Handmade in India

KORA MAT WEAVING
Production Clusters
Tirunelveli district:
Pattamadai
Kanniyakumari
district:
kanniyakumari
Products
Mats
Table mats
Wall Hangings
Made ups:
Bags, Coasters
Hand fans, Folding
mats
Tools
Basin
Charkha-spinning
wheel
Chatti-mud pot
Knife,Tablespoon
Loom
Mathu-mortar
Metal vessel
Parivattam-device for
winding varn
Planks
Polishing stones
Porcelain cup
Pudi thalai-drawing
wheel
GRASS PAI , MATS , made from finely split korai(Tamil) or
Kora ( Malayalam ) woven in Pattamadai,are refered to as
pattu:the fine splits rendering then as smooth as
pattu,silk.Pattamadai is home to the Labbai and Rowther
communities who are known for weaving of fine kora grass
mats.They had embraced Islam during the Muslim
invasion.The Labbais were originally preachers of Islam who
became traders and took to mat weaving several generations
ago.According to local sources,the development of fine quality
mats is attributed to Hassan Bawa Labbai a century ago when
he discovered that kora grass could be split very fine,equivalent
to 120 count instead of the earlier 30-40 count.The processing
of Kora grass in the water of Tampraparani and the fine
splitting of the grass have made the mats of Pattamadai
famous.Soft,pliable kora mats are only woven in Pattamadai as
the water of Tampraparani River helps to soften the kora grass
and make finer splits.Only women weave mats and the craft is
passed on from a mother to her children.Harvested grass is
processed and cut into fine splits and woven into cotton warp
that is outstretched on a floor loom.The designs are influenced
by the traditions of sari weaving and the weft faced Bhavani
dhurrie.Dyed splits are used in contrast with the natural colour
of the grass.A few designs are done using tie-dyed splits such
that the colour is localised to the motif.Grass splits are soaked
in water before weaving.After weaving,the weft is moved
closer for a uniform,compact surface.The weaving of pattu pai
requires craftsmanship and creativity.A pair of pattu pai are
gifted to the bride by her parents.Pattu perupai are woven with
the names of the bride and groom and given as gifts at Brahmin
weddings.
1. Detail of a pattu pai woven with finely split kora grass.
2. A reversible mat woven with black and natural colour
kora grass.
3. Kora or sedge grass belongs to the family of
Cyperaceae and is cultivated is Thiruchirappalli.
4. Folding mats are joined and finished by tailoring the
edges with cloth piping.
Detail of kora grass
mat with horizontal
bands.The geometrical
motifs require
craftsmanship and time
to weave as the pattern
is manually picked up
without the help of any
mechanism for
patterning.
Detail of reversible kora grass mat woven for the export
market.