Of the basic dress of our women, the
multi-purpose sari, the Jamdani is basically the transited
form of the world famous Dhaka Muslin. Jamdanis of today may not be fine enough
to pass through a wedding ring, but it's almost certain that fashion has
brought in jamdani to be a permanent feature of the Rajshahi silks of our
country along with Banarasi. Vedic rituals presented occasions for the most
exquisite silks. The nobility wore the Kashida which is silk made from cocoons
grown on Tripa or Triparna leaves similar to mulberry leaves. Regal corpses
were dressed in funeral shroud made from the finest Kashida. Contrary to what
is visible at Ajanta, modesty of dress for
women was given a lot of emphasis according to some historians. Hiuen Tsang in
the 7th century AD
says that the cloth in India
was not cut or fashioned. They used to wear white garments and avoid bright
colours.
Recent
trends of modern sari owe much to the Tagore family. But the "pallav"
they tried to popularise was extremely small and resembled foreign dresses to a
certain extent. It was another Tagore woman Indira Devi who immortalised the
present pattern of wearing saris.
As
the society developed so did the variety of the sartorial elegance putting
across an effective counter point to the demand made by the society. Never mind
if was effectively disguised as the Capricious and corporate whim of the
womenfolk. The basic dress of our women sari also has an interesting story
behind it.
During
the Buddhist epoch three items of garment namely “UHARASANGA”, “AHTARANASAKA”
and “SAMGHATI” were worn. But Bhilchomari Pateokha an ancient writer has added
another item in his sartorial litany. “KANCHUKA”, which probably was a
primitive bodice. Motichandr, another writer, suggests that the latter was a
part of clerical habits the
nuns.
From Chulavagy the commentator on the
“Jatakas” (Buddhist scriptures) we learn that “Chaghara” mentioned in the
Jakatas may’ve corresponded to the sari worn by queens and
princesses.
Jamdani’s basically the transited form
of the world famous Dhaka Muslin. According to their variety, fineness,
knittings etc. The traditional Dhaka Muslins were divided into some specific
groups. Among them AAB-E-ROUHAN, SHABNAM, SARBAND & JAMDANI MUSLIN were the
most famous. Over the years the first three’ve vanished from history. The
production, marketing and export of Jamdani’ve somehow maintained its
continuity.
The history of Dhaka-Muslin or
Dhaka-Jamdani’s more ancient than the history of Dhaka.
Dhaka has a history of only four hundred years
from 1610 A.D. When Subadar Islam Khan Chrishti of the then Subah Bangla
transferred his capital city from Rajmahal to Dhaka.
But the history of the cotton clothes of the region holds a more ancient
tradition. Although jamdani history’s lost in the mists of antiquity. It’s
known that trade in the fabric was established at least 2000 years ago. In
Chamakya’s Arthasastra one finds reference to the fine cottons of ‘Vanga’,
historically the central southern region of East Bengal
and Chanakya’s tome on economics was written in the 3rd century
B.C.
Jamdanis
of today aren’t fine enough to pass through wedding rings, but it’s almost
certain that at one time they did. Imperial Rome was carried away with mul
mul’s ephemeral quality and evocative names such as ‘vapour’, mists, intebula,
‘cloud’ and ‘fabric of woven winds’ became common place in Roman courts, and
boudoirs. Women’ve swooned at its sight and men’ve signed at the sight of women
clad in
it.
Around 327 B.C, when Alexander invaded
the sub-continent, the length of the sari underwent a gradual extension and its
mode of wearing also changed. This’s apparent from the Gandhara sculptures of
200 B.C. In fact Macedonian influence on art and culture’s universally accepted
and the sartorial sector wasn’t outside the sphere of so called Gandhara
influence which amongst other things made looking beautiful a pragmatic word.
It’s also assumed that the inhabitants of Harappa
and Mohenjodaro probably wore an ancient form of the sari which was quite
different from the contemporary version.
The Ajanta
cave paintings not only give us insight into the erotic mind of our ancestors
but also tell us graphically hoe the sari evolved. In the new empire of
Bacteria Gandhara influence was immense. Until then West Asians had worn the
loin-cloth and a handkerchief wrapped round the head. The loin-cloth became in India the
Lunguti particularly favoured by male
mendicants.
The middleclass apparel comprised two
rectangular pieces of fabric, the Paridhana (Dhoti) and a cloak or shawl worn
over it. A skirt and a shalwar were also worn. The tunic could be worn inside
or outside the draped skirt. The “Paridhata” common to both sexes was a
rectangular pieces of cloth wrapped round the hips as a long straight skirt
rather like the Malayan
Sarong.
One end of it was brought forward
between the legs and tucked into the waistband paving way for the developed of the
knee length Indian Dhoti or the Cambodian sampot which in a way resembles the
baggy trousers. The affluent for their part had their raiment’s adorned by
different craftsman with beads and
tassels.
But if we look into
the period we get a different picture altogether. Vedic rituals presented
occasions for the most exquisite silks. The nobility wore the Kashida which’s
silk made from cocoons grown on Tripa or Triparna leaves similar to mulberry
leaves. Regal corpses were dressed in funeral shroud made from the finest
Kashida.
Kasuma was another variety of silk
used for rituals by the pre-Aryans in India.
The Mahabharata mentions silk fabrics
among the gifts brought to Judhistira by the feudal princes from the Himalayan
domains. The question whether it was manufactured in India
or imported from China
however, remains moot.
According to Valmiki the Trousseau of
Sita consisted of woolen items, furs, precious stones, fine silk vestments of
diverse colors and princely
ornaments.
The vail, bodice and body clothes’re
repeatedly mentioned in the Ramayana and Mahabharata and both in the Hindu and
Buddhist codes of law and
morality.
Contrary to what’s visible at Ajanta modesty of dress for women was given a lot of
emphasis according to some historians. Hiuen Tsang in the 7th century A.D. says that the cloth in India was not
cut or fashioned. They used to wear white garments and avoid bright
colors.
Men wore garments gathered round their
armpits which fell across their body. But those of the women fell to the
ground. Their shoulders were covered too.
From this probably came the concept of
sari. Some opine that the banks of the river with trees’ve inspired them to
conjure the sari, unstitched and free like a flowing river moving across a bend
along the bank.
Dyeing of textile was known since the
Vedic days. The Arthasastra tells us that almost all the known colors were in
use. Cloth paints were also not unfound the word CHITRATA in the APASTAMBA
SRAUTA SUTRA.
The Ramayana too refers to printed
clothes. The ladies of Ravana wore garments of different hues and printed
carpets (KOTHA ASTRARANA) were also used as bed covers and blankets and
dresses.
It may not be out of place to mention
that muslin was also found in the Mesopotamia,
which proves that there was continuity of cultures at least as far as dress’s
concerned.
The recent trends of modern sari owe
much to the Tagore family. But the “PALLAV” of the sari they tried to
popularize was extremely small and resembled foreign dresses to a certain
extent.
Later on it was another Tagore woman
Urmila Devi who immortalized the present pattern of wearing
saris.
As time passed new innovation’ve
arrived. In the late 60’s the sari was worn on the right hand side. A long with
it the size of cloths’ve also undergone radical changes. Sometimes, the
sleeve’s short, sometimes long or
pulled.
Weaving jamdani demands the skill of a
snake-catcher blended to the patience of a mother. The combination reached it
pinnacle during the Mughal period. Delhi
was along with names such as “Baridhara” (raindrops), “Abrawan” (rivulet) and
“Shabnam” (dew). Mughal scholar Abul Fazl refers to technicalities relating to
the weaving of the fabric in his treatise
Ain-i-Akbari.
According to James Taylor, the
europeon author, the best quality of cotton (Karpash) which’s considered to be
indispensable in weaving jamdani would grow best in Dhaka
and its adjoining areas. The 10 mile area in Rupganj police station under Dhaka
district and a 120 sq mile in the western bank of the Meghna Rivers were
especially suitable for growing this type of cotton yarn known as “futi”, Moreover;
these areas were also favorable for knitting in respect of climatic variations
particularly humidity.
One frequently unknown fact’s that
weaving of muslin’s not possible in areas where the temperature level fails
below 82°F. Favorable humidity’s also required for this type of work. Since
these two factors were very much in positive conjunction in those areas around Dhaka, the women there used to knit jamdani from to
dusk.
Due
to the decay of the supply of required raw materials and gradual changes in
meteorological factors the traditional jamdani industries in those areas began
to steadily demolish particularly after the historic battle of Plassey. The
area on the bank of river Meghna which was once becomes merely point in
history. Only the Rupganj area somehow managed to survive and to continue with
the traditional jamdani us weaving. At present except in nine villages of
Rupganj Thana under Dhaka district. Jamdani’s
fabricated nowhere on the globe. Although the fabric’s still regarded very
highly for its quality.
No comments:
Post a Comment