PATOLA Patola is one of the famous textiles from Gujarat characterized by weaving of separately dyed warp and weft

yarns to create surface motifs as per the design. The term patola is derived from the Sanskrit word pattal (a spindle shaped gourd). Few well known designs are Rattan chowk (where diamonds cross with diamonds as they are interspersed around walnut), Narikunjar (shows motifs of dancing girl, parrot and elephant), Chhabri is a basket made up by four elephants, Waghkunjar (shows tiger and elephant), Wadi Bhaff (shows motif of flowering creeper). Also there is a variety of leaf and flower and geometrical patterns. The colours used are vivid, fast and pleasantly harmonized. Belongs to Gujarat

Apr 23, 2010 - Patolas are complex cloths requiring months to weave. With an intricate knowledge of dyeing, the Gujarati weavers managed to create some of the most extraordinary cloths through a process of ikat weaving which involved the precise dyeing of both the weft and warp thread systems. These extraordinary cloths have maintained their value right into modern times and the techniques and processes associated with Patola weaving are secret to this day. It should be noted that some of the more valuable cloths like the Patan Patolas, expensive and coveted even in India, that were brought to Indonesia for the purposes of trade were not of the highest quality weave, such as that sold in India. This fact clearly implies that the Patolas the traders brought to Indonesia were woven expressly for the overseas market, perhaps to fulfil explicit orders. By the time the Dutch arrived in Indonesia, Patola textiles had become synonymous with status and spiritual power and hence authority. The right to own and wear Patola rested with the nobility, and being able to own or wear a Patola gave a family instant status. The designs and lengths that were exported to Indonesia were very specific and do not occur in the corresponding Indian inventory. However, the designs clearly conform to Indian aesthetic parameters and depict commonplace Indian themes rather than Indonesian ones. Hence it is likely that Indian weavers created specific styles and patterns exclusively for the Indonesian market, in turn establishing strict parameters for the exported Patola's spiritual language. Even a slight deviation from the established patterns meant that the cloths would not be accepted by Indonesian buyers. The Patola's that made their way to Indonesia were decorated with Animal motifs and geometrical patterns. The most common of the animal motifs were the tiger and elephant repeat patterns. The more exclusive patterns were the ones with the caparisoned elephants; the fewer the elephants and the lessrepetitive the pattern the more valuable the cloth. These cloths were used to barter for items of great value such as land rights. All the animal Patolas were display textiles, used in two plus meter lengths as a backdrop for the royal throne. The geometric patterns were mostly based on nature the most common ones are the eight point jasmine flower and a trellis flower pattern. The geometric Patolas have been found in longer lengths, and were used as turbans and waist sashes for nobility as depicted in royal paintings and aquatints by Dutch artists. Another category of Patola was exported to Indonesia most probably at a much later time. These Patola

cloths were stitched into trousers, sashes and head dresses for nobility. The patterns on these cloths are exactly similar to those found in Indian Patola and the high quality of weaving also suggests that these cloths were made for the Indian market and then converted into articles of royal clothing either in India or after shipment in Indonesia. When the prices of Patola and the appetite for such cloths increased, cotton imitations, also made in India, began to appear on the market mostly for use as shoulder cloths by the laity. Other cloths exported to Indonesia since the earliest times were the coarse cotton cloths from Cambay. The typical patterns were simple repeat patterns of floral block-printed designs and cheap checked cloths that came to be commonly known as Cambay cloths. The dyeing techniques consisted of mordant and resist dyeing and the rare hand painting. They were sent to Indonesia in bolts, to be cut to the required length for the buyer. Most cloths had no edges to signify the natural length of the cloth, though a few like the hamsa, the sacred goose pattern did have edges along the widths where they were to be cut. These cottons were used both as attire and wall hangings. Who dictated the patterns of Indian trade cloths is an issue for debate, though evidence points strongly in favor of Indian pattern makers, because the cloths that have been found at best interpret common Indian stylistic themes in an Indonesian aesthetic style, rather than depicting Indonesian themes. Some of the patterns on cotton cloths are unchanged from the ninth century fragments found in the Fustat excavations in Egypt. Therefore, it stands to reason that since similarly patterned cloths were being shipped to entirely different markets, the patterns must have originated in India. Many of the patterns themselves can be traced to copies of stone screens and trellises, and hybrid Hindu-Moslem patterns that were perfected by the fourteenth century. Another totally different category of Cambay cloths found in Indonesia were the figurative block-printed cottons depicting dancing girls holding parrots and dressed in the rich attire of court dancers and hunting scenes depicting elephants and warriors on horseback. The paintings include many Indian symbols associated with such types of depictions, such as sacred geese, umbrellas, fly whisks and musicians. The block-printed pictures on most the seventeenth century cloths are very similar to the in the style of Jain miniature paintings of the time, while some of the earlier fourteenth century finds are more in the style of the Ajanta and Ellora cave paintings. These cloths found predominantly in Toraja, Central Sulawesi were most probably clan cloths used as ceremonial hangings by tribal chiefs. Some of these cloths were singed, while others were inscripted. Ceremonial hunting scenes in the Rajasthani style of painting, produced to this day for special festivals, have also been found in Toraja and some stylized version in Timor. The Rajasthani hunting scene cloths differ from those depicting dancers and hunting scenes of Gujarati influence in as much as they were probably not explicitly produced for the Indonesian market like the latter.

About The silken feel of an elaborately intensive hand woven depiction of flora fauna, stylized elephants,

motifs of flowers, jewels and abstracted geometrical patterns along with frolicking maidens dancing on the borders of the sari; all lauding the most beautiful textile craft form the world has ever known. This is the double Ikat craft form as practiced in Patan, a district in North Gujarat. The tie and dye of the yarn itself, before the weave requires intensive voyage of creative discovery within the mind of the weaver and as each pattern unfolds on the loom it is akin to the birth of a single perfect pearl. The word Patola to the connoisseurs conjures up an image of the absolute finest in silk hand woven textile, a skill intensive labor of love involving the mysterious bond of creativity between the weaver and the very silken strands of threads that eventually germinate into a luxurious sari worth loosing a kingdom for. The textile works of art emanating from a Patola loom are predominantly sari length and are amongst the most famous textile craft forms in the world today. The making of a Patolu is a creative process envisaged in the mind of the weaver as tie and dye work is undertaken both on the warp and the weft threads. Though earlier woven in Palanpur and Ahmedabad today the Patola or the singular Patolu are synonymous with the city of Patan in North Gujarat. During the making, specific dye extracts from natural sources are used and supervised by the master craftsmen himself. Traditional Trivia Patola, the woven fabric of a coarser variety was the prime element of export to Southeast Asia and the Dutch Indies. So engrained was the Patola as a ritualistic and royal symbol in the Malayan archipelago that it was called Mengikat there, a title later shortened by the Indonesians to Ikat which became the internationally accepted nomenclature for this weave form. The origins of the Patola can be traced back to Gujarats Solanki royal family who invited weavers from Jalna, now in the state of Maharashtra to settle in Patan and explore the full potential of the weave construction. Here changes were also made on the existing looms requiring two people to operate it and the creativity of the Patola incorporated Gujarti sensibilities and design variations. It borrowed heavily from the geometrical yantric configurations of Solanki architecture such as the Udaymati Vav at Patan. Today, the Salvi family at Patan has kept alive the double ikat sheer poetry of the intermingling warp and weft of silken music that is the Patolu of covetous desire. The history, skill and aura created by this amazing creation in silk has made it an item worth the wait as each sari is an individual work of art taking anything between three to six months to complete. Geographical Location Geographical Location

Patan

Community Involved Salvi community is involved in creating this wondrous textile Raw Materials Used

Silk yarns Natural Dyes

Product Name : Cushion Cover Artisan : Makwana Pankajbhai Dungarbhai Product Details : Cushion cover in patola design

Size : 16" Category(ies) : Cushion/Bolster/Pillow covers Craft(s) : Patola (Double Ikat - Patan)

Price : 350.00 INR / piece 7.00 USD* / piece 4.12 EURO* / piece Packing, Forwarding and Shipping charges extra as applicable. Product Name : Silk Duptta Artisan : Makwana Pankajbhai Dungarbhai Product Details : Silk Duptta in patola design

Category(ies) : Dupattas Craft(s) : Patola (Double Ikat - Patan)

Price : 1500.00 INR / piece 30.00 USD* / piece 17.65 EURO* / piece Packing, Forwarding and Shipping charges extra as applicable.

Product Name : Silk Dress Material

Artisan : Makwana Pankajbhai Dungarbhai Product Details : Silk Dress Material in patola design Category(ies) : Running Dress Material Craft(s) : Patola (Double Ikat - Patan)

Price : 6000.00 INR / piece 120.00 USD* / piece 70.59 EURO* / piece Packing, Forwarding and Shipping charges extra as applicable. Saree

Saree

Product Name : Saree

Artisan : Shree Nath Utpadan ane Vechan Sahakari Mandli Ltd.

Product Details : Sari made with jari tissue & silk in patola design Size : 6 mtr. with Blouse

Category(ies) : Sarees Craft(s) : Patola (Double Ikat - Patan) Price : 4500.00 INR / piece 90.00 USD* / piece 52.94 EURO* / piece Packing, Forwarding and Shipping charges extra as applicable.

Silk Patola Saree

Silk Patola Saree

Product Name : Silk Patola Saree Artisan : Makwana Pankajbhai Dungarbhai Product Details : Patola Saree made by pure silk Category(ies) : Sarees Craft(s) : Patola (Double Ikat - Patan) Price : 5000.00 INR / piece 100.00 USD* / piece 58.82 EURO* / piece Packing, Forwarding and Shipping

charges extra as applicable.

Silk Patola Saree

Saree

Product Name : Silk Patola Saree

Artisan : Shree Nath Utpadan ane Vechan Sahakari Mandli Ltd. Product Details : Silk Patola Saree

Size : 6 mtr. with Blouse Category(ies) : Sarees Craft(s) : Patola (Double Ikat - Patan) Price : 2800.00 INR / piece 56.00 USD* / piece 32.94 EURO* / piece

Silk Patola Saree

Saree

Product Name : Silk Patola Saree

Artisan : Vaghela Ghanshyambhai M. Product Details : Single Ikat Silk Patola Saree Size : 6.5 Meter with Blouce piece Category(ies) : Sarees Craft(s) : Patola (Double Ikat - Patan) Price : 4800.00 INR / piece 96.00 USD* / piece 56.47 EURO* / piece Product Name : Top

Artisan : Makwana Pankajbhai Dungarbhai Product Details : Top made by pure silk in patola design Category(ies) : Tops

Craft(s) : Patola (Double Ikat - Patan) Price : 800.00 INR / piece 16.00 USD* / piece 9.41 EURO* / piece

About
Photo Gallery

Double Ikat

Ikat is the meticulous technique of tying and dyeing the warp or weft or may be both before being woven into a textile form. Single Ikat fabric are created by interweaving tied and dyed warp with plain weft or resisted weft yarns is inserted in plain weft. Double ikat involves the process of resisting on both warp and weft and then interlacing them to form intricate yet well composed patterns.

Emerging notions of affordability and transforming profile of modern Indian women have made a big difference in the perception of the Sari. New developments in the sari, its designs and patterns, color combinations and contrasts, variety of materials and techniques are rekindling the interest of customers for the sari as a dressing option.

The single as well as double Ikat Patola sari from Surendranagar and Rajkot region of Gujarat has

developed keeping the emerging new trend and demand in the market. This style has materialized strongly in last three decades in order to provide a cheaper option to celebrated Patan Patola varieties. Traditional double-ikat patola weaving technique from Patan in North Gujarat is highly intricate, labor intensive and one of the high cost production of Indian handlooms. Due to its intricacies and use of natural materials, Patan Patola can be the costliest of all sari varieties woven. The Surendranagar and Rajkot patola are a low-cost variation of the traditional technique, using cheaper raw materials leading to an affordable range of products.

Traditional Trivia
A few years back Rashtriya shala in Rajkot invited one of the Salvi Patola experts from Patan and held a ikat workshop in the campus providing training to weavers in that area. With time these weavers developed their own style of Ikat using similar patterns but with a different color palette and material range. Government is patronizing the low-cost Patola weaving as it promotes employment for many handloom weavers in rural areas. A number of welfare and sustenance projects are being run by the government to popularize this patola weaving in Gujarat. Private traders also support this variant as it has vast market of readily available customers from Indian middle class and lower middle class who otherwise cannot afford a genuine Patola. With the huge cost savings in production and a perceived liking due to affordability factor, the Surendranagar and Rajkot Patola has became very popular in local markets of Gujarat in the previous decade. This has brought in positive changes in the lives of the many handloom weaver families who otherwise were not finding enough work.

Geographical Location
Geographical Location

Map data 2011 - Terms of Use

Map Satellite Hybrid Expand Map

Surendranagar Rajkot

Community Involved
Wankar and Maheshwari community is involved in this craft form.

Raw Materials Used

Rayon Artificial silk Cotton Chemical Dyes

Salvis keep 1000 year-old Patan Patola textile art alive

Patan Patola has an envious history and track record of over 10 centuries of the craft of spinning, weaving, dyeing and finally draping pure silk.

Patan, located to the north of Ahmedabad has inherited a rich cultural heritage and become famous for its Patolas (double ikat).

Hand-woven Patan Patolas are available in various forms like, saris, stoles, scarves and even hand kerchiefs, albeit costly.

The Patolas are made using the tie and dye process using natural dyes like catechu, cochineal, indigo, turmeric, asafoetida, madder roots, manjistha, ratnajyot, katha, kesudo, pomegranate skin, henna, marigold flower, onion skin etc to display vibrant colours in the silk sari or fabric.

Alum, copper sulphate, ferrous sulphate, tin chloride, tannic acid, oxalic acid, potassium dichromate and other mordents are also used in the tedious dyeing process.

It is said that the Patola will wear out or tear off, but will never fade. The Patola fabric production process extensively involves use of vegetable dyes, which accords it an eco-friendly status.

The fabric manufacturing process involves a hand weaving style that originated from Ikat that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft silk fibres.

However, the Patan Patola double ikat process involves tie-dye method on both warp as well as weft, which is a tedious process. Both sides of the Patola have the same look and feel which is indeed unique for any textiles.

One can see visually enchanting traditional designs like geometrical figurines juxtaposed against plants, birds and animals etc, on the Patan Patola silk sari, handkerchief, scarf or stole.

This unique 1,000 year-old art has been kept alive by a single family. Salvi Kanubhai Patolawala and his family members are the lone flag bearers of this traditional art and are among the most honoured artisans of India.

They come from a family of rich traditional artisans of Patan, who have mastered the art of double ikat that has been traditionally passed through generations.

The Salvis have also been trying to keep up with modern times without compromising on the methods and processes that have been followed since centuries.

India has a rich and ancient heritage in fine textiles. (Double Ikat) Patola from the area of Patan in the North Gujarat region of western India glorifies this heritage. With its unique gem like qualities-gorgeous colours, designs and durability. Its very appearance lures the connoisseur of fine textiles. It has no reverse side. Both the sides have equal intensity of color and design. The peculiar quality has its origins in a very intricate and difficult technique of Tie dyeing or Knot dyeing known as "Bandhani Process" on the wrap & weft separately before weaving. Before World War II, Indonesia was major buyer of patolas. Historically, the art of Double Ikat patola weaving dates back to centuries. Paintings in Ajanta caves resemble the tie-dye technique of patola. Legend indicates that sometimes in the 12th Century AD, King Kumarpal of Solanki dynasty, invited 700 families of patola weavers from Jalna (South Maharashtra) to settle down in Patan in North Gujarat. Salvi family is one of them who has continued this traditional art and has preserved it even today. This is our heritage art from four generations. Master Weavers of Salvi Family : Mr. Chhotalal M. Salvi Mrs. Niranjana C. Salvi Mr. Vinayak K. Salvi

Mrs. Vinita V. Salvi Mr. Nipul V. Salvi Mr. Rahul V. Salvi Mr. Rohit K. Salvi Mr. Bharat K. Salvi Mrs. Kalpana B. Salvi Mr. Kantilal L. Salvi Mrs Sharada K. Salvi

Traditionally pure silk and natural dyes were used.Since about last 100 years, tradition had given way to the use of fast to bleach and easy to dye chemical colours (dyes). Therefore the use of natural dyes in Patola is discontinued. But since last twenty years again the importance to use of vegetable dyes became the consideration of its eco-friendliness and to maintain the tradition of old natural dyes in Patola. E experiments and researches are being done for redeveloping the old indigenous process of using vegetable ingredients to obtain different shades which are fast to bleach and sober and pleasing to eyes. The re-introduced, vegetable materials are: Turmeric, Marigold Flower, Onion Skin, Pomegranate rinds, Madder, Lac, Catechu, Cochineal, Indigo along with different mordant like alum, tinchloride, ferrous sulphate, copper sulphate, Tennic Acid, Oxalic Acid, Potassium Dichromate etc. Dewelling on the fast colour of the patola, a Gujarat poet wrote; "Padi patole bhat faatey pan phite nahin" meaning the design laid down in the patola may be torn, but it shall never fade.

Warp and weft silk threads are tied separately with cotton thread on the portions already marked out in conformity with the proposed design in the fabric. This tied portion is meant to remain unexposed to the colour while dyeing. United portion which has absorbed one colour, may be tied while dyeing in another colour. Tyeing untying, retying and dyeing in different shades are the main features of this process.

Creating design by tyeing knots on warp and weft

After completion of dyeing work of warps & wefts, the threads of the warp of different repeats of a pattern are put together in a sequence on the loom, so that the design becomes visible.

The threads of wefts are wound on to bobbins and kept in the bamboo shuttle for weaving process.

Dyeing Process

The patola is woven on a primitive hand operated harness loom made out of rosewood and bamboo strips. The loom lies at a slant, with the left side being lower than the right side. The bamboo shuttle is made to move to and fro through warp shades. Each weft thread is thoroughly examined and matched with each part of the warp design pattern while weaving.

Tyeing knots again after previous dyeing

The tension of the warp threads are removed by the help of needle after every time weaving of 8" to 10" of fabric. Patola weaving is a highly accurate just a positioning of warp and weft of similar colour to obtain perfect design and harmony.The process is labour intensive, time consuming and requires high order of skill and dexterity.

Traditional Patola Loom

It takes three to four months to prepare tie- dyed design on warp and weft threads for one sari of 6 yards length by 48" width. Two Salvis (weavers) working together weave just about 8" to 9" a day. It takes 40 to 50 days to weave a sari. Thus 4 to 5 persons take a periods of 5 to 6 months to complete a sari depending on the intricacy of the design

The patola was traditionally woven in a sari length of 5 to 9 yards by 45" to 54" width. The range now extends to include tablecloth borders scarves, handkerchiefs Design Elements: Essentially the design in a patola are based on traditional motifs called "Bhat". These designs include "narikunj", "paan", "phulwadi", "chowkdi", "raas", "chhabdi", "choktha", "navratana", "paanchphul", "sarvariya", "laheriya" etc.

Flowers, animals, birds and human figures form the basic designs. New geometrical designs using vegetable dyes were developed and displayed at the Festival of India held in Paris, London, Tokyo, Washington and Moscow.

The patterns include geometric and floral forms, stripes, animals, etc and, depending on how the warp and weft threads are aligned together, can either be super rigorous and sharp or have a blurred look. When only the warps have been resist dyed the technique is called warp ikat. One great example of warp ikat comes from West African textiles, where the warp is resist dyed with indigo, creating a white and blue striped effect.
When Patola silk first came into existence, it was specifically meant for queens and the nobles. The silk fabric is steeped in history and is also referred to as the queen of all silks. Not one, but there are a number of reasons that make Patola silk one of the most liked and preferred types of fabric. Not only for women's dress materials, but the silk fabric also extensively used in the preparation of kurtas, suits, salwars and Sherwanis. The Patola silk fabric looks utmost elegant on people is at same time gives a heightened level of softness and comfort. Wearing a Patola silk garment may well remind you of the glorious days of the kings and queens and the nobility. Patola has its associations with a place called Patan in Surat district of Gujarat. You must have also heard of exclusive Patola sarees that have the eminence of being of the finest hand-woven sarees ever produced in the country. It is only after great precision and days of tedious labour that a Patola silk garment comes into existence. Delicate patterns can be easily created on Patola fabric. Dress materials prepared from Patola silk are not only unique but they are a symbol of the nation's identity in the world. Like most of other fabric forms, Patola silk too boasts and ancient history. Before Patola found a home in the western Indian state of Gujarat, it was practised and used by the Salvi community weavers who hailed from Maharashtra and Karnataka. It was back in the 12th century that Patola weavers headed towards Patan in Surat under the great patronage of the Solanki Rajputs. Later, the Salvi community had the affluent support of the Gujarati merchant. And even today, the Patola fabric witnesses its creative use in the state of Gujarat and is worn with much pleasure all across India and the world.

Patola fabric is in great demand during wedding celebrations. It is a fact that weaving Patola fabric and garments happens to be the most meticulous task in the world. The major feature of the fabric is that it is lined with many twisted thread that distinguish it from other types and forms of fabric. Patola fabric is created in traditional handlooms. The fabrics feature vibrant colours and can also be worn from either side. The fabric uses only natural colours that are procured from vegetable extracts. Intricate patterns and various geometrical shapes along with soft shade outlines impart a good amount of gracefulness to the Patola silk fabric. Patola silk is liked by all communities including Jains, Hindus, Muslims, Maharashtrians and even Brahmins. The fabric is available in a variety of shades, from plain and sobre to dark colours. Whether it is a traditional fest or a wedding ceremony, Patola silk is second to none. Sherwanis made from Patola silk are a rage among all age groups in India and the world over.

Shilp Guru Award 2002 was conferred upon Shri Vinayak K Salvi by the Dr. Abdul Kalam, President of India on 15th November 2002. Patola art has also received the National Award of Master in 1965 and CraftsMan of the year award in 1993. The President of India has conferred the national awards forMaster Craft Persons to these very Salvi's in 1978, 1987, 1997. Also participated in regional trading workshop for women dealing with modern and traditional dyeing, weaving silk in Asia at Bangkok, Thailand in 1987. Participated in Haebru Asia Kasuri Road Festival in Okinawa, Japan in November 2000.
PATOLA,THE TEXTILES woven of selectively dyed warp and weft threads are characterized by their distinctive geometric,floral and figurative double ikat patterns.Of these,the textiles with geometric patterns and tiger and elephant motifs constituted a significant luxury good that was exported to southeast Asia,especially Indonesia,in the 17th and 18th centuries.The floral and geometric patterns were worn largely by the Bohra community while a patola sari with figures of danceing women,elephants or parrots is traditionally presented to pregnant women during the srimant,the ritual held during the seventh month of pregnancy.The silk warp and weft threads of the patola are tied separately with cotton thread and then dipped in coloured so that only the open threads may absorb the dye.The area that have been coloured are then tied and the threads are immersed in the second colour,so that once again only the untied areas may be coloured.The process is repeated depending upon the number of colours desired and after all the colours appear on both sides of warp and weft the cotton threads are loosened.The process of colouring the threads itself takes nearly 75 days,even with three craftsmen participating in the activity.The weaving requires two craftsmen to work simultaneously on the same loom.At the most,10 inches of cloth can be woven in a day and it takes about 25 days to complete the weaving and finishing of a sari. Inset Detail of the double ikat charactteristics of the patola textiles. 1. A craftsman at Patan painstakingly straightening the threads of a patola textile while it is still on the loom.

2. Dyed blue except for the areas that have been tied,these threads shall now be retied and dyed in another colour. 3. The border of a silk patola sari. 4. The border of a silk patola sari patterned with the peacock and elephant motifs. Production Clusters Patan district: Patan 5. Products Sari,Scarves Border 6. Tools Loom Kamthi-bamboo Poles Tokaru-bamboo shed pole Vi-wooden sword or beater Katar-temple Tor-Cloth beam Nali-shuttle Parita-yarn winder Porcupine quills Vessels for dyeing

Our Achievement

Certificate of Appriciation given by Akhil Bharat Rashtriya Mahasabha in 1939 at Haripura Award from Cottage Industries, Baroda State in 1946 National Award 1978 by Hon. President NeelamSanjiviya Reddy We have been honoured by hon. Minister of Youth service and Cultural Activities, Mr. Manoharsinhji Jadeja in 1983 Vishvakarma Award 1984 by Prime Minister IndiraGandhi National Award 1987 by hon. President R.VenkatRaman Award from Mehsana Art and Culture Society in 1990

Merit Certificate 1991 National Award 1997 by hon. Prime Minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee Shilp Guru Title 2002 by hon. President Dr. Abdul Kalam We have been honoured by the hon. Chief Minister Narendra Modi of Gujarat with Momento in 2003 Momento given by Malysian Minister in 2005 MASTERS OF THE CLOTH AWARD Given by Garden Silk Mills in Nov. 2005.

Product Portfolio We offer a variety collection of Sarees, which are reckoned for their salient features like smooth texture, fine stitching, perfect finish, color fastness and many others. Our entire range of products includes:

Patola Saree:
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Narikunjar Ratanchawk Navaratna Voragaji Chhabdi Bhat Chokhta Bhat Chanda Bhat Pan Bhat Phul Bhat Laheriya Bhat Tarliya Bhat Zumar Bhat Sankal Bhat Diamond Bhat

o o o

Star Bhat Butta Bhat Sarvariya Bhat etc.

Patan Patola has an envious history and track record of over 10 centuries of the craft of spinning, weaving, dyeing and finally draping pure silk. Patan, located to the north of Ahmedabad has inherited a rich cultural heritage and become famous for its Patolas (double ikat). Hand-woven Patan Patolas are available in various forms like, saris, stoles, scarves and even hand kerchiefs, albeit costly. The Patolas are made using the tie and dye process using natural dyes like catechu, cochineal, indigo, turmeric, asafoetida, madder roots, manjistha, ratnajyot, katha, kesudo, pomegranate skin, henna, marigold flower, onion skin etc to display vibrant colours in the silk sari or fabric. Alum, copper sulphate, ferrous sulphate, tin chloride, tannic acid, oxalic acid, potassium dichromate and other mordents are also used in the tedious dyeing process. It is said that the Patola will wear out or tear off, but will never fade. The Patola fabric production process extensively involves use of vegetable dyes, which accords it an eco-friendly status. The fabric manufacturing process involves a hand weaving style that originated from Ikat that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft silk fibres. However, the Patan Patola double ikat process involves tie-dye method on both warp as well as weft, which is a tedious process. Both sides of the Patola have the same look and feel which is indeed unique for any textiles. One can see visually enchanting traditional designs like geometrical figurines juxtaposed against plants, birds and animals etc, on the Patan Patola silk sari, handkerchief, scarf or stole. This unique 1,000 year-old art has been kept alive by a single family. Salvi Kanubhai Patolawala and his family members are the lone flag bearers of this traditional art and are among the most honoured artisans of India. They come from a family of rich traditional artisans of Patan, who have mastered the art of double ikat that has been traditionally passed through generations. The Salvis have also been trying to keep up with modern times without compromising on the methods and processes that have been followed since centuries.

HISTORY : Craftman of Patola of Patan are originally from South India's salvi families, Around 1175 AD a King Kumarpal, a Jain cast king has kingdom. He uses new Patola every day for worshiping god. Patola being made from pure silk is accepted by Jainism. The Patola used as dress for worship for king Kumarpal were not holy. Because at that time Patola were imported from 'MungiPattan' near to Jalna situated near Aurangabad, Maharastra State, South India. King of Jalna use this Patola and then export it to other countries, and this used patolu is not considered holy for worship and so not used in devotion. So king Kumarpal defeated king of Jalna and bring 700 Salvi craftsmen to Patan and reside them. At that time those salvies were Digambar Jain. Kumarpal converted them into 'Shwetambar' Jain after reside them in Patan. Former Honorable Chief Minister of Gujarat Dr. Jivraj Mehta given their contribution to stop the world famous art of Patola being vanished. Present Honorable Chief Minister Narendrabhai Modi and Patan's MLA Smt. Anandiben Patel tried to increase fame of heritage Patola of Patan at the world level. People of Bali, Java and Sumatra of Indonesia believes that Patola is very pure, prosperous and prosperity for them and they always put a piece of Patola in reverence room or under pillow. PROVERB : In PATOLA, colors are developed on warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal). Those colors are very fast and so never washed out. So it becomes a proverb in Gujarati "Padi Patole Bhat, Fate Pan Fite Nahi" means "The design laid down in PATOLA may be tornout but it shall never fade." Handicraft of Patan Patola means acquintance of historical heritage and Indian Cultural. 'PATOLA of PATAN' is an unparalleled and original handy-craft, before invention of machines, developed with the help of wisdom and strength, which has a very precious heritage in human culture. PATAN's PATOLA is a worthless heritage to preserve. Patola of Patan are manufactured only by direct The Then President of India Shri Gyani Zailsing order of customer and delivered to the customer.
presenting National Award : 1983

That's why, Patola of Patan were not seen in any shop or show-rooms in Gujarat and in India. This must be remembered by the customer. We request all valued customers of Patola of Patan, not to get cheat on name of Patola of Patan. Always have determination to buy Patola of Patan from Patan and get aware from duplicate. MEANING OF PATOLA : PATOLA is one kind of silk cloth. The word PATOLA comes from 'patt' (silk cloth). From AD 700 'patt' is used to describe silk cloth. Mr. K. K. Shashtri, one of the greatest pandits of Gujarat, gives his opinion that PATOLA is deformed from Sanskrit word 'pattkalam'. Cloth imported from china in BD 4th is known as 'chinpatt' and 'chinankush'. Mahakavi kalidas used 'patrorna' and 'chinankush' words in his lyrics Malvikagnimitra and Shakuntal respectively. In Tamil and Malayalam language the word 'patt' is used for silk cloth. Upon a time 'chinapatt' is very popular in PATAN. Salvi cast's Patola were mention in 2000 years old Jain's religious book 'Kalpsutra'. Also it was described in Premanand's 'Kuvarbai's Mameru' in 17th century. That's, this Patola of Patan's handicraft is 2000 years old.
Shri Sevantilal Weaving Patola

Postal Ticket of Patan's Patola By Government of India.

MAIN TRAIT OF PATOLA : From the era or Patan's Maharaja Kumarpal and Kalikal Sarvagnya Acharya Hemchandracharya's time i.e. approximately from 900 years, patan is become world famous because of its "Patola of Patan" and "Double Ikat" weaving work. 1. "Double Ikat" Patola of Patan-saree means, euqal design on both side, wearable on both side and even weaver can not identify which side is front or which is back side. 2. In "Double Ikat" handicraft, machine or computer got completely failure; it is completely hand weaved item. If there are 3 persons, it will take 3 to 4 months to weave one Patolu. Needs of because skills, like carefulness, deep calculations, mind, patience, perception, attention and very hard working, now only 2 families out of 700 families are preserving it. 3. In era of science and technology, first Japan tried to put Patola of Patan on machine in 1970 to 1980, but can not succeeded. Years ago Calico mill of Ahmedabad also so research on possibility to put it on machine along with "Atira Research Institute", but they got failure. Not

only this, America, Britain, Germany, Switzerland and countries of European also tried to take this craft on machine or computer and failed. Visitors of taxtile industries from different part of Britain and other countries, during their visit of Patola of Patan, tell that still research is going on to get this craft on machine or computer. With such reasons patola of Patan is become world famous. 4. Any cloth weaved by hand can not last up to 80 to 100 years. But Patola of Patan lasts up to 80 to 100 years, and after that, if you want to sale it, you will get much more price than price of purchase. That way, you can say it is an invaluable ornament of your home. In Gujarati called a proverb on Patola of Patan - "Padi Patole Bhat, Fate Pan Fite Nahi". Because of such reasons Patola of Patan has special importance, visitors comes to Patan to view this invaluable, precious, unique and wonderable handicraft in Patan from all over the world. For making Patolu, imported silk cloth prepared from pupae of silkworm is being used. Commonly this silk from chine, Japan, Koria and Brazil are used. Warp and weft is made from silk thread and colored with tie and die process. Coloring process takes approximately 2 to 21/z months.The clothes from China, Korea and Brazil are very even which reflects in high quality of Patolu. Raw silk threads are thinner than hair and hence eight such threads are woven together and bleached. Twisting is done to make it strong. The threads thus made are weaved on handloom. Horizontal threads are called VANA (warp) and vertical ones are called TANA (weft). For preparing sari, design is made on graph paper, then on certain threads (Tana and Vana), which are kept open, the rest are tied by cotton thread. The Tana and Vana thus tied are dipped in colour so that only open threads take up the colour. Now the coloured threads are tied and another colour is to be applied to open threads after immersing in another colour. Thus depending upon the number of colours, tieing and colouring are made. Cotton threads are loosended after all required colours appear on both sides of Tana and Vana. The process of colouring the threads takes nearly 75 days. Weaving Work : In making palans two persons can weave only 8 to 10 inch of cloth hardly. Because after waving adjustment and finishing work is required to be done. It consumes much time. Seeing such difficult labour and skill required 4 to 5 months time for 4 to 5 craftsmen to weave a sari. Preparing patola, skilled labour , precision, calculation and patience, hard work is almost importance After colouring work is completed, weaving begins. In general only one man works on the handloom, but for Patola two men are required. Two men can weave hardly 10 inch of cloth in one day. After weaving adjustment and finishing work is required to be done. For weaving one sari, 25 days' time is consumed. Total time required for making one sari is about 3-4 months with help of 3 craftmen. For preparing Patola, skilled labour, Precision, calculation and patience are utmost importance. Once a small mistake is done in colouring of Tana-Vana, it may not match on the design. Because of hard difficult labour and unique skill involved in preparing patola, few craftmen have shifted to other business and today

only 2-3 families are engaged in this craft.

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Patola mainly used in traditional designs, is running from many many years, Besides patola sari, Handkerchief, Table Cloth ,Dupatta, & Wall Piece, Lace, Shawl etc are prepared. In preparation chemical & natural colors are used depending on customers choice. Patans patola made only by order and delivered direct to a costumer, thats why patans patola are not available at any store or show room. Patola are called "Reshmi Chir" by Nagar Brahmin and Vora Communities. Among the main designs, popular ones are Narikunjar, Ratanchawk, Navaratna, Voragaji, Chhabdi Bhat, Chokhta Bhat, Chanda Bhat, Pan Bhat, Phul Bhat, Laheriya Bhat, Tarliya Bhat, Zumar Bhat, Sankal Bhat, Diamond Bhat, Star Bhat, Butta Bhat, Sarvariya Bhat etc. Besides Patola sari, Hand-ker-chief, Table-cloth, Lace etc. are also prepared from Patola cloth. Colours Used in Patola : In those days when chemical colours were not invented, colours were made from different plants. Among these natural colours, Wax, Indigo, Pomegranate bark, Katho, Majith, Kapilo, Alum, Kirmaj, Harsingar, Bojgar, Iron rust, Logware, Turmerik etc. Nowadays, Chemical dyes and colours are in great use. However, those who insist for natural colours Patolas are made to order for customer's satisfaction. Patola Saree also available in Vegetable colours & Cosmetic colours. Proverb : In Patola, colours are developed on Tana and Vana and those colours are very fast, there is a saying in Gujarat! : "PADI PATOLE BHAT, FATE PAN FITE NAHI" Means-' The design laid down in patola shall never fade even if cloth may be torn.' To art-used than its cost. One sari under normal use lasts for 80-100 years. Also, as it gets older its cost increase inspite of decreasing. Therefore, it is considered as an ornament and priceless dignity The design laid down in Patola shall never fade even if cloth may be torn.

In appreciation of unique craftsmanship of PATOLA, Govt. of India awarded 'National Award' to Shri Sevantilal Laherchand Salvi in the hands of Honorable President of India Shri Zailsingh in 1983. Preserving the historical and traditional craftsmanship of PATOLA, Shri Sevantilal Laherchand Salvi has been awarded on 5th January, 2005 by Honorable President of India, Shri A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on behalf of National Innovation Foundation, at IIM, Ahmedabad. A first prise 'Best Award in Handicraft Works - Year 2006' of Gujarat State is given to Shri Ashokbhai

Sevantilal Salvi by Honorable Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Narendrabhai Modi. Also Shri Ashokbhai is honored with 'Paghadi and Shawl' by Honorable Governer Shri Naval Kishor Sharma. The Central Government of India has launched 'PATAN's PATOLA' postage stamp of Rs. 5/- on 15th November 2002. This gives respect to Gujarat at national level, from Gujarat only Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Dhirubhai Ambani's postage stamps are launched. International exhibition and event from 10th Sept., 2009 to 13th Sept., 2009 organised with name 'Village India and Experience Gujarat at De-Mont Fort Hall and Garden at Leicester, UK as part of 'Swarnim Gujarat'. In this exhibition and event Shri Ashokbhai Salvi is promoted by Gujarat Govt. to take part. There he introduced Patan's Double Ikat PATOLA at international level. From Gujarat only Patola of Patan nominated in the list of 'Intangible Cultural world heritage' promoted by UNESCO by Indian Government. Many flock songs and proverbs knotted by Patola of Patan and becomes identity of Patan. Patola of Patan puts Gujarat on world map. The art of Patola is not only pride of Patan but its pride of Gujarat and India. We solicitate your co-operation and help to encourage to keep this priceless and unique craft alive and it should not disappear like 'Malmal of Dhaka'. Thank You Very Much. There are at least 20 (twenty) small and big processes in making of Patola of Patan. Such tough work and long time for making Patola, makes its cost higher. Cost variation depends on labour and time consumed. Patolu is more costly compared to art-used than its cost. One sari under normal use lasts for 80 to 100 years. Also as Patolu gets older its cost increases inspite of decreasing. Therefore, it is considered as an ornament and priceless dignity of home.

and there are now only three families left that weave these highly prized double ikkat saris. Many among the younger generation are not interested in spending long hours meticulously dyeing the yarn and weaving at the huge, traditional wooden handlooms. The art of weaving the Patan patola is not dying quite yet there are a handful of young men who have taken up the family occupation but the number of weavers is dwindling and there appears to be a question mark over the future. "The process is very long. It takes four to six months to make one patola sari; and it takes at least seven to eight years to learn," says Satishbhai Salvi, who is in his late-40s. "Nowadays no one is interested in investing so much time learning how to make patolas, and the monetary returns are also delayed." In another patola weaver's household, Rahul Salvi, 28, sits on the loom. Though he has a degree in architecture, he has decided to follow the family tradition. "I feel good about what I am doing," he says. "As children, we grew up watching our fathers weave and we used to help around during the school vacations. But I became really involved in the process only after I graduated." The long hours of slow labour on the loom do not wear out Salvi who enters the workshop at 9 a.m. each day and leaves only at 11 p.m. "When I start weaving, I feel I am worshipping God, so I don't feel the passing of time. I love what I do," he says.

Salvi doesn't feel out of place when hanging out with friends pursuing other careers. "I am very proud of what I do. I am practising an old and extraordinary art," he says.
The beginnings of a tradition

Originally from Jalna in southern Maharashtra, the patola weavers moved to Gujarat about 800 years ago to benefit from the patronage of the Solanki Rajputs who then ruled Gujarat and parts of South Rajasthan and Malva. King Kumarpal is known to have worn robes made of patola fabric for worshipping and other royal occasions. After the fall of the Solanki dynasty, affluent Gujarati merchants patronised the weavers and patola saris soon became a status symbol. After World War II, as foreign and Indian clientele dwindled, weavers sought other means of livelihood and only 15 families continued the ancient art. And now there are just three. The Patan patola's double ikkat style is among the most complicated textiles designs in the world. Each fabric consists of a series of warp threads and a single weft thread binding them together. The resist dyeing process is laborious and intricate, and takes anywhere from two to three months. Each of the warp threads is tied and dyed according to the pattern of the sari, such that the knotted portions of the thread do not catch the colours. The result is not only a tremendous richness in colour of the fabric, but also both sides of the sari look exactly alike and can be worn either way. The price of patola saris ranges from Rs 95,000 to Rs 6 lakh. The dyes, made from vegetable extracts and other natural colours, are so fast that there is a Gujarati saying that "the patola will tear, but the colour will not fade". There are other patolas woven in India in Rajkot in Gujarat, in Andhra Pradesh and in Orissa but they are all single ikkat. None can match the beauty, clarity and delicacy of design of the Patan patola. If the patola weavers of Patan have a grouse it is that the government has not done enough to preserve and promote this heritage art. For instance, they say, the government of Gujarat gives subsidies to encourage the single-ikkat patola weavers of Rajkot (dismissed scathingly as `duplicates' by the younger weavers in Patan) and this is adding insult to injury.
Proud inheritors

Nirmal Salvi, 22, has a B.Sc degree but he is following in his father's footsteps. "I feel proud to be a part of the 2,000-year-old family heritage," he says. Nirmal started learning the art of patola-weaving from the time he joined college. He

puts in close to 12 hours at the loom each day; as the only son, he is conscious of the burden of continuing his family's legacy. "Education is just a means of being in tune with the world. But our real ambition is to weave beautiful patolas," says Sawant Salvi, 22, who is currently pursuing a civil engineering degree. He has been learning patola-making for the past three years. The inheritors of the Patan patola legacy are possessive about their craft. It is widely believed that the daughters of the three Salvi households are not taught to weave the patolas, though they help in the tying and dyeing processes. Wives and daughters-in-law, however, are trained so that the craft remains within the family. "I want to marry a girl who is interested in weaving patolas," says Rahul Salvi. "My greatest contribution to this rare art would be teaching it to the future generations of my family," says Sawant.

Joe Loux, one of the few tribal art and textile dealers whose tastes coincide almost unerringly with my own, is showing this dazzling patola in the annual exhibition of theSan Francisco Tribal group at the Presidio. The exhibition opens with a benefit bash on 10 October, with proceeds going to the De Young Museums oceanic, tribal and textile arts departments. It runs through the weekend. Among the dealers exhibiting are my friends Tom Murray, Andres Moraga, Wenhua Liu, and Frank Whiggers. Moraga has a keen eye for textile art, and never fails to put things up on the wall that make eyes pop, jaws drop, and cause contemporary art collectors to go into paroxysms of glee. Coming back to the textile above. Louxs patola will be of particular interest to collectors and scholars of Indonesian textiles. The double-ikat silk patola textiles of Gujarat have been influential prototypes for prestige textiles woven in Indonesia over the past five hundred years or more. They were highly prized and easily transported trade goods exchanged to get access to the natural and human resources of the Indonesian archipelago. The patola influence is so pervasive in Indonesian textiles as to be almost ubiquitous. Whenever a distinctive patola turns up, it is avidly inspected by collectors and scholars to ascertain whether the pattern may have been a precursor or inspiration for specific patterns of Indonesian textiles. Balinese geringsing double ikat textiles, and cepuk weft-ikat textiles both directly quotepatola motifs and have done so for centuries. Some of the more unusual types of geringsing and cepuk show variations on the patola theme with origins that remain elusive. So every patola that we have a chance to study and

appreciate, may represent a meaningful piece of the jigsaw puzzle which helps us to better understandgeringsing, cepuk, and many other textile traditions in Indonesia. Both geringsing and cepuk, by the way, are regarded by the Balinese as objects with magical powers, and are used in a variety of rituals, to this day.

Historical context of Patan patola Patan, founded by Vanraj Chavda in 746 AD, is situated 130 kilometres from Ahmedabad on the banks of the River Saraswati. It was the capital of Gujarat from 746 AD to 1411 AD. Three major Rajput clans the Chavadas (746-942AD), Solankis (942-1244 AD) and Vaghelas (1244-1304AD) ruled from here. The Solanki rule is considered as the golden age; prosperity peaked during the reign of King Kumarpal. Patan became a centre of patola weaving during his reign (1143-1173AD). Kumarpal had deep respect for Jain traditions. He was very scrupulous about his attire and always used new patola clothes while going to temples. The patolu worn by king Kumarpal used to be specially imported from South India. One day, the temple priest barred Kumarpal from entering the temple by saying that his clothes were impure. An inquiry into this led to the finding that the king of Jalna was exporting the fabric after first using them as bedspreads. Deeply offended, Kumarpal fought and defeated the ruler of Jalna and brought 700 Salvi craftsmen to Patan so that he could be assured of procuring unsullied fabrics. It is believed that some weavers also came from Karnataka in addition to those that came from Maharashtra. At a later date, Kumarpal converted the Salvi families into Shwetamber Jains. Today, this tradition is being practiced by only four families. One of them has moved to Baroda, but some of their work is still done at Patan. The four Salvis are: Shri Kanubhai Mafatlal Salvi, Shri Satish Chandra Kantilal Salvi, Sevantilal Lehar Chand Salvi, Vinayak Kantilal Salvi Vinayak Bhai Salvi: the family comprises three brothers, Vinayak, Bharat and Rohit and their wives, a cousin Jaya settled in Patan and children. Vinayak Bhais son, a trained architect, has now taken to this tradition full time. They claim that

they use vegetable dyes in dyeing the yarns for some colours (depending upon the demand from consumers). Since they live in the first house in the lane called Shalviwada, they attract the maximum customers [www.patanpatola.com, 02766232274, 231369] Sevantilal Salvi: the family includes two sons, Ashok and Vijay, and three grand sons Viral, Ujjwal and Nirmal. They have been teaching the craft to people outside the Salvi community also. They have used PVC pipes instead of traditional wooden frames in their looms [www. patolaofpatan.com, 02766-222182, 2232172]

Kanubhai Salvi: His father, Mafatlal, and his two daughters, Neepa and Hetal, are carrying on this tradition. They migrated to Baroda about twenty years back and have been practicing the craft since then. They claim to have the highest production among the four families, but face problems in marketing their products. The family says that it uses natural dyes. [ www.indiamart.com/patolaikatsalvi, 0265-2462210 Designs and motifs The patterns indicate the different situations and creativity of each country. Some of the designs were created in warp ikat (single ikat), some in Weft ikat (single ikat) and some only in double ikat. (both warp and weft). Red or vermilion is normally the background colour. The other colours that are used along with red are yellow, orange, pink, green, blue, purple, white and black. The most common motifs in patola are parrots, elephants, plants, ladies, f lowe r s , t r e l l i s , ba ske t s , l e ave s , e t c . The s e a r e us ed in many di f f e r ent permutations and combinations for the body, border and the pallav. Among the main designs, the popular ones are narikunjar, ratanchawk, navaratna, voragaji, chhabdi bhat, chokhta bhat, chanda bhat, pan bhat, phul bhat, laheriya

bhat, tarliya bhat, zumar bhat, sankal bhat, diamond bhat, star bhat, butta bhat, sarvariya bhat etc. Besides saris, handkerchiefs, tablecloth, lace etc, are also prepared from the patola cloth. Dyes Traditionally, pure silk and natural dyes were used for ikat. Before chemical colours were invented, colours were made from plants. The natural colours used include indigo, pomegranate bark, katho, majith, kapilo, kirmaj, harsingar, bojgar, iron rust, alum, logware and turmeric. Nowadays, chemical dyes and colours are in great use. Each region invented dyes and used them in its own way. Tanaka (1995) explains, In Japan, different districts used different methods. India used alum, iron-salt and wax to prevent dyeing, Java used wax, and Japan used paper and paste which had always been the traditional way of dyeing cloth. Asian countries used Rubia cordifolia but European countries used Rubia tinctorum. Kyoto used inorganic dyes whereas, Kyushu used organic dyes 7 . For the last 100 years, tradition has given way to the use of fast-to-bleach and easy-to-dye chemical. Therefore, the use of natural dyes in patola has almost been discontinued. However, during the last 20 years, the resurgence of eco friendly vegetable dyes and natural dyes has taken place. Recently the Salvi families, Vinayak bhai

ment ioned, have expe r iment ed and redeveloped indigenous processes of using vegetable ingredients to obtain different shades that are fast to bleach and are sober and pleasing to the eye.