CRAFTS OF INDIA / JAMDANI / MOTIFS

CRAFTS OF INDIA / JAMDANI / MOTIFS

- Jamdani motifs are mostly floral but in geometric shapes.

- The spread of the motifs diagonally across the fabric is called Tercha.

- Flowers like lotus, jasmine, rose, or vegetation like bananas, ginger, palms are popularly woven.

- A jamdani saree having small flowers dotted on the fabric is known as a Butidar saree. If the design is diagonally inclined, then it becomes a Tercha Jamdani.

- The floral designs could include besides flowers, peacocks, leaves and vines. If these designs cover the entire field of the sari it is called jalar naksha, jhalar, or jaal.

- You also have a variety of Jamdani known as Phulwar and if the flowers are large it is Toradar. Some of the Jamdani varieties include Fulwar Jamdani where the pattern has rows of flowers across the saree, Duria Jamdani if the field is covered with polka dots like design, Belwari jamdani with colourful golden borders.

- Though mostly used for saris, Jamdani is also used for scarves and handkerchiefs.

Innovations

With the passage of time certain changes have crept into the Jamdani fabric.

- Once having only white, black and grey as background colours, today a whole lot of vibrant colours are used.

- Chemical dyes are mostly used now with very few instances of natural dyes.

- The extra or supplementary weft has been replaced by a more convenient form of hand embroidery known as Paar.