Nandana Hand-block Printing
- Located in: Jawad,MP
- Villages in Mandsaur district of MP practice this form of resist-block printing using wax. Cotton is the base material used.
- Four main motifs used in Nandana prints are: Chapakali flower, Mirchi or Chilli, Buta or Mango.
Himroo Weaving
- Located in: Aurangabad (Maharashtra) ,Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
- They are traditional brocade with a cotton base and patterned with silk. Its origin goes back to Tughlaq times.
- It is woven in running lengths and decorated with figurative and geometric motifs. Alternative to Kinkhwab.
Siddipet Gollabama Weaving
- Located in: Medak District ,Andhra Pradesh
- They are handwoven cotton sarees which are characterised by unique Gollabama motif, which is the figure of a milkmaid carrying one milk pot on her head and one in her hand.
- These motifs are entirely made by hand.
Guledgudd Khana
- Located in: Karnataka
- It is densely handwoven with small geometric motifs and borders of deep red and maroon. Woven in narrow widths, it is customarily used to make cholis or blouses.
- It uses combination of cotton & silk.
Ilkal Weaving
- Located in: Bagalkot, Karnataka
- These sarees are woven in cotton with the pallu woven in silk with dramatic red & white patterns.
- A distinctive feature of this sari is the joining of the body warp with the pallu warp using a series of loops called tope teni technique.
Lambadi/Banjara Embroidery
- Located in: Sandur, Karnataka
- Lambadis also called Lambanis or Banjaras were nomadic tribes who migrated large distances and are now settled in different parts of India.
- During the Mughal times, they worked as professional carriers of goods and repairers of metal items. Lambadi embroidery uses bright colours and designs which combines patchwork done by hand with intricate applique work, non-figurative embroidery and decorative elements like mirrors, beads, buttons, shells, small bells, wooden tassels, coins and metallic trinklets.
- The base fabric is usually blue or red in colour.
Molakalmuru Silk Weaving
- Located in: Chitradurga, Karnataka
- They are rich and elaborate silk sarees which are worn for rites of passage like marriages and imports occasions.
- The patterns, motifs and designs used on the borders and pallus of Molakalmuru saris are inspired by temple carvings, auspicious symbols and nature.
Ayurvedic Textiles
- Located in: Balaramapuram,Kerala
- This fabric uses dyeing in herbs and medicinal plants based on the Ayurvedic medical system.
- Only textiles produced on handloom are dyed in this manner.
Sikalnayakanpet Kalamkari
- Located in: Thanjavur,Tamil Nadu
- Kalamkari technique uses hand-painted dye-patterned and is known for its bold visual aesthetic.
- Kalamkari technique was used decorate temples and idol chariots taken out during festivals. It was also used to make thoranams which are cylindrical decorative hangings for temple chariots.
- Sikalnayakanpet Kalamkari is different from Sri Kalahasti Kalamkari. Sri Kalahasti Kalamkaris produces thematic, narrative and educative temple cloth hangings meant to be seen from close.
- However, Sikalnayakanpet Kalamkari used bold visual aesthetic which allows the designs to be seen from a distance. Thus, it is used in umbrella covers, cylindrical hangings and chariot covers.
Sungadi/Chungadi
- Located in: Madurai, Tamil Nadu
- Traditionally made using tie-dye technique.
- It is characterised by many tiny dots that fill its body, and its detailed borders woven with metallic zari in colours that contrast with the sari body
Toda Embroidery
- Located in: Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu
- Uses red and black threads on a white background.
- Embroidery is done with wool skeins on a thick cotton base. Practiced by women of Toda tribe in the upper Nilgiri plateau
Gongadi Sheep Wool Blankets
- Located in: Telangana & Andhra Pradesh
- Woven from the wool of Deccani black sheep by Kuruma ship herding community. Deccani sheep is the only Indian breed that produces pure black coarse wool.
Bavanbutti Weaving
- Located in: Nalanda, Bihar
- It has a unique weaving style as the yarns used to make decorative motifs are thicker than those used for rest of the sari, and often dyed in contrasting colours.
- This creates a 3-D effect. A single motif is repeated fifty-two times.
- Motifs are often geometrical or inspired by nature and often draw heavily from Buddha’s life.
Kheta Embroidery
- Located in: Kishanganj, Bihar
- It is a reversible embroidered quilt which uses intricate geometric patterns and reflects cultural identity of migrant community of Shershabadi Muslims.
- Generally used as a blanket for newborn children or a mattress for newlywed couples.
- Note: Shershabadi community is so called because they first settled on land given to them by Emperor Sher Shah Suri in Malda district. Overtime, the Shershabadi community migrated along eastern rivers and settled in areas in around Kishanganj in Bihar and Bengal.
Bandha Tie-Dye Weaving
- Located in: Sambalpur, Odisha
- Also known as Ikat. Word ikat is derived from Malayan word mangikat, meaning to bind or knot.
- Meher community mainly weaves these. Bandha’s unique feature is that its designs are almost identical on both sides of cloth.
Berhampur Pata or Phoda Kumbha
- Located in: Odisha
- It uses Kumbha phoda (temple spire) pattern along the border of sarees with both sides of cloth being identical. It is also used as part of temple rituals in temples of Odisha.
Dhalapathar Parda
- Located in: Khorda, Odisha
- Famous for door curtains (Parda), wall hangings, table covers, lungi and saris. It uses medium and coarse count cotton threads using a special weaving technique with thick counts of cotton yarn.
Kenduli Pata Calligraphic Weaving
- Located in: Odisha
- It is a ritual textile woven with calligraphic verses from the Gita Govinda, a renowned devotional poem, and presented as offering to the deities.
Dongaria Kondh Textiles
- Located in: Kandhamal,Odisha
- Practiced by Dongaria Kondh tribal communities who live in the Niyamgiri hills of Kandhamal district of Odisha.
- It involves intricate needlework and distinctive shawl called Kadapagonda, having a special place in Dongaria tradition.
Fragrant Textiles
- Located in: Balaposh, West Bengal
- In Balaposh quilting, a thin layer of cotton fluff scented with attar (perfume) is sandwiched between two layers of silk that are only stitched along the edges.
- Despite absence of a running stitch, cotton filing stays intact in its place, even after many years of use.
Grad-Korial Weaving
- Located in: Murshidabad, West Bengal
- It has a base of natural, undyed mulberry or tassar silk yarns that are woven with deep red paisley (kalka) and red borders.
- Red and white with the Kalka motif symbolises prosperity and fertility.
Satgaon Quilts
- Located in: West Bengal
- It is a quilt stuffed with cotton which is embroidered with naturally yellow tussar silk. Satgaon quilts were in very high demand in Portugal and England from mid-16th to mid-17th.
- These quilts were commissioned by Portuguese who exported them to their home country, who set up a trading post in Satgaon in 1536.
- Designs incorporate Portuguese themes, biblical themes and later Hindu themes.
Lasing Phee
- Located in: Cachar, Manipur
- It is a quilt stuff with cotton batting, handwoven on the loom by weavers in Manipur. Women practice the weaving.
Saphee Lanphee
- Located in: Manipur
- It is a traditional shawl, woven and embroidered by women of Meitei community of Manipur.
- It was once presented as an honour to soldiers for bravery in battle and gift of honour to chiefs by Meitei kings of Manipur.
Lepcha Weaving
- Located in: Sikkim
- It is characterised by intricate and colourful motifs patterned in stripes and woven on the back-strap loom.
Risha Textile Weaving
- Located in: Tripura
- Risha handwoven cloth is used as an upper garment by women from different communities of Tripura.
- Pattern, colours and motifs are differential according to the clan or tribe for whom they are made. It is also used as headgear by men.
