Silk Narratives: Exploring the Rich Legacy of Baluchari Sarees

Handloom weaving is a significant domestic industry in India that is primarily associated with rural areas. Since the ancient period in India, the handloom industry has prospered due to an abundance of raw materials and cheap labour. This, on the other hand, has also created high demand among the consumers. The development of the weaving sector may be attributed to changes in the local economy and the liberalisation of foreign commerce, which has made it one of the biggest employers in rural areas and has made a significant contribution to the GDP and revenue-earning parameters of the country. Extreme product diversity, a variety of production methods, exceptional adaptability, and unparalleled versatility are characteristics of handlooms. Approximately 6.66 lakh people are employed by 3.51 lakh handlooms in West Bengal, as well as throughout India.

The name Baluchari has been derived from the name of the small village located in present-day Murshidabad called “Baluchar”. The word “Balu” means sand, and “Char” means riverbank. In the 18th century in West Bengal came the emergence of Baluchari. In 1704, Murshidabad was the capital of the Bengal province. Its ruler, Murshid Quli Khan, had shifted the capital from Dhaka to Murshidabad. The name has been derived from its ruler. Under his reign, the region grew as the centre of silk. Thus, the East India Company were interested and dealt business with this region specifically. The global market for Indian silk has grown significantly. Prior to this, Murshidabad was the largest silk weaving industry. But presently it has been shifted to the Bankura district in Bishnupur due to a natural disaster.

The “Baluchari” saree, which depicts the aesthetic appeal of nature through the use of pure poetry on fabric, weaves tales of Hindu gods and everyday people. A weaving masterpiece, Baluchari has been a depiction of Bengal history and has witnessed and grown with Indian culture and tradition. Since Baluchari originated in Bengal province, women of this region especially wear it. The saree depicts complex motifs, bright and rich colours and also pure silk material.

ORIGIN

The name Baluchari comes from Baluchar, a burgeoning neighbourhood of Jiaganj in Murshidabad, which is located on the Bhagirathi River 23 km north of Baharanpur. The Bhagirathi’s silt deposits produced the settlement of Baluchar. This unique art, which was called after the epicentre, spread to the nearby communities. The Baluchar circle that practised this distinctive skill became recognised as these surrounding locations. The primary feature that set Baluchari sarees apart was their exquisite and highly valued achal, or the finished piece, which included lavishly brocaded human figures from the modern age, such as Europeans and nawabs.

The most well-known figure in Baluchari tapestry is Sri Dubraj Das, a master weaver from Bahadurpur. In Baluchari art’s traditional gharana, he was a legend. Some indication of the time when Dubraj controlled the scene may be found in the two monographs on silk textiles published in 1892 and 1903. He was able to adapt to shifts in modern taste and fashion because of his broad artistic sense. Undoubtedly, one of the few times an Indian craftsman brands his goods is by signing his name.

By the 1800s, the foundation of Balucharis saw a decline in its industry. This loss was mostly caused by competition from European mill-made goods as well as the English government’s open animosity against the Indian textile industry. Instead of completed items, the English preferred raw silk. Designed in gold, Banarasi sarees were more appealing and comparatively less expensive; they established new trends in fashion. The knowledge and talent necessary to produce these magnificent works of art were carried with Dubraj Das when he died away in 1903. His successors did not continue the art because he did not come from a line of weavers. In the era of Delhi-Bengal political closeness, it was much sought after by the Mughal court and other national royal families. High-class Bengali women were known to don Balucharis in the mid-1800s.

The Indian government attempted to revive the Baluchari saree in the year after independence. The magnificent Baluchari craft tradition was revived in the early part of the 20th century by renowned artist Subho Thakur. In order to teach him the craft of Jacquard weaving, he brought Akshay Kumar Das, a master weaver from Bishnupur, to his institute. With the moral and financial assistance of Sri Hanuman Das Sarda of Silk Khadi Seva Mandal, Sri Das returned to Bishnupur and diligently toiled to weave Baluchari on their looms. In Bishnupur, a number of traders are currently members of the Baluchari Manu group. They have private production facilities and own stores. They continue to rank among the best and most beautiful fabrics made.

PRODUCTION PROCESS

• Cocoon Cultivation: The Sources of Luxury – The cultivation of silk cocoons led to the making of Bhagalpuri sarees The yarn’s base is made of fine silk filaments produced by silkworms that have been specially developed for this use. To make raw silk, considered opulent and long-lasting, these tiny strands are collected by boiling them in hot water. The main foundation material is the Murshidabad kind of mulberry silk, which is prized for its rich drape and delicate feel. Because of its less twisted thread, this silk has a special characteristic that makes it perfect for weaving the elaborate patterns that characterise Baluchari sarees.
• Processing the Yarn: To get the silk ready for weaving, it goes through a number of processes: To create smooth, polished threads, the raw silk is boiled in an amalgamation of soap and soda to soften the fibres and eliminate impurities. Vibrant acid-based colours that go well with the saree’s elaborate designs are used to dye the silk. The finished product has more brilliance because artisans make sure every hue is rich and consistent. To guarantee crispness and strength, the fibre is hand-stretched with a little effort, which makes it appropriate for weaving complex designs. Following processing, the yarn is coiled onto two different kinds of beams that serve as the Jacquard loom’s backbone: Dhal (bigger beams) and Sisaban (smaller beams) for maintaining the yarn.

  

• Creating the Motifs: A Baluchari saree is distinguished by its intricate themes, which frequently feature scenes from the royal court, mythical tales, Bishnupur temple art, or floral designs. Intricate themes, such as depictions from the royal court, mythological stories, Bishnupur temple art, or flower designs, are what set a Baluchari saree apart. On graph paper, artisans painstakingly sketch the patterns for the pallu, border, and butas. To guarantee accuracy and symmetry, every element is sized and detailed. A set of punch cards is created from these sketches. Each card serves as an instruction for the Jacquard loom and depicts a section of the pattern. This method guarantees accurate replication of the intricate patterns during the weaving process.
• Weaving using the Jacquard Loom: The inventive development of the Jacquard loom, which allowed for the fabrication of incredibly detailed and elaborate designs, completely changed the weaving of Baluchari sarees. The punch card design determines how the yarn is organised on the loom. The artisan’s design is translated into fabric by the Jacquard machine, which raises and lowers particular threads to create the designs. Two weavers collaborate to make one saree. One saree is typically woven in five to six days, depending on how intricate the pattern is. This procedure requires a great deal of time, talent, and care to detail. As a consequence, an embroidery of art and legacy is created in which the themes blend in perfectly with the body.
• The saree is put through a finishing procedure when the weaving is finished. This entails polishing the cloth to bring out its inherent sheen and give it a glossy, smooth look. This finishing touch guarantees that the saree radiates elegance and richness.

MOTIFS

The designs on the saree are designed mostly at the ends. They depict intricate, exquisite patterns and lively figure themes. Weaving patterns utilised under the Mughal era combined figurative and floral themes. Paisley designs predominated in the square arrangement. Different hues were used for the motifs’ borders, which were eventually filled in with another colour. Untwisted silk thread created additional weft, giving the pattern an elevated appearance and a three-dimensional sensation. The usage of scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata as motifs is far more common than it was in British design in the past.

• Ramayana: The tale of Sita Mata’s rescue, in which Hanuman travelled across the Indian Ocean to Lanka and freed her from Naresh Raavan, who had abducted her and held her captive in his kingdom. In order to wed Sita in her Swayamvar, Ram shattered Lord Shiva’s arrow.
• Mahabharata: Duryodhana and Dushasana Vadh; the scene during Arjun and Draupadi’s wedding where they exchange var mala; Karna Vadh, in which Arjun kills his elder brother in Kurukshetra; arrows on Bhishma’s deathbed; wheels or Karna’s chariot.

  

• Krishna Leela: The story of Krishna dancing with Radha and her Sakhis on the night of Purnima, playing Holi with them.
• Bengali Wedding: – Exchange of flower garlands between ‘Bor’ and ‘Kone’; Shubho drishti; Saptapadi; Saath pak; Phool shojja.

  

• Geometric patterns
• Floral and tree and leaves pattern
• Birds and animals

VARIETIES

Bengali weavers primarily weave three styles of Baluchari sarees, which are known for being extremely quick hand-woven silk sarees.

• Baluchari: To weave a popular native Baluchari sari, one- or two-coloured threads are utilised to finish the design.
• Baluchari (Meenakari): Occasionally, Balucharis have threads in one or two colours together with eye-catching meenakari paintings in every additional shade, which further enlivens the design.

  

• Swarnachari (golden baluchari): Stylish balucharis are weaved throughout the sari using strands of gold and silver. This adds elegance and beauty to the saree and lights it up.

CURRENT STATUS

As the times have changed, Baluchari sarees have also changed, becoming more environmentally friendly due to the of the fibres and colours utilised. Mangoes, pomegranates, jamun, neem fruits and leaves, basil leaves, turmeric, marigold flowers, and other fruits and vegetables are used to make the colours for cotton kapas, which are spun using fibres from banana trees and bamboo shoots.

Rang Mahal, a group of weavers from West Bengal’s Nadia area, hosted a saree market where these organic Baluchari cotton sarees were on display. However, it is now prohibited to use the word “Baluchari” for any other similar product made of cotton or any other material due to the GI certification of Baluchari sarees about the Bankura district of West Bengal, India.

The Baluchari sari won one of the 34 National Awards for the primary weaving styles given out by Honourable President Pranab Mukherjee in 2009 and 2010. The India International Trade Fair, held in New Delhi, featured these sarees. Products from the handicraft and handloom industries were prominently showcased in the West Bengal pavilion. They were acknowledged for their distinctive qualities while keeping the “Skilling India” concept in mind.