Baluchari From Sarees To Stoles and Shawls.

Intricate Baluchari saris are works of art woven in silk. The borders and pallu are embellished with exquisite motifs inspired by the epics, mythology and traditional texts, as also scenes from courtly life. Each panel of these delicately woven sarees tells a timeless story. A single sari can depict an entire episode from the Mahabharata or Ramayana, woven into its border and pallu. The magical weaves with their centuries-old tradition continue to enchant through generations. They take pride of place in the heirloom collection of Bengali women.

With more use of stoles/shawls in the modern world, the making of Stoles along with sarees can be a precious possession for many more women. A saree has a width of 45” and the two lengthwise borders, which when removed,  gives a loom with 36” fabric, which can be converted into stoles.

The various motifs are first drawn on graph paper, then converted into punch cards that are sewn together and attached to the loom for weaving. Every design on a saree or stole has different sets of punched cards. 

The designs can be repeated many times as the same set of punched cards are used over and over again in a saree. The price of a saree is also subjected to the intricacy of weave. Which implies a dupatta, with the mythological weave throughout, is royal and very expensive..

Warp is generally the Bangalore silk and the weft is silk yarn procured from Malda. Setting of Dark coloured yarns like Black and navy blue as weft, gives the traditional and bright Indian colours to the Baluchari sarees.

The staple yarn from local market of Bankura gave us the cotton silk fabric with Baluchari weave. Yet the warp and weft yarns, where weaving of designs was taking place, is the same as original Baluchari fabric to retain the royal and intricate work  in original size.

BALUCHARI NECK TIE

Hey People!  I am loving to write a blog on Miharu’s latest creation: Baluchari Ties.

From the rural areas of Bishnupur, in West Bengal, Miharu gets hand-loomed pure silk-weaved clothes. The process of weaving Baluchari silk requires effort and time, and the weaves are only used in Indian Saris, which are worn by a small minority.

As International Market gives heed to not only eye appealing and beautiful but also to usable products, the artisans can’t market their goods to proper cliental and face heavy loses. They are deserting the craft, and striving for finding a living.

This problem has only two solutions:

1.       Letting the craft decline and turning artisans to different modes of livelihood.

2.       Educating artisans and helping them design sellable affordable and usable goods.

Miharu believes in the 2^nd solution.

For the past three years, Miharu is helping artisans by designing, and marketing various Baluchari products and not just Saris. Miharu has set up its own looms in Bishnupur, and is trying to provide the local artisans with a livelihood.

Pure silk cloth with the mythological weave has been converted to  Lampshades, Clutches and Bags, Stoles and dupattas which appealed to a lot of ladies…

                                

                               

.... But what about men?

Reviving of any craft firstly requires breaking the stereotype that its gender specific. Therefore to create Baluchari Corporate Goods for men, Miharu tried to make Neck-Ties.

Cotton silk with geometric baluchari weave by Bishnupur Artisans at our looms, were converted into ties, by  master tailor two days back. Team Miharu sat and drafted the whole tie, and monitored the tailoring.  

Finished results were amazing!

I hope this effort help us spread stories about the craft, and not let it die!