Reviving the yarn

A handful of boutiques in Kolkata are trying to breathe new life into the traditional Tangail tant sari by experimenting with colours and design

A red-bordered Tangail tant sari has formed an integral part of the wardrobe of Bengali women for centuries now. However, in the last couple of years, this traditional weave had lost much of its sheen in the market. Now, a few designer boutiques in Kolkata are trying to break the monotony of conventional designs by experimenting with patterns and fabric to lure the new generation buyers.

The tant - a sari crafted from finely woven textile and adorned with vibrant patterns - has largely been produced in the vast weaving belt of Phulia located in the Shantipur block of Bengal's Nadia district. Post Partition, many skilled weavers from Dhaka settled around Shantipur, an area which was already famous for hand-woven fabrics. With government support the talented weavers managed to breathe new life into the profession, and this exquisite art of weaving flourished again.
 
"I have always found tant to be a very delicate form, almost like a blank canvas on which you can create artwork," says Suchismita Dasgupta, designer and owner of Nextile boutique. She has been creating unconventional colour-pattern combinations on tant saris. "I like working with vibrant colours but I try and avoid the traditional combinations so that the designs appeal to the clientele that doesn't wear tant saris," she says.

Dasgupta is trying hard to break away from traditional motifs as well. "I have tried to make tant contemporary without losing its inherent qualities. So I use a lot of geometric motifs, lots of lines and checks, in addition to north-eastern tribal motifs that are mixed and matched with paisleys," she informs. The prices of tant saris at Nextile range from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000. She sells the saris through her website and Facebook page, which has earned her customers from far-off places. "Online business is very liberating in a way. I can choose my time and space and don't need a fixed shop timing or worry about the upkeep of the stock," she adds.

Kanishka's - a store in South Kolkata - on the other hand, has adopted an approach very different from Dasgupta's. "We try to work within the folds of traditional patterns while contemporising the the six yards for a modern Indian woman," says owner Priyanka Raja. One of their flagship items is the block printed Tangail sari. "Kanishka's created a trend with its block print of Tangail weaves and has continued to remain one of the hot picks till date," says Raja, who claims to have sold saris to Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Aparna Sen and so on.

However, the maintenance of tant saris is a concern as these are made of starched cotton. "People outside Bengal love tant designs but don't like the starched cotton, which lends a conventional touch to these saris. They want it to be softer with a nice fall," informs Dasgupta. Kanishka's, on the other hand, is experimenting to soften the fabric by mixing jute and silk, thus enhancing the wearability and maintenance.

Raja says the challenge that is currently facing the handloom industry is the scarcity of skilled weavers. "The young generation of weavers are giving up their ancestral occupation to migrate to cities for better livelihood," she adds. She believes the only way to encourage weavers is to find them buyers as this can boost their confidence and raise their social status.