The art of handweaving in Bengal is ancient, as recorded in ancient handwritten and printed documents. Bengal has always been famous for its fine muslins and silks. Thanks to Bengal root-level weavers who are blending the traditional with the modern to create innovative fabrics, saris, and stoles to cater to modern taste.

In time, the Mughal Empire's most important supplier of fabric was United Bengal (today Assam, Bangladesh, and West Bengal). Some Mughal poets likened muslins to baft hawa (woven air), abe rawan (running water), and shabnam (morning dew).

Bengal was particularly known for its muslin, which was said to be so fine that it could pass through a ring! And the Jamdani work has the origin of Persian. Even today, super-fine handloom saris, or Taant, Dhakai jamdani saris, have geometric or floral patterns.

Handloom weaving technique

Essentially, weaving is the interlacing of two sets of yarns, called the warp and the weft, placed perpendicular to one another on the loom. The earliest record of sari weaving in Bengal can be traced back to the 15th century in Shantipur and Fulia in Nadia district. There were many types of weaving performed in the late 18th century. All are mentioned below. ……

Tangail weaves:In earlier times, Tangail was called Begum Bahar, interlaced with a silk warp and cotton weft.

The other gorgeous handloom tradition is that of Tangail, which originated in a place called Tangail in modern Bangladesh. The heritage is over a thousand years old. Many weavers, basically the Basak community, had migrated to West Bengal during the partition. Its major center in Bengal is in Kalna, in Purba Bardhaman. 

Historically, Tangail weaves have been renowned worldwide for the skills involved and exclusive designs. They are famous for their extra warp designs on the borders to create a decorative and colorful pattern on top of the ground cloth.

Seen here is a Tangail weave of Kalna. In addition to the gorgeous borders, tangails have extra-weft butis, small repeated motifs in the body, interlaced on the ground of the sari. The extremely fine yarns used to weave Tangail make the ground almost transparent and the fabric soft, delicate, and comfortable. 

Shantipur weaves: Other than the more luxurious weaves, indigenous communities create simple handlooms for daily wear for the common folk. These cotton fabrics are soft and extremely well suited for tropical weather. Across Bengal, communities weave these cotton handlooms, the most famous center being Shantipur.

Shantipur tant is the oldest variety of Bengal cotton textile. The weavers deftly weave the cotton with the use of two shuttles. Distinguished by its lightness, transparency, and fine textures, its aesthetics of motifs and colors are simple and elegant.

Phulia weaves: Near Shantipur is another famous handloom center, Phulia. Some weavers from Tangail had settled here and combined Shantipur tant with their tradition to create their unique style. These textiles are soft and finely textured, come in vibrant colors, and have intricately woven motifs. 

Kenjakura weaves: In addition to saris, there are clusters of people who weave cotton fabric for other daily household products. Kenjakura in Bankura, a traditional weaving center, is best known for making gamchha, or towels. 

Baluchari weaves: The level of artistry found in handloom fabrics is unparalleled in terms of their intricacies and luxurious features. Baluchari, the most popular amongst Bengal handlooms, has been prominent since the Mughal era. 

The Traditional Weaving Technique

• Selecting the Fiber: The process begins with choosing the right fiber, which could be cotton, silk, wool, or other natural fibers.

• Cleaning and Processing: The raw fibers are cleaned to remove impurities. In the case of cotton, the seeds are removed, while silk cocoons are boiled to extract silk threads.

• Dyeing: Adding color to the thread using various dyeing techniques.

• Spinning the Yarn: Spin the selected fiber into yarn using a spindle or spinning wheel.

The yarn should be fine and consistent in thickness.

• Doubling and Plying:

To create a tubular thread, double or ply two or more strands of yarn together.

This process increases the thread’s strength and stability.

• Twisting the Tubular Thread:

Twist the doubled yarns in the opposite direction to create a tubular structure.

The twist holds the strands together and prevents unraveling.

• Winding onto a spool or bobbin:

Wind the twisted tubular thread onto a spool, bobbin, or shuttle.

This prepared thread is then used on the handloom for weaving.

• Weaving or Knitting: Yarns are interlaced on a loom to create fabric. Warp (lengthwise) and weft (crosswise) threads form the fabric structure.

• Yarns are looped together to create fabric. Knitting machines produce various knit patterns.

• Calendaring Process

The calendaring process in textiles is a crucial step in fabric finishing that enhances properties such as smoothness, gloss, and texture.

Bengal handweaving is a living example of centuries-old traditions that remain alive solely because of a dedication of skilled craftsmen. It produces textiles that are both culturally and commercially valuable for the local community by combining ancient techniques with today's demands.