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Textiles of Orissa
The distinctive hand-woven textiles of Orissa in
unusual patterns and vibrant colours have supported a
thriving cottage industry employing thousands. Orissa is
famous for its silk ikat weaves created by an intricate
process called the "bandha" in which warp and weft
threads are tie-dyed to produce the pattern on the loom
while weaving. Typical design motifs include rows of
birds and animals, fish, seashells, rudraksh beads and
temple spires.
Sambalpur, Berhampur, Mayurbhanj and Nuapatna produce a
striking range in tassar silk with a brilliance, glaze
and texture that is unmatched. The rare silk fabric
produced at Nuapatna in Cuttack district embellished
with verses from the Gitagovinda is used to dress the
idols at the Jagannath Temple. The masters are well
versed with the centuries old art of silk worm
cultivation and create silk ties, stoles, furnishings
and dress materials apart from saris.
The Berhampuri Pata are heavy silk sarees with narrow
borders, generally woven without any intricate motifs.
The Saktapar sari, from the weaving looms of Sambalpur,
Bargarh and Sonepur are identifiable by the double ikat
checkerboard pattern (passapalli) and brocade border.
The weaving arts of Sambalpur-Sonepur and Nuapatna have
greatly influenced each other.
The Bomkai cotton saris from Ganjam district, named
after a tribal village, have been influenced by tribal
art, and are embroidered with temple spire patterns on
the border.
The other typical varieties of Orissa saris, in silk
and cotton, include the glossy Khanduas having elaborate
designs, the rich red jotai ikat with rows of stylized
trees and temple spires on the borders, the unbleached
cotton kotpad from Koraput offset by a vibrant red dyed
border, the Taraballi and the Bichitrapuri. The tribal
people of the State also excel in producing textiles of
myriad hues using vegetable dyes.
Most of the handloom textiles of Orissa are woven
in bright and strong colors. Vegetable dyed textiles
have given way to chemical dyes, and the former command
a premium wherever available.
Orissa's traditional appliqué art is used to make
handicrafts and furnishings. Predominantly used colours
are red, white, black, green and yellow. Pipli,
Butapalli, Khallikote, Tushra and Chikiti are centers
known for this colourful craft, creating umbrellas,
canopies, fans and lampshades. Applique art has been
inspired by religion, and continue to offer shade to
Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra.
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