The principles & practices of traditional handloom weaving done at Bhagalpur.
WEAVING PREPARATORY PROCESSES
Filament. Rubbing. Yarn.
Thigh reeling is a traditional process of extracting silk filaments from cocoons done by women of all ages. During their spare time, using their hands and thigh to rub together filaments drawn from cocoons to produce the yarn, which is wound on a small bamboo appliance called a 'Natwa'.
Reeling may also be done by the 'Charkha' reeling method, or by using a modified approach which is done through a mix of the traditional methods and a machine.
Yarn. Twisting. Transfer.
Winding involves transferring yarn from the 'Natwa' to the warper's 'Natwa' called 'Ughra' of 4-5 inches diameter after combining 8 number of ends together.
With the help of charkha, the yarn hank gets converted into a linear thread form and wound on the bobbin. This process enables laying out of yarn lengths for weaving. The unit used as a measure for the length of yarn is known as a ‘hank’.
Bobbins are an integral part of wounding yarn. When in hank form, the yarn is wound around using chakras that help stabilize and allow the yarn to be converted to a linear structure. Traditionally, weaver families delegate this work to the women of the house. It is an essential step in the pre-loom procedures, establishing a length of yarn for the actual weaving.
Hank. Length. Drum.
Warping is the process which prepares the weaver's beam for use on the loom. From the bobbins on the creel frame, the yarn is wound on to a huge drum in accordance with the length and width of the warp, in the required sequence & repeat.
The warp yarns are then transferred onto a weaver's beam by unwinding the drum.
Plan. Threading. Beaming.
Drafting in weaving means the number of heald shafts used to produce a given design and the order is which warp ends are threaded through the heald eyes of the heald shaft. The principle of drafting is that ends which work in different order require separate heald shafts.
Once drawing and drafting through healds and reeds is done the drafted beam is then taken to the loom for weaving.
WEAVING PROCESSES
Charkha. Pirn. Shuttle.
For horizontal or weft yarn preparation, traditionally, a charka is used. This extremely delicate skill is usually done by the women of the village. Fingertips are used to give the correct tension to the yarn while carrying out the winding.
A hank of yarn is wound onto a small bobbin called “pirn”. The weft yarn wound on pirn is then inserted into a shuttle. A device used in weaving to carry the weft thread back and forth between the warp threads.
Traditional. Handloom. Craftsmen.
Weaving is basically the intersecting of two sets of yarn, which are the warp, which runs lengthwise and the weft, which runs widthwise. The loom is the equipment that is used to achieve this interweaving.
The loom is made from pieces of wood. A handloom does not use electricity and its movements are manually operated by hand and foot. There are generally two types of looms used here, traditional type pit looms with fly shuttle and fly shuttle frame looms.
Beaten. Hammer. Lustre.
The woven fabric requires finishing to enhance the feel, lustre and drapability. This was traditionally done by the indigenous practice of beating with a wooden hammer called a 'Kundi'. The fabric is moistened & wrapped in a thick cotton cloth. The bundle is then placed on a wooden block and is vigorously beaten, by two persons on either side, with hammers.
This is followed by ironing, folding and packing. Finishing is also done by passing through steam heated calendars.
Mending. Skill. Repair.
Rofoogari - the art of darning, uses both visible (embroidery) & invisible mending techniques, traditionally used to repair holes and damaged areas in fabrics, with only needles & thread.
Rafoo – the centuries old tradition, delicately refurbishes a fabric by hand - with immense effort, patience, precision and skill.
Rafoogars are an inherent part of the textile manufacturing process - but since good rafoogari is actually imperceptible, it is largely unacknowledged and thinly documented.