Baluchari Saree: Origin, Evolution, and Modernisation

Magnificently designed motifs of social, mythological, and natural scenes on the pallus of Baluchari silk sarees have been adorning women of all generations for centuries. Nonetheless, this intricate artwork has been through numerous ups and downs since its origin. This is the tale of the weavers, looms, the cycle of appreciation and downfall, and the revival of Baluchari.

Pallu of a Baluchari Saree, Source: Wikimedia Commons

A long time ago, when the Mughals ruled major parts of India, there was a village in Bengal named Baluchar. In Bengali, balu means sand and char means a piece of land created by a slit in a flowing river. This village was created due to a slit in the river Bhagirathi.

On this island, lived a group of extremely talented weavers, who were experts in using the handloom to design intricate motifs on silk sarees. The craft was unique and unreplicated elsewhere during those times. Thus, originated the iconic Baluchari saree.

A Temple in Bishnupur, Source: Wikimedia Commons

All was going well for the weavers of Baluchar, who received orders for these rare sarees from none other than the Mughal royalty. The emperors even ordered tapestries with Baluchari designs on them for decorating their palaces, while the women flaunted their expensive sarees.

Fate, however, had other plans. Natural calamities caused the mighty Bhagirathi to engulf the little hamlet of Baluchar. Those weavers that survived the flood moved to Bishnupur, a town in Bengal. A major portion of the original Baluchari craft was lost due to this unforeseen incident.

This was the time when the Malla dynasty ruled Bishnupur and built the terracotta temples, which are famous for their marvellous architecture. Soon, the Malla kings became patrons of the Baluchari designs and influenced the weavers to diversify their patterns to include Bishnupur’s temple art.

British Parliament in India, Source: Wikimedia Commons

This revival of Baluchari at Bishnupur, sadly, did not last long. Along came the East India Company of Britain. Among the many things that went downhill when the British arrived in India, the textile industry was one of the worst affected. The British were more interested in gathering raw silk from the country and did not care much about the finished products of handloom. At first, the weavers tried to woo the British by designing motifs that depicted British life and not just tales of Indian society. It was evident that the British were still not particularly keen on it.

The art of Baluchari dwindled and died a painful death, alongside the handful of the next generation weavers of the craft. With no market to sell, the looms vanished from the face of the town of Bishnupur and with no one remaining to hand down the knowledge to, the art itself became extinct.

A Silk Weaver, Source: Wikimedia Commons

The rough era for Indian textiles was long but no matter how dark the nights are, the sun has to rise sometime. After India gained independence, the new age ushered in the restoration of Indian textiles. Connoisseurs of silk sarees took it upon themselves to bring back the lost art of Baluchar. In order to do so, they had to modernize the procedure a bit to suit the pace of the 20th-century manufacturing industries and the taste of contemporary customers.

Jacquard looms replaced some of the hand looms to speed up the Baluchari-making process. Some of the finest weavers from Bishnupur who worked on other forms of silk sarees learned the working of the Jacquard looms and used them to revive the lost patterns of Baluchari. Thus, the elegant sarees breathed a new life while also simplifying the otherwise excruciating motif-designing techniques originally applied by the weavers.

Modern Sarees in a Shop, Source: Wikimedia Commons

Even though, with the comeback, Baluchari sarees found a suitable market, especially among the rich strata of society, it saw an unfortunate decline again due to the rapid westernization of clothes. Towards the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the demand for these sarees went down. As women chose more comfortable clothing and lighter sarees over these heavily brocaded, high-maintenance sarees, the weavers of this unique piece of art began to feel the heat again.

In the contemporary world, the sale of ethnic sarees has seen an upswing again owing to more awareness among the younger generation and the willingness of some activists to not allow culturally significant textiles to be washed away. In spite of this, the market is still not what it used to be back when the customer base was more into silk sarees.

To solve this challenge, certain celebrity designers have come up with innovative ways to represent Baluchari art. Products like Baluchari dupattas, skirts, scarves, and even handbags are making an entry into the market. The idea is to promote the ancient craft without having to confine it within the pallu of a saree. With sustained efforts, this rich brocading style will likely evolve and reach many more markets in the future.