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An Indepth Study on
Evolution of Motifs in Odisha Handmade Textile and It's Promotion |
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| Paper Id :
17882 Submission Date :
2023-07-11 Acceptance Date :
2023-07-22 Publication Date :
2023-07-25
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| Abstract |
The tradition of hand weaving is a part of our country’s
cultural heritage and symbolizes the ability of the weavers to design intricate
artistic and attractive products by use of various kinds of handlooms. It may
be noted that, India as a developing country in the world, where handloom is
one of the largest economic industries for its innovations, productions,
flexibility, promotions of individual weavers, and versatility as well. Among
the states in India, Odisha has one of the richest traditions of handloom and
handicrafts in the country, which goes back to the time of ancient period.
Apart from that, handloom and handicrafts products of Odisha are appreciated
all over the country and outside because of their unique and natural motifs,
delicate designs, and aesthetical colour amalgamation. Odishan handloom
products are known for their incorporation of some of the basic and known
traditional motifs like wheels (chakra), shells (shankha), and which connected
the towards tradition and culture through the deep concept of signs. These
designs are derived from our ancient culture, tradition, folklore as well as
mythologies like Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Jagannath culture of Odisha. Ikat
of Odisha is woven with gem-colored, slightly-blurred motifs. Motif is the most
basic unit with the help of which a design is created. At the same time, such
motifs are frequently inspired by nature and are also closely linked to
natural, daily life and socio-cultural-economic factors prevailing in any
society. |
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| Keywords | Odisha, Textile, Handllom, Motifs, Tradition. | ||||||
| Introduction | Since the ancient period, Odisha had one of the richest
traditions of handloom and handicrafts in entire India. Like many other
handicrafts in the Odishan cultural industry, textile weaving, and the
associated crafts were handed down from generation to generation, where the art
remained within the families of the craftsman. In contemporary time Odisha
handloom products have widely demanded in the local as well as foreign markets.
As a result, the handloom sector is next to the agriculture industry, and it is
one of the major providers of employment to the rural people in Odisha. This is
because of the wide difference in the skill level of weavers in Odisha and
their division into different weaving sub-castes according to their weaving knowledge
and skill. |
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| Objective of study | This research paper has adopted anthropological methods and
techniques such as people participation observation, focus group discussion,
detailed interviews, and careful observation of the use of motifs in Odishan
handmade textiles. The primary household survey was conducted among the
weavers. The survey has focused on the origin and uniqueness of Odishan motifs.
The main objective of this research paper is to describe the essence of Odishan
motifs. The objective of the study is to measure the use of motifs in Odishan
handmade textile products. |
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| Review of Literature | There are number of studies carried out by various researchers in
this area. The following reviews try to highlight the needs, significances and scope
of the present research study. Dash and Mohapatra (1986) explained in his study that the
art of weaving in Odisha was before 600 B.C and the evidence reveals from the
caves of Khandagiri, Khurda district. Some carving in the temples of
Boudh/Sonepur (Baidyanath) indicates that weaving was in existence in the area
during prior to 9th B.C. Odisha has history of exporting handloom to
Southeast Asia countries like Thailand, Java, Borneo and Sumatra (Last three
are Island of Indonesia) during pre-independence period in sea route. S. K. Panda (1994)
elaborately explained in his article
titled “Lord’s Fabric” published in that the
sumptuous Gitagovinda Khandua (a silk fabric woven with tie & dye technique
or Ikat technique) which we call calligraphy fabric, having verses of
Gitagovinda Kavya. It is also a gift of Jagannath temple to Odisha Ikat. |
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| Main Text |
Motif
is a very integral part of India’s cultural fabric and it is more so in Odisha.
Traditional textiles such as Khandua from Nuapatna (eastern Odisha) Bomkai from
the southern belt, Tusser from Mankedia and Gopalpur village, Bichitrapuri and
Ekphulia from western Odisha, and Kotpad sarees from Koraput tribal belt hold a
prime place in Indian textiles. These textiles are embedded with the cultural
context of mythology and folk an exemplary art and skilled weaves enhanced with
supplementary warp and supplementary weft and symbolic motifs. It is also a
combination of tangible and intangible cultural heritage as the physical
designs of Ikat are aesthetically appealing and visible to the onlookers as
well as they have stored intangible messages from the history and specific
culture of the land. Hence it is an essential responsibility of social and
cultural researchers to revisit the potential aspect of craft and arts and
reestablish their contribution to the philosophy of life. Otherwise, such
tangible and intangible traditions of the land would be on the verge of
extinction and it would be too late to hand these valuable crafts to the
posterity. Motifs of Odishan handmade textiles have been used since the past in
Odishan textiles are not merely a display but they are deeply associated with
Odishan social, cultural, and religious life. Odisha
has one of the richest traditions of handloom and handicrafts in India, which
began in ancient times. The existence of some ancient rock-cut caves and
attractive designs and motifs of stone carvings drawn in the temples of
medieval Odisha provided a flash of the rich tradition of the ancient time of
art, craft, and sculpture. Due to the slow growth of the financial sector and
industrial sector, the responsible administrations of the state are unable to
provide economic empowerment and gainful employment to the technically less
qualified and educated experts, and poor in the rural non-farm sector to the
following the industries like handloom and other popular handicrafts such as
stone carving, wood carving, silver filigree, appliqué, patta painting, coir,
dhokra casting, and bell metal works, etc. The Bichitrapuri saris
are one of the unique examples with motifs of duck, fish, lotus, creeper,
elephant, lion, and deer; the Kumbha, temple or serrated edge, and fine white
outline of the Ikat motifs. However, Sonepur saris are woven in mulberry and
Tusser silk with calligraphy and Nagabandi, the coiled serpent motif.
Ceremonial cloth called Gita Govinda Patta with calligraphic forms, produced in
Nuapatna is used to dress the statues of the Jagannath trinity. Traditionally,
the Patta or silk is enhanced with supplementary thread work patterns and
Rudraksha, Kumbha, and Matsya motifs. Traditionally and naturally the colors
from plants, flowers, and barks of trees were used for the process but these
have been replaced by chemical dyes now. Odisha Khandua is a famous silk
textile known for its curvilinear motifs and intricate weaves in Tusser and
silk both for religious and local purposes. The handloom industry of Odisha has
passed through many trajectories. Due to the complicated and various kinds in
the skill level of weavers in Odisha and their fission into different weaving
sub-castes according to their weaving of technical ideas and skill. There are
several sub-castes of weavers in Odisha such as Bhulia, Kostha, Kuli, Dera,
Saraka, Rangani, Gaudia Patara, Asani Patara, Bengali Tanti, Asani Tanti,
Gaudia Tanti, Pana Tanti, Matia, Jhola etc. Along with this, there are some
scheduled castes like Ganda and Pana and scheduled tribes like Bonda and Kutia
Kandha, who also have weaving knowledge and skills.
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| Conclusion |
More or less handlooms form a precious part of the
generational legacy and exemplify the richness and diversity of our culture and
the artistry of the weavers. The tradition of weaving by hand is a part of the
country’s cultural ethos. As I mentioned in the abstract, handloom is
unparalleled in flexibility and versatility, experimentation, and encouraging
innovation in terms of larger production of industry. Weavers with their
skillful blending of myths, faiths, symbols, and imagery provide their fabric
with an appealing dynamism. The strength of handlooms lies in innovative
design, which cannot be replicated by the power modernized looms sector.
Different districts of Odisha are famous for the religious weft Ikat textile –
Geeta Govinda. It was inscribed with 12th Century poems of Jayadev written in
praise of Lord Krishna. The resist tying is done finely on two-thread units
giving greater detail and fine curves. These units are tied freehand. Ikat or Bandha,
as it is called, has gloriously woven, blurred, and gem-coloured motifs in silk
and cotton. Traditionally, the Patta or silk is enhanced with supplementary
thread work patterns and Rudraksha, Kumbha, and Matsya motifs. As the design
type is single Ikat, the designs on the material are blurred; however, this
trace design has a beauty all its own. Odisha is renowned for its ancient
handloom heritage, producing handcrafted goods that are unmatched in quality. |
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| References | 1. Das, N.C and P.C. Mahapatro,(1986) . “Development of
Handloom Industry”, Deep and Deep Publications, New Delhi. |
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