BACKGROUND

Our countrys vast cultural and ethnic diversity has enabled a variety of motifs, techniques and crafts to flourish in various parts of the land. Ahmadabad has been a well known centre for textile manufacturer in India since early time. Ashavali sarees has been an integral part of the rich tradition of handicrafts in India. Ashavali brocaded tradition which was popularly known as Fabric of the dream or Wonder land was kept alive in the borders and patterns of saris. These were woven with golden thread in combination with silk and cotton, using bright and attractive colours. The local weaving technique was called desi vanat and described as twill weave. The fabrics featured animal and plant motifs, elephants, swans, parrots, peacocks, mangoes and design with Hindu origin such as mandalas and swastikas.

While human and animal representations were not woven in most part of India because of Islamic influence, Gujarat was an exception. Here animal motifs were a part of folk tradition and remained unchanged. There were many looms weaving Ashavali sarees, but the growing industrialization towards the end of the century resulted in change of fashions and a change in cultural values of people. In the seventies when the close contact of weavers with cottage industries was lost, they were not able to find a market for the finely woven Ashavali saris. The industry went into decline once again. At the end of 80s, no one was weaving Ashavali any more, except one man Shree Somabhai jijidas, the weaving continues in a small town named Ridrol in Gandhinagar district, the true revivar of Ashavali saree. Somabhai hired some local weavers and started small karkhana with only 4 looms. Now his son Vishnubhai was also in this business. At the end of 1990 there were 100 looms weaving Ashavali sarees and the tradition continues.