Handloom weaving - aiaca

Weaving is practiced in many different regions in India. Each area has its own particular
style, using traditional designs and motifs. Cotton is woven all over India. Apart from
basic plain-weave fabric that is found in many places, one can take note of a few places
for their distinctive weave. No matter how small or ordinary a weave may seem; it has
its own distinctive character.
The thousands of towns and villages where handlooms turn out huge quantities of
material cater mainly to the common local people. The men need longish pieces of
fabric to use as dhotis to wrap around the lower part of the body; durable material for
jackets; a wrap on the body (chaddar) and lengths of fabric for the turban. This ranges
from a rectangular piece to a two yards’ length, for turbans are found in countless types
and offer an immense potential for ingenuity, style and taste. The women use large
skirts, longish shirts, stoles or saris and blouses. Cloth is also woven for shirts, pajamas
and children’s garments. All of these vary greatly from region to region. For instance
while the lungi (sarong) is widely prevalent from north to south, it has many versions. In
the extreme south only white lungis are worn. But starting from Andhra Pradesh right
up to Punjab, brightly colored and intricately designed lungis can be seen.
In countless villages and towns across the country, the sari continues to be the garment
worn by the majority of women. Significant inroads have been made by machine made
textiles. Yet the preference for traditional saris for ritual or every day use is one of the
strongest reasons for the continued existence of a large proportion of the country’s
handlooms.
In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, where inexpensive cotton saris are produced, even
the simplest has a dignity lent by very broad borders on either side, or a single
decorative touch of a heavily patterned pallu – the sari end which falls over the shoulder
at the back. The distinguishing mark is what is known as korvari, the solid border where
the weft threads of the field do not enter into the borders.
Kerala has a distinctive sari type known as Karalkuda. Similar styles in color are also
produced in Coimbatore and Madurai in Tamil Nadu, Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh, and
Venkatagiri in Andhra Pradesh. This has a grand look with its sheer body and gold
designs like dots, coins, leaves, parrots or simple geometrical patterns on the body.
The Maheshwar sari, mostly in cotton is characterized by its simplicity yet with a few
singular touches takes on an irresistible charm.