Gaji (Gaji cloth) is a coarse cloth made primarily of cotton or silk that is used for native Indian dresses.
Structure
Gaji was similar to
khaddar, a rough, coarse material made on
handloom
A loom is a device used to weave cloth and tapestry. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but th ...
by local Julahas (weavers) with cotton or silk. A comparable cloth was garha.
The fabric was durable and warm.
Use
Because of its coarse texture, the fabric was proper in winters for poor. Men and women both were using Gaji; men wore angochha (headwear),
dhoti, jacket, and
blanket, and women wrapped it as
sari and used in
chemise
A chemise or shift is a classic smock, or a modern type of women's undergarment or dress. Historically, a chemise was a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils, the precursor to the modern shirts commonl ...
s.
Production
The handloom cotton products, including Gaji, were produced in many parts of India; Gaji chiefly was produced in
Gujarat, parts of
Uttar Pradesh such as
Jaunpur,
and
Bengal.
Gaji weavers took a significant hit when power looms made their entry.
The Gaji cloth was also one of the products produced in the
Jail industry in Mewar.
See also
*
Khadi
*
Longcloth
References
Handloom industry in India
Woven fabrics
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