The unrivalled quality of Dhaka’s Muslin was attributable to three important factors – its special cotton, the fineness of its handspun yarn and the extraordinary skill of its weavers. Writers have identified the unique quality of the cotton grown only along the banks of the Brahmaputra and branches of the Meghna as the best for Muslins. They attributed this superiority to the close proximity of the land to the sea, which mixed with the waters of the Meghna during the monsoons, deposited rich layers of silt on the land every year. Indeed, it was believed that the freshness of the sea air nourished the Kapas cultivations. There may well have been a great deal of truth in these assertions as the British efforts to grow this cotton elsewhere in 1790 and 1791 failed completely. The matchless qualities of the Dhaka cotton known as photee (gossypium herbaceum) differed from the common herbaceous cotton in that it had fewer branches which supported the flowers longer and more importantly, had longer staples which were much finer and softer than any other cotton. Annually, two crops of this cotton were cultivated, of which the first one in April and May was the finest and grown extensively; of this only a third of the cotton which adhered most to the seed yielded the finest yarn for muslin.
Hand spinning of cotton yarn for high quality muslin required extraordinary skill and application. However, prior to spinning, preparation of the yarn involved a laborious process. The cotton was first carded with the jawbone of a Boalee fish to remove the smallest particles of leaf and dirt, then rolled on a lacquered board without breaking the seeds and teased with a small bow-like instrument. Finally, the downy fleece was wrapped with the soft skin of the Cuchia fish to keep it from getting soiled during the spinning process. Very specialised skill was required to spin the yarn for muslin. It was done by a small number of young Hindu women working with a takma (spindle) instead of the usual charkha (wheel).
Spinning required a certain degree of moisture in the air, with a temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit or so. The women, therefore, spun from early morning, a half-hour before sunrise, till nine or ten in the morning and late afternoon to just before sunset. On dry days, the women would spin yarn over shallow vessels of water to ensure the right absorption of moisture in the yarn. They kept their fingers smooth by rubbing them with chalk from a hollow stone. Since the women had other family commitments they were not, on an average, able to spin more than three hours a day thereby requiring months, sometimes a whole year
Muslin, the translucent fabric referred to variously as `woven air’, `morning dew’, `crystal spring’ and other such poetic names to describe its excellence, was woven on a simple pit-loom. Having dug a hole in the ground to enable him to operate his foot treadle, the weaver set up his loom by fixing four wooden posts and attaching the heddles to the roof or branches of a widespread tree in his yard. Much of the weaving at the time was done in the open air. “In such looms as this are made those admirable muslins whose delicate texture the Europeans can never equal with all their machinery”. The value of muslin was determined by its length, warp and relative weight. The greater the length and number of threads in the warp and lower the weight, the higher would be the value of the material.
While Muslins were woven by Hindu weavers (tanti), Jamdanis were primarily the forte of Muslim weavers (julahas). Various writers have reiterated this point in their accounts, without specifying possible reasons for it. Muslins, plain and embroidered, were indigenous to Bengal from time immemorial; the loom patterned Jamdani could have been a later development, influenced by the interaction of Persian and indigenous weavers of the area. The substantial presence of Muslims in the Jamdani producing locations of Bengal like Sonargaon and patronage of the Mughals may well have encouraged closer interaction between them and the Persian weavers. This curious phenomenon has persisted to present times, with Jamdanis being the exclusive domain of Muslim weavers, clustered around villages, not far from Dhaka. However, the secular beliefs of the Jamdani weavers are reflected in their folk lore and practices.
According to Haji Kafiluddin Bhuiyan, unquestionably one of the finest weavers of our times, his initiation at the loom as a young lad was preceded by a dua (prayer) to Bishwakarma as an Ostad (guru), not as a deity.
Neither the superior cotton nor the legendary spinners exist any longer. It has therefore not been possible to weave the same fine quality fabric nor reproduce the delicate designs of earlier times. Nonetheless, the Jamdani weaver is still revered as amongst the best of the region and enjoys great celebrityhood for his skill and workmanship. Interestingly weaving techniques, as also the pre-weaving processes, continue to be similar to the ones practised centuries ago. Natural or pre-dyed yarn is washed, starched and wound on a cylindrical bamboo frame natai and allowed to dry; this process is said to improve the weaving quality of the yarn greatly. Design yarn is rolled on small bobbins, weft yarn wound on larger bobbins moura and warp yarn on slightly larger ones known as noli. Yarn is inserted individually and painstakingly into comb like dents of the bamboo reed called a Shana. In earlier times the finest cotton muslin had up to 2,800 threads for 40-inch width fabric; today the best cotton saris of 46-inch width have a maximum of 1,900 or less. Warp preparation, as before, has two persons feeding the yarn into some 26 bamboo posts hor or khuti set in the ground in pairs and at regular intervals. Threads for the warp are drawn from 40 to 50 bobbins set in a bamboo or wooden frame. Each warp is prepared for four Jamdani saris of 6 yards each. The final step prior to weaving is its application to the end roll. The warp is prepared by the Howzainna, a specialist in charge of this process and not the weaver.
The range and variety of Jamdani designs are far too extensive and numerous to be included here. However, as in the past there are three basic layouts. Jaal, the most intricate, is an all over design covering the entire ground, Terchi denotes floral or geometric diagonal and Buti is a combination of individual floral motifs and sprigs scattered across the fabric. Over the years Jamdani designs have taken on indigenous names drawn from images surrounding the weaver’s world. The motifs reflect his personal interpretation of everyday objects, birds and animals and may differ from weaver to weaver. Some of the more elaborate Jaal designs are pati (petal), angti (ring), baghnoli or bagher paa (tiger claws or paws), shankha (shell), dubla (grass), phool (flower), shapla (lotus), sabudana (barley), kori (bud) and chandrahaar (moon necklace); the favourite Terchis are karat (saw), jungly (wild), adarpana (ginger), phool (flower), kolapana (banana bunch), paan (betel leaf), sabudana (barley) and neempata (margosa leaf). Some of the more popular Buti designs are ashrafi (gold coin), juiphool (flower), tara (star), sandesh (sweet), dalim (pomegranate), amriti (sweet), shapla (lotus), chira (pressed rice), singara (snack), korola (vegetable) and patabahar (croton). The repertoire of border designs is equally rich, with some of the more favoured ones being inchi (inch), angurlata (grape creeper), shaal (sal tree), mayurpench (peacock), goolapchar (rose), dubla (grass), kachi (scissor), kakoi (comb), belpata (leaf), doringphool (flower), patabahar (croton) and kuilata (flower). Like borders the Anchal sari end section is often matched with ground patterns; as the Anchal is the most elaborate part of the sari it may be decorated with pankhi (paisley or cone) or an intricate web of floral motifs like goolapchar, angurlata and singara. As in earlier times the finest designs are woven in the same quality of yarn as the warp and weft, merging them beautifully into the fabric.
As in the past, the Jamdani loom is a marvel of simplicity, made primarily of wood and bamboo, the tools used to create these outstanding textiles are equally simple and continue to fascinate people, now as then. Once the wooden beam with the warp yarn or bairer narad is installed on the loom the weavers attach the threads on to the wooden pole in front, known as the koler narad. A set of coloured yarn for churi or kandi (border edging) are fed into the dents of a tiny Shana (reed), draped over the loom and weighted down with half a brick to maintain the tension. Borders are demarcated with a continuous pattern called madli. Pattern threads measuring 9 to 18 inches are inserted into the warp with a kandur (wooden horn or spindle) to create the design. On completion of each line, the weft yarn is passed across the warp from one weaver to another using a makku (metal spindle). Weft and design yarn are set by pulling the dopti (lay) tightly against the previous line. The tolpawa (foot pedal) of the loom is manipulated by the master weaver to lower or raise the double jhap (bamboo reeds) which are drawn by a stroke of the lay to set the yarn firmly in place. New lengths of coloured or gold thread are added into the design so deftly that the joins are neither visible nor discernible to the touch. High value Jamdanis are embellished with a touch of gold and tiny, delicate surface motifs known as chalchita, sheborka, gotphool, motorchita, etc. Jamdanis for weddings and other festive events are often patterned entirely in gold yarn.
Jamdani saris have always been an integral part of a Bengali woman’s wardrobe and have been greatly valued and appreciated for their unique beauty. As refined expensive textiles, Jamdanis, have catered primarily to sophisticated urban markets. Partition of India in 1947 led to the loss of an affluent Hindu clientele, large numbers of whom migrated from East Bengal; this was exacerbated by the termination of trade with India, specifically West Bengal, which was a critical market for Jamdanis. However, the greatest setback for the handloom sector in general and Jamdani in particular was caused by the turmoil of the Liberation War in 1971 and the subsequent years of economic crises. Perennial shortages of yarn and dyes and absence of credit almost crippled its manufacture and forced many weavers to abandon their craft as several had also lost their looms in the war.
Traditionally Jamdanis from Bangladesh, have always been an integral part of a Bengali lady’s wardrobe. Anything to do with cultural, social or auspicious programmes, out will come those authentic crisp pure Cotton Jamdanis, heavily embellished with thread weave; the more elaborate ones are also interspersed with real Zari. It has and it always will, symbolize aristocracy and class. The Jamdani sari from Dhaka is a favourite among Bangali women for the cultural status it holds as an important wedding and socio-cultural piece of clothing.
With the right admixture of Shankha Pola (The Red White Bangles worn by married Bangali women), Sindur (Vermillion), Boro Laal Teep (Big round Red Bindi) and Juin phooler Mala (Jasmine/ Mogra garland) in your hair, alongwith a Crisp Cotton “Dhakai Jamdani” ... one is always set to welcome Ma Durga into her Baaper Bari (Ancestral Home) during Durga Puja or on April 14th i.e. Poila Boishakh or Bengali New Year, during those days of festivities.
These authentic Cotton by Cotton Jamdanis from Dhaka are gradually becoming very rare, as they work out to be very expensive and very few weavers are willing to weave them nowadays. Some of these beauties can take months to be woven. The Jamdanis from Dhaka are woven painstakingly by hand on the old-fashioned Jala loom, and may take even up to one year to weave a single sari. It feels supple to the touch and drapes gently to reveal the contours of the wearer. "The hard part of weaving a Jamdani is the motifs are neither embroidered nor printed but are painstakingly sewn by hand when the fabric is still on the loom. This makes the work time consuming and labour intensive. Sometimes it takes months to weave a single sari"
"Few people are aware that Jamdani products are incredibly intricate works and take days or months to create. Each product requires minute attention to detail, all through the weaving process. To the people who weave this Jamdani though, it is a way of life. They are also artists in their own right, spending years to hone their skills, often from one generation to another in the same family."
Please note: Jamdanis from Bangladesh, the authentic ones, come only in Cotton Warp by Cotton Weft. They are, no doubt, expensive.
If you have bought your Jamdanis from amongst those which are called “Silk Dhakais” in the market, let me clarify that no such variety ever existed in its traditional form. What is used there is either Polycot or cheap Chinese Silk. The Zari used is of the same material. So, it is only obvious, that these give way and the sari starts splitting.
Original, Real, Pure Cotton Jamdanis from Bangladesh do not split or snap.
Jamdani is one of the finest muslin textiles of Bengal (undivided Bengal), produced in Dhaka District, Bangladesh for centuries. The traditional art of weaving Jamdani has been declared by UNESCO as "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity".
The word Jamdani is of Persian origin, deriving from 'Jam', meaning flower, and 'Dani', a vase or a container. The Jamdani weaving tradition is of Bengal (undivided Bengal) origin. It is one of the most time and labour-intensive forms of hand loom weaving. Whether figured or flowered, Jamdani is a woven fabric in cotton, and it is undoubtedly one of the varieties of the finest muslin. It has been spoken of as the most artistic textile of the Bangladeshi weaver. They are traditionally woven around Dhaka, Bangladesh, and on the brocade loom. Jamdani patterns are mostly of geometric, plant, and floral designs and are said to have originated thousands of years ago.
Care and Maintenance: Jamdani saris were originally woven on very thick coarse material on what were called “mota kapor”. The weave was therefore loose and there were spaces between the weave. To embellish the sari, the Jamdani work was adopted. The Jamdani work/weave also helped to keep this loose weave together beside adding colourful motifs to the sari to help it look beautiful. Original, authentic Jamdani saris only came in 4.5-5 mtrs, unlike the present day 5.5 mtrs.
Once these saris were woven, then came the question of how these had to be washed. Normal washing would result in the threads moving away to 2 sides and leaving gaping holes at the centre. That is when and how these indigenous laundries, namely the Shantipur Shawl Repairing kinds, adopted the “Kanta diye Kacha” method, or washing with nails.
They took this biggish wooden plank, about 2’ x 2’ and hammered very fine nails, at close proximity to each other, all over the surface. The sari was folded and placed very carefully over this plank full of nails. Soap water was poured over this contraption and the sari was washed. This helped the weave to remain intact and the sari was then taken out of this plank and dried and ironed
