52
Diversity in Designs
There cannot be even a .001 per cent error
in the resist-dyeing of yarns as it will affect
the clarity of the motif thus spoiling the
entire textile. Due to the effort required to
create a Patan Patola saree they are always
woven with silk yarns as putting in so much
effort for a cotton saree would not bring a
commensurate compensation. Interestingly,
the ancient technique remains untouched,
being practised as it has been for centuries
without even one per cent modification.
Today’s weaver may create new motifs or
colour combinations, but the technique is
exactly the same as it has always been.
There are many traditional motifs of birds,
animals, flowers and leaves that are seen
on Patan Patolas that are known by their
Gujarati names. These are
Pan Bhat
(leaf
motif),
Chabadi Bhat
(basket pattern),
Rattan
Chowk Bhat
(jewel square),
Popat Kunjar Bhat
(parrot and elephant design),
Wagh Hathi Bhat
(elephant and lion design),
Nari Kunjar Bhat
(apsara elephant design),
Leher Bhat
(waves),
Maneck Baug
(a garden of rubies),
Ras Pari
(fairies doing the ras garba),
Navratna
(nine
jewels),
Trun Phool
(three flowers),
Panch Phool
(five flowers),
Ek Phool
(one flower), and
Dadham Na Phool
(pomegranate flowers). The
rare designs are
Manek Chowk, Manek Baug
,
the fighting elephant, tiger and elephant,
horse rider, camel rider and
Ras Pari
. For
the past 10 years my family and I have been
resurrecting old and rare motifs, some of
which are believed to be 1000 years old.
The beauty of elaborately patterned silk
Patan Patolas has seen them being regarded
as a symbols of wealth, power and prestige.
On account of the effort and difficulty of
weaving a Patan Patola, some cultures regard
the textile as being imbued with magical
powers or sacredness. In the past centuries,
Patan Patolas used to be exported to Japan
and countries in South East Asia, especially
Indonesia for use by royal families. In the
17th century, the Dutch took over the trade
