English
বাংলা
The story
Jamdani descends from the fine cotton cloth that made Dhaka famous under the Mughals. Its home today is the stretch of villages along the Shitalakshya river in Narayanganj: Rupganj, Tarabo, Noapara, Siddhirganj and parts of Sonargaon, with Demra on the Dhaka side long known for its weekly saree haat. In 1991 the government set up the BSCIC Jamdani Palli at Tarabo so that weaving families could work and sell in one place, and the craft is still passed down within households.
What sets jamdani apart is the way the pattern is made. The ground is a plain weave, but each flower, vine or geometric figure is laid in by hand with a separate, slightly thicker extra-weft thread, slipped between the warp threads with a fine bamboo needle, one row at a time. Two weavers usually sit side by side at a pit loom, and they work from memory rather than from a drawn plan. A simple saree can take a couple of weeks; a densely patterned one can occupy a pair of weavers for months.
In 2013 UNESCO added the traditional art of jamdani weaving to its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, and in November 2016 jamdani became the first product registered under Bangladesh's Geographical Indication Act, with the certificate going to BSCIC. The GI covers jamdani woven in the traditional way in its home area, which matters because power-loom copies and Indian jamdani sarees are both sold widely under the same name.
How to spot the real Jamdani saree
Turn the saree over. On a hand-woven jamdani each motif is built from its own short thread, so the back shows the same design, a little softer, with small thread ends tucked or left near the edge of each motif. A power-loom copy usually carries the pattern thread right across the width, so the back shows long floats running between motifs, or a row of neatly clipped stubs where they were trimmed. Look closely at the motifs too: handwork leaves tiny differences between one flower and the next, while machine motifs are identical. The selvedge of a handloom saree is slightly irregular, and the cloth feels light and airy rather than stiff or glossy.
Thread fineness (count) is a large part of the value. Fine jamdani is so light it can be crumpled in a fist; a heavy, dense saree with crowded motifs at a low price is almost always machine-made. Ask whether the saree is full cotton, half-silk or resham, because sellers use all three. A deep, intricate pattern takes weeks of two people's labour, so very cheap "Dhakai jamdani" with heavy all-over work is a strong warning sign.
Buying tips
Price follows thread count, how much of the saree is covered in motifs, the yarn (cotton, half-silk or silk), and whether zari is used. Ask the seller who wove it and where, how long it took, and for close photos of the reverse side and the selvedge before you agree a price. Remember that GI registration protects the name; it is not a label sewn into each saree, so judge the weave itself.
On Midmart each shop is independent: it sets its own delivery charge, so sarees from three shops come as three parcels with three charges. Midmart does not take your money or deliver the parcel; you and the seller agree payment and shipping directly. Before you pay, confirm the return or exchange terms if the saree turns out to be power-loom, and ask how it will be packed so it does not arrive creased or damp.
Keeping it fresh
Dry-clean a jamdani, or hand-wash it gently in cold water with a mild shampoo, never wringing it. Dry it flat or on a line in the shade, as sun fades the colours and weakens fine cotton. Iron on low heat with a cloth over any zari. Fold it loosely and change the folds every couple of months so the threads do not crack along the creases, and keep it wrapped in a clean cotton or muslin cloth rather than plastic. If you use naphthalene, wrap the balls in paper and keep them away from the fabric, as direct contact can stain; dried neem leaves are a gentler alternative.
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Shops from where it is made
Every shop on Midmart collects payment its own way and arranges its own delivery — Midmart never handles your money or your parcel. Delivery is charged per shop: order from three shops and you pay three delivery charges.
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Sources and photo credits
- Banglapedia: Jamdani
- New Age: Jamdani 1st GI product of Bangladesh
- Wikipedia: Jamdani
- Wikipedia: BSCIC Jamdani Village
- The Daily Star: Can heritage fabrics sustain competition?
- A jamdani saree on the loom at the BSCIC Jamdani Palli, Tarabo, Narayanganj — Photo: Wasiul Bahar · CC BY-SA 4.0 (source, CC BY-SA 4.0)