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Weaving heritage and fine art to create a timeless fabric.
I first laid eyes on a patola saree in my ancestral home in Gujarat, where I spent most of my summer holidays growing up. My grandma had pulled out her precious patolu (as Gujaratis call it), wrapped in layers of soft muslin cloth, and my mum and aunts oohed and aahed over it. I couldn't understand what the fuss was all about. Now that I'm older, I wish I could admire her treasured patolu up close, once more, and even wear it. For Gujaratis, the mere mention of a patola makes their eyes light up. It is a status symbol and tells the world that the owner of this saree cherishes heritage and values art. But why is this piece of fabric so precious? Why is it revered in many households, including mine?
A saree that takes almost a year to complete ought to be special. The patola is created using a laborious warp and weft technique with the help of three (or more) artisans. Once the pattern is finalised, the weavers set about securing the yarn, which is cut in very precise measurements. The yarn is then tied and dyed several times as per the design. It’s back-breaking work that requires intense concentration and a laser focus. Even a small error can cause a change in the design and wastage of the entire saree. This is the kind of precision one expects from a machine, but it is achieved by humans. The process is mind-bending, requiring accurate calculations to dye the exact colour in a specific spot to get the design right. It seems there is more science than art involved in the creation of this incredible fabric. Authentic patolas will have natural elements like flowers, kalash, elephants, parrots, paan leaf motifs or abstract geometric patterns. When done perfectly, the designs are like an optical illusion. Given its complexity and high price, there aren't many skilled weavers who can make a patola. So, manufacturers have resorted to creating machine-made sarees, where the dizzyingly-complex design is simply printed on a saree and sold as patola. But a real patola is only made from silk using the double ikat technique. The front and back of the saree are indistinguishable. The colours never fade, and it doesn’t weigh more than 500g. I know that my grandma’s patola is the real deal because the colours are vibrant to this day.
The most famed patolas are the ones that come from the Patan district in Gujarat. The Salvis, in particular, are the last surviving family in Patan to weave this saree using the ancient double ikat technique and natural vegetable dyes. Patolas are also woven in Rajkot, but the finish, precision and quality of Patan patolas are unmatchable. If you want to own a prized Patan patola, be prepared for a wait time of at least two years and shell out anything upwards of Rs. 1 lakh. The Gujaratis might have made the patola famous, but it was the Maharashtrians who taught them this meticulous craft. It is believed that 700 craftsmen were brought from the city of Jalna to Patan in the 11th century to supply patola to the Solanki Rajputs who ruled over Gujarat. There seems to be some ambiguity about the reason for this migration of weavers, but one thing is for sure—it is the Solankis who endorsed this beautiful craft and made it a part of their legacy. After all, the Solankis were known to be aficionados of all things beautiful. They also built the magnificent Rani ni Vav Stepwell, an architectural wonder. The intricate geometric design of the stepwell and the pattern of the patola saree share such striking similarities. It makes me wonder whether one inspired the other. For the Solanki royalty, patolas might have been a daily wear saree. However, for the common man, it was and still is reserved for special occasions. Many Gujarati brides are gifted this saree as part of their trousseau. I see why my grandmother was the envy of the crowd whenever she wore her patolu to weddings, and why her normally demure stature was a little more confident and proud. She knew it was not just an ordinary fabric draped over her but a piece of history.
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