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Ordinary craftsmanship of extraordinary creation—that is bandha kala. One can say this for two reasons. Firstly, ordinary craftsmen of Odisha living ordinary lives and in some cases in abject penury, display extraordinary creativity in producing some of the most exquisite designs in textiles.
The traditional animal motifs of elephant, duck, lion, deer along with conch shell, temples and the lotus flower can be seen in the end panel of this saree, whose details are produced above in the previous images.
Whatever the base textile used, the main highlight is the Sambalpuri saree design which is like no other. It is created using the art of ‘Bandhakala’, a tie and dye method descended from the Bandhini dyes of Gujarat and Rajasthan. In this form of traditional craftsmanship, the warp and weft threads are first tied according to the designs visualized by the weaver, dyed into one or more bright hues and then woven into gorgeous textiles.
The tying procedure basically protects certain parts of the fabric from absorbing the dye color later on, creating the gorgeous, multi-hued and often kaleidoscopic designs associated with tie and dye. These intricate weaves are also termed Ikat and Sambalpuri saree designs are essentially Ikat designs, with the distinctive lines pattern and subtle visual contrasts. This is a very versatile weaving technique which allows the weavers to create visually appealing designs and intricate patterns on the Sambalpuri sarees. This is why this saree is so in demand even for formal wear and special occasions despite its somewhat coarse feel and rough look. In fact, many consider the soft yet coarse texture part of the beauty of the Sampalpuri saree.
This is a very versatile weaving technique which allows the weavers to create visually appealing designs and intricate patterns on the Sambalpuri sarees. This is why this saree is so in demand even for formal wear and special occasions despite its somewhat coarse feel and rough look. In fact, many consider the soft yet coarse texture part of the beauty of the Sampalpuri saree.
All Sambalpuri sarees are woven on a handloom and may take several weeks to create; they can be made with either silk or cotton but are always created using the distinctive tie and dye method described above. However, despite these overarching characteristics, there are actually many different types of Sambapuri sarees.
