Handmade in India

TRIPURI TEXTILES
RIANG,JAMATIA,TRIPURIA,Chakma,Mogh are among the 19 tribes
who weave the traditional Tripuri costume of simple rectangular wraps
on the loin or body tension loom in its distinct set of motifs and
colours.The loom is light,mobile,ingeniously simple and inexpensive to
construct and made of locally available materials like bamboo and
wood.Well suited to tribal life and terrain,it is significant as a symbol of
the peoples`efforts to remain self-sufficient.The fabrics woven on this
loom are narrow and warp dominant.The riah (breast cloth)is woven as
a single strip whose width depends on the age of the wearer while the
pasra(wrapped skirt) consists of two pieces that are joined to make the
required larger width.Other than daily
wear,some of these textiles also play a vital role
in the ceremonial and ritual life of tribal
societies and are greatly valued as heirloom
objects.Patterning,which is mostly
symmetrical,ranges from colourful stripes
running in the direction of the warp,to
figurative and geometric motifs woven in
supplementary weft that intersperse the
ground.Weaving is exclusively a woman`s
acticity and passed on from mother to
daughter,each family weaving to meet its own
needs.Traditionally woven using natural dyed
cotton,the more commercialized contemporary
pieces have almost entirely shifted to using
acrylic as a raw material,as it is cheaper and
requires less skill in weaving.
Production Clusters
West Tripura
district:
Agartala
Products
Pasra-warp skirt
fabrics
Riah-breast cloth
Tools
Loin loom
Back strap
Wooden beater
Bamboo rods
Yarn for string healds
1. A contemporary fabric based on a traditional pasra
of Tripura.
2. Single width fabric woven on a frame
handloom.The contemporary design is based on
the structure and design of traditional Tripuri
textiles which were woven on loin looms.
3. Contemporary design based on the traditional
Manipuri fabric called leisengphi which consists of
cotton silvers woven into a densely set warp
construction.Agartala has a small Manipuri
population.
4. Tripuri riah which has a perforated leno weave
pattern uncommon to loin loom fabrics since these
usually have a dense warp construction.
5. Riang riah,a narrow width fabric 19X130 cm long
that was woven on a loin loom.
6. Detail of a Tripuri riah,size19x152 cm,made from
hand-spun cottond dyed in red colour that was
extracted from madder plant.
7. The loin loom is made of a few bamboo and
wooden sticks and a continuous warp with strung
healds.It is portable and is easily set up indoors,in
verandahs or outdoors.
8. An uncut cloth woven on the loin loom,that is
worn as a draped garment by a married Riang
woman.Skirtd fabric with a single border is worn
only by married Riang women.
9. A Mogh woman wearing a pasra which has woven
on the loin loom in a single width of 44 inches.