaipur, Nathdwara and Ahmedabad are the other centres from where the tie and dye sarees and other articles can be bought.