Of a smooth and unique texture, the Tangail sari from West Bengal is famous all over the world for its elegance and extravagant look. A trademark textile, from the villages of Samudragarh, Dhatrigram, Phulia and Sainthia from the state of West Bengal, Tangail saris are hugely popular.
Taant (as in Hand Loom) sari is traditionally Bengali and usually loved by women from all over India. Taant saris are woven from cotton threads and distinguished by its lightness and transparency. It is considered to be the most comfortable sari for the hot and humid Indian climate. The Taant saris are woven all over West Bengal but places such as Hooghly, Nadia and Murshidabad can be regarded as the hubs of these saris. The weaving methods used for making these saris are traditional and the outcome is a light and colourful sari that is popular all over.
With the division of the Bengal province of British India and departure of the British from India, many skilled weavers had settled in Hoogly, Nadia and Burdwan district of West Bengal with Government aid and incentive. These weavers made this art famous for West Bengal
The craftsmen deftly weave the cotton to thread which is woven to tant sari. Two shuttles are used for this purpose. Traditionally, hand looms were used by the weavers,
The typical Tangail / Taant sari is characterised by a thick border and a decorative pallu, woven using a variety of floral, paisley and other artistic motifs. Some of the popular traditional motifs are: Bhomra (bumble bee), Tabij (amulet), Rajmahal (royal palace), Ardha-Chandra (half-moon), Chandmala (garland of moons), Aansh (fish scale), Hathi (elephant), Nilambari (blue sky), Ratan Chokh (gem-eyed), Benki (spiral), Tara (star), Kolka (paisley) and Phool (flower).
Maintenance and Care: It is recommended that before the first wash, Tangail saris should be soaked briefly in lukewarm water mixed with rock salt, to prevent the sari from bleeding colour during subsequent washes, if at all there is any chance of bleeding. Prevention is better than Cure. Washing with a mild liquid soap, followed by starching (for those who like their saris starched) and then hanging them to dry in a shaded area will ensure the longevity of these cotton saris.
