The art is a tedious process, which takes days of hard work. The style of Patola that is weaved in Patan is called ‘Double-Ikat’ (Ikat is an Indonesian word). They are one of the finest hand-woven qualities of textiles available in India. Patola is often termed as the queen of all saris. The King, hence, invited 700 families of Patola weavers from Jalna (South Maharashtra) to settle down in Patan and ever since Patolas are attached to Patan as an inseparable tradition.Īpart from these, some paintings in the famous Ajanta caves also resemble the tie and dye technique of Patolas. Patola being made out of pure silk was acceptable by Jainism for worship.

It is also believed that he used a new Patola daily to offer prayers. This is recorded in the autobiography of Kumarpal. The King’s queen supposedly wore a new Patola daily. King Kumarpal ruled Patan after Siddhraj Jaisingh. This traditional art received great patronage during the Chalukya period of King Kumarpal’s reign before about 800 years. In addition, during the period of Lord Krishna, Narsinh Mehta had presented a Patola to Kunvarbai. Ramayana mentions that during the Ram-Rajya, King Janak had presented a Patola to Sita, the wife of Lord Ram. Epics like the Ramayana and Narsinh Puran refer to the use of Patola in marriage ceremonies as a holy garment. Patolas enjoy the luxury of being auspicious. The word Patola comes from the term ‘Patt’ that means a silk cloth in Tamil and Malayalam. The tie and dye has unique colors, techniques and designs that glorify Gujarat. It is believed that Patolas date back to the 4th century AD and the art originated in Patan, North Gujarat. Even before the invention of machines, this craft was developed with the help of insight and strength. Gujarat is home to some of the most exquisite handiwork of India.Ī craft that is almost synonymous to the heritage of Gujarati textiles is the Patola (Sari) of Patan. IT IS HIGH TIME WE BRING PATOLA TO POWER.ĬOLORS OF GUJARAT: unparalleled, original and gorgeous! So are the colors of its rich textiles. THE FAMOUS TIE AND DYE ART OF PATAN IN GUJARAT, PATOLA IS LOSING ITS IMPORTANCE.

Colors gujarati narsinh mehta