Patola

The weaver's loom is his favourite tool to cast his spell and weave enchanting drapes. Weaving is a craft that needs patience and resilience. And most importantly love for the art. One such style of weaving is Ikat.

A craft form that travelled through the seas, this method of weaving has several names and variations across the country. It is known as Ikat in Andhra Pradesh, patola in Gujarat, Sambalpuri in Bengal. But the core technique of tie-dying the yarns before weaving remains the same.

The weaver's imagination and inspiration play a pivotal role in deciding the design of the saree. His mastery in the craft lies in how he carefully positions his knots while preparing the yarns for tie-dying. And how he strategically decides his weft yarns accordingly. The magic that was only a part of his imagination comes to life when the tie-dyed warp yarns and the weft yarns are woven together.

And what we finally see, after days of hard work and ideation, is 6 yards of sheer magic. The weaver skilfully weaves his culture, tradition and every little thing that inspires him into the drape making it a cultural souvenir that can be passed to the forthcoming.