Bandhini - Urvika Chhabra

Bandhani

Bandhani, a traditional cloth of Gujarat, started by the Muslim Khatri community of Kutch is one of the famous textile patterns in India. It was and is still believed that Bandhani saree would bring a good fortune to the bride and hence is considered as a symbol of marital happiness and has been an auspicious and significant part of wedding ensembles.

The cloth that I chose is Stippled with tiny square shaped dots, textured with crinked crease of fabric, dyed with yellow and orange color where the dots are illustrated by white composed on bright orange background which has been considered a striking identity of traditional attire for some communities in Gujarat. The color contrast is well balanced by inimitable sense of composition and symmetry of the design form. This technique involves dyeing a fabric, which is tied tightly with a thread at several points thus producing a variety of patterns.

The dupatta is a piece of georgette tied and dyed in floral patterns, which are square shaped in bandhini. When touched, a sense of embossed dabis gives a rough feeling. The more intricate the dabbis are, more is the value of the dupatta.

Originally the two colors used were the auspicious colors of yellow and red. The dominant colors in bandhini are yellow, red, green and pink. Colors hold different meanings in bandhini for instance Red, represents a newly married girl, yellow stands for fertility.

Being from Jaipur, this cloth can be seen on men wearing turbans in bright different colors and patterns of bandhini on their head. The creativity of the artisans today is expressed in a range of products from the curtains of a living room to stoles for making a fashion statement. This shows how Bandhani in recent times has lost its traditional significance and caters to contemporary times.

Urvika Chhabra

PDP 201