Maharashtra is a state in the western peninsular region of India, extremely rich with its history, culture, art & craft, heritage and its religion. Maharashtra has a long history of many rulers who came and build their empires with bringing and devising industries, art & craft. The state has many handloom textile crafts made by the skilled artisans, woven into classic piece of cloth. Apart from textile and fashion the state has many other crafts to offer to the world like Bidriware, Kolhapuri jewellery & leather footwear, Warli paintings, coir craft of Sindhudurg, Sawantwadi lacquer ware, etc. India has lot to offer when it comes to handicraft, every state has countless handmade things, here in this blog we shall have a look to few of the textile crafts of Maharashtra.
1. Solapur Chadar
Handloom Woven Blanket with
Peacock Motif
Solapuri Chadar is the handwoven cotton blanket originated in Solapur city of Maharashtra, India. These Chadar’s are popular worldwide for its durability and beautiful woven designs, flowers, leaves, paisley’s and geometric patterns are woven in these Chadar’s by using thick cotton yarns. Solapur is known for its textile industries and in earlier years there were at least one or two handlooms in every home, all other members of family used to help the artisan to complete the weaving of Chadar. Solapuri Chadar has obtained Geographical Indication status and thus weaving of these Chadar’s cannot be copied and made elsewhere in the world. Solapuri Chadar has not been liked only within India but also around the world, it also has great demand in UAE, Kuwait, South Africa, United States, U.K. Canada and to name few more. Due to increase in demand these Chadar’s are now also made using power loom and auto loom but the beauty and quality of this traditional craft has not been changed. Solapur is also popular for making hand woven terry towels, sarees, wall decors, etc.
Kosa silk is mainly, the speciality product of Chhattisgarh, India but Bhandara district of Maharashtra state is also well known for producing Kosa silk. India is the only country in the world which produces all 4 types of silks viz. Mulberry, Eri, Tussar & Muga. Kosa is the type of tussar silk, derived from Antheraea Mylitta an Indian silkworm which finds only in India.
Bhandara district is known for weaving Kosa silk sarees. Silk is produced in Bhandara itself, silk yarns are manufactured by spinning cocoons into yarns, this type of silk has natural dull brownish golden colour but yarns are dyed in natural dyes as per colours used in the design of saree. After dyeing looms are set according to design. Tana, also known as warp yarns are fixed in the loom and Bana the weft yarn is filled to complete the weaving of the predetermined pattern/design. This craft technique of making Kosa silk saree is passed from one generation to another and is still practised on pit loom which are operated by hand and legs. This beautifully woven saree is one of the India’s most expensive sarees.
3. Himroo Shawl
Himroo shawl is the symbol of Royalty, it is said that Himroo is the replication of KinKhwab which is the fabric woven in olden days with pure golden and silver threads and was meant for royal families. These shawls are woven in bright colours using cotton and silk yarns along with golden zari, usually have intricate designs and motifs like flowers, leaves, paisleys, geometric shapes, etc. Designs of Taj-Mahal and Bibi-Ka-Maqbara were highly elaborated designs fabricated into shawl by the keen weavers. Paintings of Ajanta Ellora caves also became inspiration for weaving Himroo shawls. These shawls are being woven by using cotton yarns in the warp direction and silk yarns in the weft. Normally weaving of simple Himroo shawl on handloom takes about 8-10 days for its completion but according to the intricacy of design it can also take a month or so.
4. Mashru
Himroo and Mashru are the terms frequently used together, they are similar but not the same and one, these crafts are the pride of Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Mashru literally means ‘mixed’ in Sanskrit, derived from Sanskrit word ‘misru’. The fabric is woven on handloom by using cotton and silk yarns. Mashru is gracefully woven into bright colours and the fabric has shiny, satin finish on its top side. Pure silk yarns are used in outer layer to give it glistening and superior look whereas pure cotton yarns are used inside to make it comfortable and soothing to the skin. They are mostly available in stripe or zig-zag pattern and are little less expensive than Himroo. Gul Badan, Sangi, Ganta, Ilaycha are the types of Mashru which were popular during 19th Century. Mashru is not woven only in Aurangabad but also practised in Mandvi and Patan in Gujarat.
5. Khun
History of Khun weaving in Maharashtra is very old. In earlier days’ weavers used to make only saree blouses and the fabric was being woven in standard blouse piece length and width, but presently Khun sarees are also made. What makes Khun a different piece of art than other Maharashtrian popular weaves, is its border and weaving pattern in the body of the saree and blouse. The body of the saree is commonly woven in honeycomb, small checks or other geometrical designs and the border of the saree is always woven into striped patterns. Besides, the khun is woven by using silk yarns in warp direction and cotton yarns in weft way. Khun sarees are named after the designs created in its border like tope padar, sada padar, kath, etc. Khun is not only the traditionally popular weaving craft of Maharashtra but it is also the significant handloom weaving of Karnataka.
6. Paithani Sarees
https://wordpress.com/post/moodfashionwriting.wordpress.com/198
Please go through above link to read about Paithani.
Ganga-Jamuna Saree 
Dhurries 
Ghongadi 
Karvat Kathi Saree
With the exception to above few handloom crafts, Maharashtra has more in its list of handloom textiles like Munga-Ghicha is type of silk fabric from Nagpur, Karvat Kathi Sarees from Vidarbha region, Nagpur sarees, Chindi Dhurries are floor covering carpets mostly woven into striped patterns but also finds in geometric designs, Ghongadi is a woollen blanket made in Nandurbar especially by Shepherd community, Ganga Jamuna sarees are two colored sarees from Solapur district, etc.
India is blessed with Artisans and luxurious Handicrfats, in this blog you have read about handcrafted textiles of only one state, just imagine how much rest of the country has to offer to the world and there you can also find so many differences in every textile belonging to different states. I will be covering with few more states and their textile crafts in my upcoming blogs.
Thank You!!!
Reference:
wikipedia
https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/outreach/save-the-weave/indian-weaves/guledgudda-khun-0
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