Lost or forgotten?
India’s rich craft and textile heritage boasts hundreds of fabrics and techniques that reflect the history of our nation. Among them, some were once considered treasures that held a place of pride in royal households. While some fought to survive the dynamics of the contemporary world, others were lost to the annals of time. Here, we revisit five such forgotten Indian fabrics that deserve a revival in the modern era, celebrating their history and honouring their unique charm.
Himroo
Himroo fabric is made of silk and cotton with a weave of paisleys that was introduced in India during the reign of Mohammad Tughlaq in Aurangabad. When he moved his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, Aurangabad, he brought the Himroo fabric from his Persian roots, which soon became a rich, textured fabric woven with gold and silver threads. Meant for the royal families in the olden days, it did not stand the test of time. The term ‘Himroo originates from the Persian word ‘Hum Dhalapathar-ruh’, which means ‘similar’.
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Kharad
The nomadic looms of Kutch used to have woollen rugs that carried motifs from the nomadic life of weaver-tribesmen. These rugs were dyed with natural dyes and lasted for 100 years. Only two families practise this rich craft of kharad rug weaving in India today. They historically enjoyed royal patronage from kings and ministers of Sindh and Gujarat. While several members of the tribe carry the knowledge of this wonderful craft, due to a lack of appreciation in the marketplace, this fabric has eventually lost its pride in the fast-forward world.
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Telia Rumal
Telia Rumal literally means ‘oiled squares or handkerchief’. The fabric is soaked in a mixture of oil and castor ash for a couple of weeks. It is then left in the base colour, usually white, and is finally dipped in one colour of natural dye. This process of repeated making makes it all tie-dyed fabrics till a pattern emerges. These square ikat cloths are used as headscarves in Islam and are woven in suburbs of Andhra Pradesh. Originally in cotton, they were much prized in several African communities and are trying their best to make a comeback with dramatic patterning in red, black, and white.
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Dhalapathar
Dhalapathar offered the most unique hand-woven tapestries in cotton in the olden days. Around 20 years ago, every Odia household proudly displayed Dhalapathar fabric. But today, there are only two weavers left in Odisha who know this rare weaving. This rare fabric was also not able to stand the test of time and was left in ruins.
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Dongria
A rare collector’s textile, founded by the Dongria Kondh community, a hill tribe in Odisha, who embroidered this creation myth of Niamraja on thick handwoven cotton shawls. Depicting the dongras, which means hills and fields, in bright and vivid colours. They believe in giving back to nature as much as they take from it. These shawls are made for their personal use, as they rarely sell them now outside the tribe.
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