Baluchari sarees on show at National Museum
NEW DELHI: An exhibition showcasing Baluchar textiles and the nearly 300-year-old weaving tradition of Baluchari sarees from various periods and regions was inaugurated at National Museum on February 8.
The exhibition titled ‘Baluchars: The woven narrative silks of Bengal’ has been organised in collaboration with the Weavers Studio Resource Centre(wsrc), Kolkata.
“The motive of the exhibition is to disseminate and educate the audience of an art form that had first emerged and flourished in the former capital of Bengal for nearly 200 years. The Baluchar textile is unique as it mirrors the contemporary socio-cultural developments of a bygone area.additionally, it validates the unique ability of weavers to weave intricate designs of the highest quality through limited technical developments of that time,” said curator, Anamika Pathak.
The exhibition, which will last till March 20, showcases Baluchar textiles from varying periods and regions belonging to museums and private collections but is also supplemented by objects reflecting that period. The exhibition has been divided into 10 sections.
Baluchar, one of the most iconic textile tradition found originally in Bengal, flourished in the 18th century Nawab capital of Murshidabad. Made from the finest mulberry silk cultivated locally, the saris from the most common and versatile component within the local weaving tradition.
Commonly known as ‘figured fabrics’ by art and textile enthusiasts, the uniqueness attached is represented by the themes comprising of figures and patterns depicted on the anchal. The tradition lost its relevance and was later revived with tremendous effort in Bishnupur and Varanasi.