Shawls and Wraps in 19th Century Art, Literature, and Fashion History.
Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Alexander Molinari, 1800.
From the Regency era to the end of the 1860s, there was no fashion accessory as versatile and ubiquitous as the shawl. Available in all weights of fabrics, including silk, lace, muslin, and cashmere wool, and priced for all budgets, shawls graced the shoulders of women in every strata of society. They were no less well-represented in art and literature of the day. Shawls were referenced in the novels of such literary luminaries as Elizabeth Gaskell and William Makepeace Thackeray. They were also featured in countless portrait paintings, draping the figures of fashionable 19th century ladies of every age. “Large shawls of silk or mohair were also much worn, and in various shapes; some in the form of a flowing mantle, appending from the shoulders, with a hood; others à la Turque; others again square. But the most elegantly simple style of either the shawl or Egyptian mantle that arrested the fancy, were those of plain or japanned white muslin, with a large Egyptian border of deep green, in tambour or embroidery.”
Portrait of Olimpia Losiowa, 1818-1820.
A Variety of ways of Wearing Shawls in early 19th century France, Lithograph, 1802-1814.
The fashion in shawls changed little over the years. A plain background with a variegated border was still the ideal. The 1812 issue of La Belle Assemblée reports that for winter dress fashions: “…a fine cashemire [sic] shawl, with brown background, and richly variegated border, is generally thrown over the dress, in which is united both comfort and elegance.” And for the spring dress fashions: “…over these is thrown, in elegant drapery, a long Indian shawl of the scarf kind, the colour of the palest Ceylon ruby, the ends enriched by a variegated border…” As the century progressed, ladies fashions evolved. Skirts grew bigger and so did sleeves. Waistlines lowered and instead of a single petticoat, a lady now wore several. One might expect shawls and wraps to have become less popular. Women were surely warmer now in all their layers. However, as a fashion accessory the shawl continued to be as vitally important to a woman’s dress as it ever had – and those shawls and wraps from India still reigned supreme.
SHAWL
Shawl is one of the clothing which is worn over the head or wrapped around the shoulder. They are usually in rectangular in shape. The shawls are generally worn in winters which covers the upper body that brings warmth to the body. They are also worn for complimenting the costume and it brings an elegant appearance together. For some of them it has become a compulsion to wear shawl as per their religion and community. There are several kinds of shawls woven in different fiber materials. Wool, silk, cotton are natural fibre materials and acrylic, synthetic threads are artificial fibre materials. There are also different forms of making a shawl like crochet, knitting and weaving. In India shawls have been famous for their designs and patterns. There are several places in India were the shawls are manufactured like Kashmir which is very famous for shawl weaving, Kutch, Ludhiana, Srinagar, Amritsar, Kolkata, Jaipur, Udaipur, Sitarganj, Tilpat Village and Leh. Most of the designs are very indigenous to their own forms most of it is influenced by the Mughal designs. There are communities of people only for weaving carpets which later on transferred to shawls in India, they are called as Meghwal Wankars now they are called has Vankars.
RABARI
Rabari embroidery gets its name from its community from Bhujodi, who were a nomadic/ semi nomadic community of cattle raiser living in the western region of India, from Rajasthan to the Kutch region in Gujarat.
Earlier, the term Rabari was loosely applied to migratory camel herders having similar customs and beliefs due to their profession and different sub communities of Rabari’s. Each community and culturally linked group in Gujarat is distinctively identified by the kind of embroidered costuming, body tattoos and living settlements. The white dress is commonly wore by all Rabari men but black wool clothes, is worn only by the minority population of bharvad shepherds in the east of the region, relates to rule made by Chach, a Hindu ruler who conquered in the 8th century.
Mirror chain stitch in various size and shapes is the specialty of Rabari embroidery, given this style a unique and beautiful edge compared to various other types in the league. Women use their creativity, aesthetics in embroidery works on textiles.
All girls in the community involve in embroidery work of Kanchali (backless blouses), Paheranu (wrapped skirts), a ghagharo (stitched skirt), and ludi (woolen veil). The girls prepare their own bridal dress, Toran (doorway hanging), shawl, bags, bedcovers and decorative camel covers for her future husband and family. All the girls have to learn the art of embroidery for the collectives for the dowry. This tradition has been passed on to the daughters through generations.
Rabari Embroidery
The Hindu Rabaris are known for their expertise in camel breeding and for their traditionally nomadic way of life. As grazing land for their animals has decreased, Rabari families have taken to raising more sheep and goats than camels and to migrating as nuclear families rather than in extended family groups. Many Rabaris have given up their nomadic ways and settled in villages, grazing their herds locally and working in agriculture. Square chain stitches and mirrors in multiple shapes are characteristics of Rabari embroidery.
Tools and Raw Materials
• Kanji: Made out of boiled water with wheat flour and detergent for the sticky surface. • Wool: Is an essential raw material for woolen shawl weaving. • Wool yarn: Is spun out of wool used in weaving of the shawl. • Spinning wheel: Is used in spinning and cabling the yarn. • Shed sticks: Used in bifurcating the strands and warps of yarn. • Warp board: Is used in winding and making warp yarns. • Handloom or pit loom (foot-over pedal): A mechanized functioning program used in weaving. • Yarn swift: Is a rotatory mechanism used for holding and winding the skein yarn. • Starch: Is applied on the yarn to sustain strength. • Tasar silk: Is one of the royal yarns brought from Bhagalpur Bihar. • Chemical dyes: Are used in dying the yarn with bright colors. • Natural dyes: Are used in dying the yarn. • Brushes made of cereal root fibre: Is used for spreading of the starch. • Wood ash and mustard oil: Are used in attaching the yarns to the old reeled yarns on loom. • Sulfuric acid: Is used in chemical dyes to make the appearance of the color bright and strong.
VANKARS
The ‘Vankars’ or the weavers of Kutch are Meghwal migrants who came from Rajasthan six centuries ago. Among the Meghwals, the Maheshwari and Marwada sub-castes were involved in weaving and leather work. While the Maheshwaris have gradually transitioned to other jobs, the Marwada weave on to this day. The local art of weaving provided for the identity and needs of many communities in the region. Among these, their alliance with the nomadic, sheep herding community of the rabaris is well known. The weavers depended on the rabaris for woollen fleece from sheep and in exchange weaved for them.
Traditionally each weaver was linked to a group of rabari families and was called a ‘Rakhiyo’ to that particular group. Apart from weaving for the families, the Rakhiyo, a revered figure in the community would also perform other tasks such as play music and sing bhajans at celebratory
occasions. The weavers also shared a rapport with Ahirs, a Hindu herding clan, for whom they weaved colourful patterned shawls or dhablos in exchange for cotton grown in their fields. It is the Ahir dhablo that was the design inspiration behind Vishram Valji’s award winning piece, reveals Ramji.
In the old days so strong were the turbans the ‘vankars’ weaved for the rabaris and their dhablos that they are known to have lasted for fifty years, says Ramji. The thick weaved fabrics before being used would be adorned by the trademark tie and dye craft of the region practised by the Khatri community. After which it would be decorated with embroidery by rabari women. Thus the weavers were at the crossroads of linking various communities of the region.
KHATRIS
Traditionally, Khatris have been weavers, dyers and printers, while the women have always been involved with the tying of bandhani. All Khatri women are taught the art of tying before they are married, as it is a matter of community pride and tradition. The Khatri artisan’s businesses have all changed over time due to changes in the availability and cost of raw materials, market preferences, and also advances in technology. The Khatris have adapted accordingly, and thanks to a combination of their hard work, government and NGO assistance, many have received exposure through exhibitions and have even entered international export markets.
Along with bandhani, Khatris practice ajrakh (block printing), discharge printing and batik are all resist techniques still practiced in Kachchh. The Khatris are an artisan community in Kachchh. “Rang utharna aur rang chadana,” the art of adding and removing color, has been their work for centuries. Originally from Sindh, the Khatris practice crafts like block print, batik print, tie and dye, and rogan painting. There are both Hindu and Muslim Khatris in Kachchh. Jokingly, they claim that at some point in history all their ancestral lines converged.
Oral history establishes a link between the words “Khatri” and “Kshatriya” (warrior). Scholars believe that Khatris expanded beyond their military occupations for economic and political reasons. They became scrbies and accountants in the military, and then transitioned into the more tactile trade of handicrafts. While some Khatris remained Hindu, and some embraced Islam, they continued to work and live together in harmony since time immemorial. In Mandvi for example, the community purchased land for printing work. Khatris could be found at the river’s edge using shared rangchulis (boiling pots). Dyeing at the rangchuli pots became a way for the community to come together and the place came to be known as Rangchuli.
BHUJODHI
Vankar is a name of a social group whose main occupation is the weaving of cloth, and Bhujodi has been home to the "weavers" for centuries. Up until fifty years ago, weaving was not an year-round activity. Bhujodi's inhabitants dedicated half of the year to farming, and the other half to weaving. But due to climatic shifts that caused inconsistency of the monsoon and its consequential lack of water, farming became less reliable. In order to sustain a living, the shift to weaving became the community's main livelihood.
Revealing Borders The Vankar brothers, Shamji and Dinesh, two of the six sons of Vishram Valji, shed light on a quintessential factor that defines a highly skilled weaver.
The village of Bhujodi is now full of weavers. But how does one distinguish the quality of a weaver's work from that of another, beyond that relative degree of "taste" that one may own, or years of expertise most people do not possess? Dinesh's response is humorous and poignant: "It's just like handwriting. Some have good handwriting, some have bad handwriting." Good weavers work with their mind. The mind needs to "see" the pieces. Some people do not see it. But those who have been the benefactors of generational continuity see it. According to Dinesh, it is not just about weaving--the mind needs to be trained. They have lived with the art and have been weaving for generations so they recognize what quality needs to be.
The best weavers are recognizable by the borders they weave. Tradition dictates a certain technique for the weave, identifiable in the amount of thread counts, a specific design, and orientation of the weave. In essence, the weaver knows and understands the technique. This refined "language" and code help distinguish the novices from the skillful artisans. The newcomers don't know. Besides its telltale function to identify the skilled, the border also has a functional purpose. When a shawl is worn, the edges are the first to deteriorate. Hence, the borders are not just about design or aesthetics, it is also about function. "Certain weavers, they just want to sell. They don't even think about tradition and what our forefathers did. "
Innovation
Whilst still strongly rooted in tradition, Vankar Vishram Valji's family simultaneously maintain an outward perspective, be it international or beyond their local surroundings. Working with designers and institutions is an impetus for new ideas and learning. These relationships and collaborations also keep them up-to-date on international markets and trends. "By staying in the same market, we end up going around in circles and it is harder to innovate." Yet, along with modern designs, they continue with traditional designs that have been passed down from generations.
The ‘Vankars’ or the weavers of Kutch are Meghwal migrants who came from Rajasthan six centuries ago. Among the Meghwals, the Maheshwari and Marwada sub-castes were involved in weaving and leather work. While the Maheshwaris have gradually transitioned to other jobs, the Marwada weave on to this day. The local art of weaving provided for the identity and needs of many communities in the region. Among these, their alliance with the nomadic, sheep herding community of the rabaris is well known. The weavers depended on the rabaris for woollen fleece from sheep and in exchange weaved for them. Traditionally each weaver was linked to a group of rabari families and was called a ‘Rakhiyo’ to that particular group. Apart from weaving for the families, the Rakhiyo, a revered figure in the community would also perform other tasks such as play music and sing bhajans at celebratory occasions. The weavers also shared a rapport with Ahirs, a Hindu herding clan, for whom they weaved colourful patterned shawls or dhablos in exchange for cotton grown in their fields. It is the Ahir dhablo that was the design inspiration behind Vishram Valji’s award winning piece, reveals Ramji. In the old days so strong were the turbans the ‘vankars’ weaved for the rabaris and their dhablos that they are known to have lasted for fifty years, says Ramji. The thick weaved fabrics before being used would be adorned by the trademark tie and dye craft of the region practised by the Khatri community. After which it would be decorated with embroidery by rabari women. Thus the weavers were at the crossroads of linking various communities of the region. Mr. Nanji Bhimaji Vanakar the master artisan and national award winner for shawl weaving Vankar Nanji bhimaji is one of the traditional woolen and silk shawl weavers of Bhujodi, Kutch, in Gujarat. The traditional shawl weavers of Bhujodi belong to the Vankar community (Meghwal Wankars) who migrated from western Rajasthan for about 500 years ago. Woolen shawl weaving, dhurrie, carpet, stole, kalinga crafts are been followed from his ancestral generations. In 2003 he has been given a national award for a shawl which was weaved with intricate designs and patterns for the period of 6 months. Shawls are weaved with lots of affection and happiness. Bhujodi is also tagged for its quality and purity by the Geographical Indication for all the 200 weavers in the craft city. Previously weavers used to earn their daily bread by barter system were they use to produce carpets, shawls and exchange them with farmers for their crops. Now a days the demand for shawl has become more hence a good business. Artisans sales his products to one of best company stores like Fab India, Nalli, Cottage and ten other big companies in Delhi. He also exports the products to other countries like France and Italy. His work is much in demand because of the purity and sustainability of naturalist way like using vegetable dye colors and completely crafting with hands.
The ancient relationship between artisans and pastoralists of the Kutch region of Gujarat is a classic example of harmonious coexistence. In the days of yore, vankars or weavers of Bhujodi would make hand-spun blankets for the herdsmen, known as rabaris (the original customers of the artisans), to sheath and protect them out in the open. The blanket was worn either over the shoulder or around the waist over the lungi known as pachedi. Over decades, as the microcosm of the village changed, the shepherds reduced in number but the weavers found more and more demand for their cloth. They expanded their skills to create one-of-a-kind pieces that not only became the identity of their community but also their primary source of income
Making Process
Shearing of the sheep for raw wool is taken place at local villages in and around Kutch. Then raw wool is dry cleaned and then it is sent to make a yarn. The wool is drafted, rove and spun on the traditional spinning wheel to make a yarn thread. The spinning of the yarn is made with the help of charka were an artisan is turning the spinning wheel in right hand and in left hand he is holding roving wool and twisting it to make a yarn which is rolling to a spinning wheel needle. Once the yarn is made it is segregated into two types one is weft yarn and other is warp yarn.
The taana (warp) is made with the help of warp frame and then street sizing is done were all the strands of the yarn is starched with the paste (kanji) made of wheat flour and water with little detergent added for sticky surface. Then it is stretched, separated and brushed in the open ground early morning before the sunrise with the help of shed sticks and stands. The starch is supposed to dry by cool wind breeze only thus is process is done early in the morning. Until the starch is not dried the yarns keep breaking. The broken strands are tangled once again. Drying the threads get stronger. It takes more than an hour to two hours for this process to happen.
600 yarn strands are used on the warp beam of the loom for woolen shawl whereas for silk it is 1000 yarn strands on the warp beam of the loom. The warp threads are attached to the old warp yarns in the loom by fastening the yarns with the help of ash and water. The threads are joined in an alternate pattern one on the upper warp and other on the lower warp. Thus the loom beam is loaded with the warp. The next process is baana (weft) process.
Weft yarns are also starched and dyed with required colors and winded into the pirns and spindles which is loaded to fly shuttle and it becomes a weft process where weaving is obtained. The handloom contains multiple processes for a successful weaving. An artisan should do multiple chore like paddling the shafts, moving the flying shuttle through and fro in one hand, moving the reed beater in tightening the previous weave and eyes are cautiously seeing the process in order to avoid errors. Dyeing is done with either chemical colors in vat dyes method or vegetable dyes.
Handloom contains many internal mechanism equipment like heddles, shafts, shed, reed or beaters. Heddles are the tiny metal cord or wire with an eye opening where every yarn of the warp threads are passed through it individually and shaft (paddles) are interconnected below the heddles where both work simultaneously to produce a warp shift according to the designs and patterns which results in weft process. Shed is a wooden stick used in bifurcating the two layers of warp upper layer and lower layer. Once the warps are bifurcated the weft yarn is weaved with the help of bobbin of yarn in fly shuttle. Traditional Kutchi designs and motifs are weaved separately with other colored yarns which is called eccentric wefts. After a complete row of eccentric weft a normal single weft is made in order to lock the previously weaved weft. Once the shawl is completely weaved it is then sent to finishing like making fringes and tassels with the extra warp yarns in it. Usually women of the house takes up this work of making beautiful fringes to the shawl.
BIBLIOGRAPHY http://travelsintextiles.com http://www.vervemagazine.in http://www.dsource.in http://www.indianmirror.com https://www.heritagetradinginternational.com http://exhibitions-khamir.org