Kutch (officially spelled as Kachchh) is the largest district of India and lies in the western state of Gujarat, bordering Pakistan on its north and north-west and the Indian state of Rajasthan on its north-eastern side. Bhuj is the district headquarter of Kutch, and there lies a small village of Bhujodi, which is one of the major textile and craft hub of Gujarat, famous for its multitude of embroidery styles, hand weaving, block printing, tie-and-dye bandhani, leather embroidery and beadwork, etc.
Kutchi or Bhujodi weaving is around 500 years old tradition of the residing Vankars or weavers, who originally belong to Marwada community that migrated from Marwar region of Rajasthan years ago. They hand weave shawls, stoles, blankets, dhablas, etc. using either locally sourced sheep or goat wool from Rabari and Jat pastoral tribal community or they use imported Merino wool that they source from wholesale wool suppliers from Ludhiana in Punjab. Nowadays acrylic wool is also used for woollen weaves. Kachchhi shawls are known for their durability, bold colorful appeal and beautiful mirror work.
Other summer clothing and traditional Kachchhi dresses are woven using the hand-spun cotton yarn provided by the local Ahirs and other farming communities. The cultivation of indigenous kala cotton crop (or old world cotton) is lately being revived in the Kachchh region to create a local supply chain of raw material to the weaver community and thus creating a better ecosystem for farmers and weavers, taking away many of the challenges and hardships in sourcing raw materials from far off places. Owing to its strength, stretchability and pest resilience, kala cotton fibre is making inroads into the fashion industry and among international consumers for its attractive texture and skin-friendliness.
Not just wool and cotton, silk which is loved for its softness and sheen, is also woven, block-printed, or embroidered by Kutchi weavers and artisans into beautiful stoles, dupattas and other traditional clothing.
Kachchhi weavers use an extra weft technique, where apart from the usual repetitive movement of weft thread from side to side over the alternate set of warp threads to create the basic fabric; the extra wefts of different colors are used to create various designs and patterns by lifting the warp threads manually and inserting the weft thread in between to make distinctive Kutchi motifs. These beautiful motifs are inspired from the local, natural and architectural surroundings of the region and have been passed down through generations of artisans. The most popular Bhujodi motifs include chaumukh, dumroo, vakhiyo, lath, sathkani, jhar, etc.
Kutchi woven fabrics are known for their beautiful weaves, high-quality yarn, vibrant colors and pleasing aesthetics that attracts the urban customers as much as the local Kutchi people who still enjoy wearing their traditional clothing as a symbol of pride and endorsement of their own craft form.
Image Credits: A traditional shawl maker from Kutch, Gujarat | CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED
