INDIAN FABRICS

INDIAN FABRICS

India had reached a high degree of civilisation before it wasinvaded by Alexander the Great in B.C. 327.

This invasion doubtless left the influence of the Persian traditionupon the native Hindu art; and this influence was still furtherdeveloped by the commercial intercourse between Persia andIndia, and by the Arabian invasions of India in A.D. 711, whena Mohammedan dynasty was established (711-1153); but it wasunder the great Mougul dynasty (1525) that the beautiful cottonmuslins and silken brocades of India reached their highestdevelopment.

Although silk had been cultivated and used in India from timeimmemorial, it was the beautiful cotton fabrics, often interwovenwith gold, that were the glory of their weaving.

Speaking of the kingdom of Mosul, Marco Polo says :

“ In this country they manufacture the finest cottons that are tobe met with in any part of India. All the cloths of gold and silver thatare called ‘ muslins ’ are made in this country, and those great mer-chants called Mossulini who carry for sale such quantities of spiceryand pearls, and cloths of silver and gold, are also of this kingdom.”

The finest of these gossamer webs of Dacca muslins were inthe early centuries known as Running Water , Woven Air, or EveningDew, poetic names which convey some idea of their delicacy andfineness. A turban cloth, 1 yard wide and 20 yards long, couldbe passed through a finger-ring.

The garments of India are differentiated by the racial conditionsof caste and religion ; having their origin in the remote past, andhave undergone but little change in many provinces.

The native costume usually consists of a fabric woven to aspecific shape, and of ample material, ready for use, and patternedonly where it may be seen.

In other provinces the type of costume and its patterning havebeen largely influenced by the Mohammedan costume of made-upgarments cut from the woven piece.

The chief garment of the Hindus is the Dhotee, a scarf or loin-cloth, usually 7 to 8 yards in length by 1J yard wide. It is wovenof cotton or silk, or of silk alone. Its patterning is frequently acheck or stripe, with narrow borders and ends of ornament.

The Loongee is a scarf worn over the shoulders and chest, wovenof cotton, silk, or wool, and from 4 to 6 yards by i£ yard;frequently patterned with checks or stripes, with narrow borders andwide cross bands of ornament.

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