'The Unsung', we are happy to present to you the intricate art of kotpad textile weaving by Shri Hari Panika a skilled and experienced handloom weaver weaving an intricate 'phoda kumbha design', in an alluring organic brick red natural dye, which is hand made by the tribal folk of Koraput in Orissa.
GI tagged, eco friendly Kotpad sarees involves weeks of pain sticking efforts and patience by village men and women who are often not visible. The efforts to extract dye from the 'aal' tree, prepare an organic dye soup, and then prepare the yarn into rich hues of dark red, brown, and jet black all require patience and perseverance. Perhaps that is why it is the women who do these jobs! These threads are then woven by hand with motifs inspired by nature by the men folk who are very few and are mostly senior citizens.
Kotpad weaving is a slow dying art says our weaver friend as the young do not want to pursue this anymore. With fickle demand and limited knowledge or appreciation of the actual value of this art form, the unsung kotpad weaver is truly in the red. A majority of them live below the poverty line.
If each one of us decides to consciously wear at least 1 handmade or sustainable product once a week to our work place or in a social gathering, then that is our contribution in creating awareness and our little bit for the environment and society at large. Should you feel motivated to buy a kotpad then do ensure you are buying an original. Kotpad fabrics are slightly coarse to touch, of low counts, have simple motifs that are woven (not printed) and made of dyes and colors that are naturally available from trees and plants. After a wash the fabric feels incredibly soft, creamy, drapes well and is comfortable.
Be elegant, buy sensible, stay rooted!
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