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ones on special occasions. We provided the
Rabaris with woollen shawls, drapes and cloth
for stitched garments such as waistcoats for the
men.
The Ahirs provided us with an indigenous
variety of cotton yarn from cotton grown
in their fields. Our family had long woven
the hand-spun cotton yarns into cloth for
turbans and shoulder cloths that soon became
marks of identity for every community that
used them. Due to the region’s harsh winters,
our community also developed the
dhabda
(blanket) that is another characteristic of crafts
from this region. So in a way, our craft has
helped local communities carry forward their
tradition of hand-spinning yarns as well as
wearing traditional attire that is a mark of their
community and status within it.
Preparation Process
The process of the preparation of the woollen
yarn before it is set on to the loom is significant
as this is the defining aspect of the unique
tradition of the region. The yarn is first dyed
in the desired colour. The next step includes
preparation of the warp yarn using starching.
This process involves soaking the wool in a
preparation of wheat flour and wild onions.
For this preparation, the wild onions are boiled
for 24 hours and mashed into a paste. Cold
water is then poured on this mixture and wheat
flour is mixed with it. The yarn is soaked in
this solution and dried in the early hours of the
morning. It is very important to dry the yarn
at the right time in the morning or the yarn
may turn brittle. This step of treating the yarn
with the wild onion and wheat flour paste is
imperative as it makes the wool stronger and
