A look of indian textile
and Mohenjo-Daro in the Indus Valley, which can be dated back to 5000 years. Indian textile history has been layered and enriched by nuances of migratory weavers, foreign invasions and religious influences. The wide range of design and weave, specific to the region of their origin, are masterpieces enhanced by the skills of the particular craftsmen and their tradition. The crafts thrived on the exploration and ingenuity of the craftspeople and their knowledge of locally available material.
The journey of Indian artisans from royal patronage to a life of forced workers under the British rule was not a deterrent for the evolution of fantastic weaves and designs. The freedom movement under Gandhi’s leadership gave importance to hand spinning and hand weaving of Khadi and hence provided political, economic and moral arguments around cloth known as ‘swadeshi’.
India’s expertise in vegetable dye dates back to ancient times, as the remnants of madder-dyed fabrics, printed in Gujarat were found in early Egyptian excavations in Fostat. The Indian dyer’s expertise was known worldwide, for their mastery of the craft and their skill was unparalleled in colouring textiles using natural material. Apart from some literary sources, the visual evidence of expertise in dyeing is witnessed in the 6th or 7th century dated fresco paintings of Ajanta Caves of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. The exquisite and intricate resist dyed ikats and tie - dyed fabrics in the attires of people, as painted in the frescoes are evident of proficient dyeing skills of craftsmen.
Each state of India displays a variety of designs, producing distinct textiles and crafts indigenous to the region. Thus traditional Indian textiles can be classified according to the region of production. Another classification of Indian textiles can be based on the technique of production.
The textbook ‘Traditional Indian Textiles’ is a compilation of the different traditional textiles of India, categorized on the basis of the production technique, namely Embroidered, Resist Dyed, Printed and Hand-woven textiles. The textbook introduces the students to the rich textile traditions of India.