Give Indian Jamdani Art The Museum It Deserves Says Gaurang Shah

The deep relationship a patron shares with the art form goes far beyond drape. As the inheritor of allure and the custodian of legends, the patron is the thread that binds desire to create beauty to experience. Fashion Designer Gaurang Shah, who has been a loyal lifelong fan of Indian Jamdani Craft, told HerZindag about the importance of Jamdani art and sarees and why should it have a museum for all to see.

So, what makes Jamdani such an enduring human craft? The answer can be found in its ability to adopt new techniques. From contrasting monotones of white-on-white, the palette has expanded into colourful, vibrant forms. Beginning as cotton muslin, jamdani weaves have seamlessly incorporated threads of silk, silver, gold to create many fascinating iterations. It is Still practised without machinery.

The art traveled far beyond its birthplace -- Dhaka, Bangladesh (erstwhile undivided Bengal). Today, weavers have championed the art in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. In every direction, the technique acquired unique features, making Jamdani an astounding weaving artistry. For several years, Jamdani modernised, changed the way Indian Handlooms have been made, and catalyzed fashion transformation, from being ancient to contemporary.

It is a discontinuous weft technique of weaving. It can be defined as the art of fine ‘Parsi Gara’ done directly on the loom. Its motifs are inlaid into the fabric by adding a denser thread to fine warp threads by hand. One of the most time intensive and advanced hand weaving techniques in the world, it is a technical marvel, a result of profound human skill.

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Originally, the base for the application of Jamdani technique was muslin – the finest cloth ever woven by human hand. It shares its lineage with several ethereal muslin fabrics of India, which were lost when the erstwhile East India Company began its systematic destruction of India’s textile industry in the late 18th century. A matchless interweave of age-old tradition and constant revival, Jamdani – the flower vase – survives as a living relic of a glorious legacy. It is a celebration of beauty passed on to us, despite all odds, by those who came before.

There are many others including me, whose dream is not to imply our passion for handlooms, but that there are plenty of serious Jamdani fans around world, who love the products, and many have a high regard for the ancient Indian weaving heritage that gave creative freedom to so many aspiring designers, weavers, and families.

There is a need to build a public museum to celebrate Jamdani’s past and present. Create a dedicated public space where visitors can spend a couple of hours learning more about the mastery and the unique elements of Jamdani, about the past, and craftsman which brought Indian Jamdani 9 yards to the here and now.

Gaurang set up INTERLACE, with a team of weavers from the south, east, and west of India to celebrate Indian Jamdani in all forms, develop a collection to mark the skill and diversity of Indian Weaver Community.

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