The most famous textile to come out of Bengal is muslin.
As far back as antiquity, muslin was being exported out of Bengal. The Romans
referred to it as “textile venti” or “woven winds”. Under Mughal rule, muslin
was sent as tribute to Delhi. It was so fine, that once the Emperor Aurangzeb,
aghast, raged at his daughter for appearing in public undressed, to which she
retorted that she was in fact wearing seven layers of Dhaka muslin.
The most exquisite muslin is jamdani muslin: handwoven with intricate
patterns. Made from the finest cotton threads, jamdani is known for its floral
and geometric motifs.
During the Indian independence movement, muslin manufacturing in
India was sidelined and preference given to khadi – the course cotton made
famous by Gandhi’s “swadeshi” movement. Subsequently, the partition of
Bengal into West Bengal and Bangladesh splintered supply chains.
The next most famous textile of Bengal is baluchari silk.
This silk is woven using highly twisted silk for the warp while the weft is
composed of loosely twisted yarn. Baluchari silks have elaborate framed
borders consisting of images depicting the sophisticated life of rulers, affluent
bankers and wealthy European traders. The transition from Nawabi to Colonial
rule in Bengal is beautifully captured through these textiles.
Darshan Shah, founder of Weavers Studio in Kolkata, writes:
“The motifs of the Baluchar saris weave a fascinating tale of tradition and
change while documenting events and the lifestyle of a bygone era.”
