Patola is a double

ikat ''Ikat'' (in Indonesian languages means "bind") is a dyeing technique originating from Indonesia used to pattern textiles that employs resist dyeing on the yarns prior to dyeing and weaving the fabric. In ''ikat'', the resist is formed by b ...

woven sari, usually made from

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...

, made in Patan,

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. The word patola is the plural form; the singular is patolu.

The weave

To create a patola sari, both the warp and weft threads are wrapped to resist the dye according to the desired pattern of the final woven fabric. This tying is repeated for each colour that is to be included in the finished cloth. The technique of dyeing the warp and weft before weaving is called double ikat. The bundles of thread are strategically knotted before dyeing. Patola saris from Surat, Ahmedabad and Patan are renowned for their colourful diversity and geometrical style.

History

Silk weavers of the Salvi caste from the state of Maharashtra chose Gujarat as the home for their renowned patola fabric. It is believed that salvis went to Gujarat in the 12th century with the intention of acquiring the patronage of the Chaulukyas

Rajputs Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...

, who ruled all of Gujarat and parts of

Malva ''Malva'' is a genus of herbaceous annual, biennial, and perennial plants in the family Malvaceae. It is one of several closely related genera in the family to bear the common English name mallow. The genus is widespread throughout the temper ...

and south Rajasthan at the time, with Anahiwad Patan as the capital. Legend says that over 700 patola weavers came to the palace of Raja Kumarpal, on the personal request of king himself. The Solanki(Chalukya) rulers used to dress in patola silk themselves on special occasions. It is broadly accepted belief that these Salvis originally belonged to the region, which now lies at the middle of the present day Marathawada and Vidarbha divisions of Maharashtra state. The art of Patola weaving is an ancient one. According to some historians, the art of Patola weaving was known also in the 4th Century in “Ajanta” caves, which resembles the tie-dyes technique of patola. Ajanta Caves were patronized by the Vatsagulma branch of the Vakataka dynasty, which controlled a vast area of Deccan during the 3rd, 4th & 5th centuries A.D. Vatsagulma is presently the 'Washim' district of the Vidarbha Division of Maharashtra. After the decline of Solanki empire, salvis founded a rich trade in Gujarat. Patola saris quickly became a sign of social status among Gujarati women and girls, especially as part of stridhan, items that a woman can claim as her. These art of patan is more than 850 years old. Patola has had a huge importance as status clothes in Southeast Asia where it was imported from at least the Middle Ages. Local elites in far eastern locations such as

Timor Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is divided between the sovereign states of East Timor on the eastern part and Indonesia on the western part. The Indonesian part, also ...

and

Maluku Islands The Maluku Islands (; Indonesian: ''Kepulauan Maluku'') or the Moluccas () are an archipelago in the east of Indonesia. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located ...

strove to acquire patola or patola imitations, which were often provided by European merchants in the early-modern era. Patola motifs were frequently taken over by indigenous weaving traditions.''Encounters with Bali, A Collector's Journey''.Art Gallery, Sydney, Australia p.24

Design and pattern

There are four distinct patterns which are woven primarily in Gujarat by the Salvi community. In

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

and

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

communities, double

saris with entire designs of parrots, flowers, elephant and dancing figures are generally used. In Muslim communities, saris with geometric designs and flower patterns are typical, being worn mostly for weddings and other special occasions.

Maharashtrian Brahmin Marathi Brahmins (also known as Maharashtrian Brahmins), are communities native to the Indian state of Maharashtra. They are classified into mainly three sub-divisions based on their places of origin, " Desh", "Karad" and "Konkan". The Brahmin ...

s wear saris woven with plain, dark coloured borders and body and a bird design called Nari Kunj.

References

{{Sari Saris Gujarati culture Patan district Cultural history of Gujarat Geographical indications in Gujarat Textile industry in Gujarat