Handlooms – the ‘Desi’ flavor in Indian fabrics

What is ‘Desiness’? ‘Desiness’ is the taste of one’s country, the love for the local, the unending indulgence in its flavours. It’s what is typical and unique to one’s own country. It could be certain habits, a tradition, a manner of speaking, a behavioral trait, something that cannot be seen replicated easily anywhere else in the world. Putting it another way it could also be about being close to one’s roots. Being in love with all that has the flavor of one’s own country. One of the Desi flavours of India is handlooms. India is famous for its traditional handlooms, especially sarees and other fabrics. Handlooms are the soul of Indian ethnic, the means of livelihood for millions, with a glorious past and a promising future. Handlooms are a tradition, handloom weaving an art, a way of life in India. Be it the Kashmir valley or the backwaters of Kerala, the arid deserts of Rajasthan and Kutch or the Seven sisters of the North east. The styles may be different, the outcomes varied, but the essential theme of fine weaving and exquisite designs and adornments to transform an average looking fabric into an extraordinary work of art is common to at least 21 states of India that have centres devoted to this age old means of livelihood. There is nothing like a handloom saree when it comes to variety and look. Finely woven fabric, there is interplay of design and pattern, motif and border, embroidery and painting or other interchangeable permutations and combinations, that each product is unique, each item as distinctive as the next.