GROUP 1 KOTA DORIA CRAFT CLUSTER

Bore- These are bamboo Buhari- Broom made with
sticks used in a bunch of wild grass for applying
four during the preparation starch on warp.
of warp and during sizing. Bedia- It is a unique brush
Usually 36 bunches are tak- with Khas bristles, used for
en for a warp length of 30 brushing the warp after ap-
metres. plication of size solution so
Kamadi- Bamboo sticks as that size is evenly applied
lease rods. and yarns do not stick to
Hollow Steel Rods – A each other. It is made up of
pair of stainless steel rods a special kind of coniferous
are used for turning and leaves found exclusively in
squeezing hanks of cotton Kashmir.
and silk while dyeing in a Tangi
hot dye bath. This is a thin , tapered bam-
boo stick, 5 inches long with
a slit and is used for drawing
warp ends through heddle
shafts

51

1 ABOUT PIT LOOM

The Kota Doria fabric is woven on the Throw Shuttle
Pit Looms that are straightened by carpenters residing
in the villages and are present in almost all the house-
2 holds of Kaithun’s Ansari Community.

Throw shuttle pit looms have permanent structures
most of which are made from Bamboo wood in addi-
tion to steel variants of old wooden equipment.

3 4 10
7
52
8

6
95
11

PARTS OF A PIT LOOM

1 3 5
Warp Beam Roller/ Thapa – Warp Beam- It is a cylindri- Belan
It is a cylindrical rod hanging cal wooden or metal beam Roller used for tying heddle
from the ceiling placed on the on which the warp is wound. shafts
top of the loom and has roll-
ers on it that direct the warp 4 6
yarns to the loom. Kamadi/ Lease Rod – These Kuta and Rule
are steel rods placed between Part of heddle shafts fixed into
2 the warps whose function is the ground
Wajans/ Sats/ Sandbags/ to divide them into section-
Weights- The warp is fed al groups and help them to 53
from above while being form a shed.
hung on a rod tied to sand-
bags known as Wajans/
Sats whose function is to
maintain the warp tension
by acting as a counter-
weight.

7 8 9
Ranch/ Heddles- The warps Fani/ Kanghi/ Reed - Warps pass through a Shuttle Box/ Dhada- Just ahead
travel from above to the heddles comb-like structure known as Fani which of the reed is where the wood-
locally known as Ranch which is a local name for a Reed and is made of en shuttle box carrying the weft
consist of tightly tied- vertically a wooden frame inside of which stainless yarn’s spindle is present and
running nylon threads between teeth are attached. Weavers of Kaithun buy in the hollow mid part of the
a frame called the heddle shaft/ this from Banaras (Uttar Pradesh) due to shuttle which is thrown across
harness onto which these threads its highly finished surface and quality. The while weaving.
are tied. In Kaithun, weavers use reed has a shelf-like structure below it on
double-clasped heddles which which the throw shuttle runs when the shed 10
are connected to the treadles/ is formed. In the past, reeds' teeth were en- Kanpatti- When the fabric is
pedals, below, in the pit. When tirely made of wood but after growing usage woven, it passes through the
treadles are pushed it creates of 2 ply mercerized cotton yarn in the warp Kanpatti which is a wooden
a shed which is a gap between and facing problems such as wood swelling bar that aligns the fabric and
two different sets of warp yarns in monsoons, weavers started using sturdi- feeds it to the cloth beam,
through which the throw shuttle er iron teeth. After 15-20 years of using iron which is present a little be-
passes during weaving. reeds, the weavers switched to stainless steel low the main apparatus and
reeds (with a wooden handle) as the latter wounds onto it.
54 reduced yarn breakages during the beating.
The gap between the teeth is known as a
dent. The warps are passed through these
dents and the weaver moves the reed back
and forth, beating the last pick of the weft

Treadles/ Pedals- There is a small pit in 11
the ground having a considerate amount
of depth to accommodate the Treadles
which are pedals connected to the heddle
shafts. When it is pressed with the feet, it
operates the heddle frame up and down
producing a shed.

55

PRE-LOOM
PROCEDURES

5I6mage 28- Warp sheet

57

BOBBIN/PIRN Image 29- elderly women spin-
WINDING ning yarn

Equipments: Bicycle Charkha set up, Kandi
The process of winding is performed in the most tradi-
tional way that is by sitting on the ground and using hand-op-
erated ‘Bicycle Charkhas’. The setup consists of a wooden
charkha (a wheel) onto which yarns in the form of a hank are
stacked, a bicycle wheel connected to the pulley with a drive
band/rope, bobbins for warping, or small pirns for the weft
which are hollow wooden sticks locally known as ‘Kandi’.

The yarn end from the Charkha is coiled onto the pirn/
bobbin and is firmly held with one hand to maintain uniform
tension. The bicycle wheel is rotated manually by turning its
spokes, enabling the drive band to swirl the pulley that further
rotates the spindle transferring the yarn to the spools.

Both men and women can wind the yarns but in Kaithun
it is majorly done by women. As the process requires no elec-
tricity it can be done at any place at any time of the day.

58

WARPING

Equipments: Pinjara/Kadia/Creel/Spool rack, heddle
(Hatta),Spools, Bore, bamboo Kamadi
Kadia/Pinjara, which is a rectangular wooden frame
with holes on each of its sides, is used for holding the bobbins.
Several long narrow steel rods are inserted through each of the
holes threading the bobbins and arranging them in the frame.
After the bobbins are stacked, a warping heddle locally
known as ‘Hatta’ is used to arrange the yarn ends by passing
them through the eyes of the warping heddle ensuring that
they do not intermingle.
As the yarns flow from the Pinjara to the Hatta, the
whole set-up is taken outside where yarns are twisted by re-
peatedly turning the Hattha in sync with rhythmic hand move-
ments through a stretch of sticks dug into the street ground
(Bore).
The whole process is carried out by at least two persons,
usually old experienced women, non-weaving family mem-
bers, or by other hired persons with one of them holding the
Pinjara and the other holding the Hatta, doing rounds between
the two ends of the set-up. Frequency of khats required in the
fabric is planned before that determines the warp length. The
length is taken such that 1 warp can produce a set of 4-5 sarees,
each 6 ½ metres long including 1 metre for blouse (remaining
5 ½ metres for actual length of the saree. )
After warping, the yarns are coiled back in a hank and
sent for dyeing.

Image 30- Women of kaithun 59

making warp sheet.

DYEING 1 Image 31 – yarns getting boiled
3 with solutions.
Material: Gas Stoves, Water, Azo Free Dyes, Acetic Acid, Image 33 – extracting water
Dye Fixer from hank.
Silk and cotton (single and double-ply) yarns are manually
dyed by local dyers in dye baths with varying temperatures as per
their composition. Colours are selected from a shade catalogue by the
weaver or contractor.The process is carried out on the prepared warp
weft and involves the washing of the hanks/warps then dipping them
in a warm bath of dye, fixing the dye and thereafter further washing
and final drying.

The most commonly used process is direct dyeing as it is con-
venient for the dyer and have a shorter dyeing cycle as compared to
other processes that involve the following steps-
1-Preparing the dye to dye bath ratio - dyestuff is weighed and water
quantity is varied accordingly. The dyes used for the process are Azo-
free direct dyes and VAT dyes for cotton (cellulosic fibres) and silk
yarns (protein fibres) respectively.These dyes are also eco-friend-
ly-sustainable to use. Ooni (salt) colours and vegetable dyes (for spe-
cial orders) are also used.
2-Hanks are dipped in clean water for uniform dyeing.
3-Water is heated on a stove. Dye- bath for Cotton has a higher tem-
perature that reaches up to 80 degrees Celsius as compared to silk
(ranges from 60 to 70 degrees Celsius)

60

Image 32 – yarns getting pre- 2 4- Dyestuff is added and temperature is increased to the desired max
pared to rinse with sticks 4 point.
5- The dyers wear shoes that cover their feet in order to protect them
selves from burns.
6- Hanks are hung on metal rods and are dipped into the dyebath in a
cyclic motion for about 20 to 30 minutes and are then left to cool
down.
7- After the dyeing process, hanks are rinsed in cold water solution
containing Acetic acid (improves dye uptake) and are further dried
for the after-treatment stage.
8- The after-treatment stage involves the addition of dye Fixer (fixes
unfixed dyestuff and improves colour fastness) in cold water. Hanks
is dipped and squeezed in the solution for approximately 2minutes.
9- In Kota Doria, yarn dyeing is practised but for its different vari-
eties special fabric dyeing processes can also be followed after the
weaving stage to produce unique patterns such as tonal gradation,
tie-dye and multicolour shades.

Image 34- hank of yarns getting
dried.

61

SIZING

Equipment: Buhari, Bedia and Bore
The process of Sizing involves the following steps-
First, wheat flour is mixed in water and boiled. The mixture is then poured in a vessel through a fine muslin cloth that filters wheat
chaff and lumps leaving behind a smooth milky mixture.
Other sizing ingredients such as rice paste is boiled in water water which turns into a thick batter (Layi) and is strained using fine
muslin to remove lumps. The rice paste is then mixed with the juice of a locally grown wild onion which is extracted by first boiling and
then mincing it. The resultant mixture is known as ‘Maand’ which is brushed on yarns for lustre and soft texture.
Dyed hanks of yarn are manually laid across a stretch of bamboo sticks (Bore) in the street. After this, traditional labourers who
specialize in brushing the yarns use a broom made with wild grass locally known as Buhari to evenly apply the sizing paste after dipping
it into the sizing mixture. The broom also breaks the remaining lumps in the paste on the yarn surface and evenly distributes it among all
the warp yarns.
Followed by brushing, labourers use a unique brush (Bedia) made up of special kinds of coniferous leaves found in Kashmir, sweep
it across the lengths in order to separate the yarns and prevent them from sticking to each other and also smoothening its surface making
the weaving process easier.

62

1 2 3

To strengthen and tighten
the cotton yarns, combinations
of domestically available ingredi-
ents are used to obtain starch in
the form of a paste that enhances
the texture and structural proper-
ties of the yarn. Unlike silk, only
cotton yarns have to undergo siz-
ing as they lack smoothness and
strength.

Image 37- Separating yarns with hands

Image 35- Combing warps with brush

Image 36- Rice starch to apply on warps

63

DESIGN DRAFTING

Kota Doria sarees are famous for arranging the yarns in a definitive
Khat pattern throughout the length of a saree but creating a design
within the checks is nothing less than a monument to the artisan’s
craftsmanship.
Motifs in Kota Doria are not any random splash of imagination but a
deliberately planned composition in which the position of each yarn
carries tremendous significance.
Both ancestral weavers and professional Graphers known as ‘Naqash’
draft the desired pattern on a graph sheet (Naqsha) with utmost dil-
igence and transform it onto the fabric through the required tech-
niques. This process of design drafting is known as ‘Naqshabandi’.

64

Significance of graphs in Design Drafting
All the motifs in Kota Doria are made on Khats that are unique
square checkered patterns formed due to the yarn arrangement in
predefined proportions in warp and weft and planning for any mo-
tif that goes on Khats is designed on graphs. There exist two types
of graph sheets used in motif making whose Scale variations are as
follows –
1. 10 X 10 = 1 unit (Millimetre paper having ten squares per centi-
meter)
2. 20 X 12 = 1 unit (Millimetre paper having 12 X 20 squares)
In a 10 X 10 unit graph, 3.5 X 3-millimetre units represent 1 Khat or
1 check.
If a client demands for a motif to be developed on 20 Khats so on the
graph the design will stretch across 70 X 60-millimeter units. (3.5 X
3) X 20.
In a 20 X 12 unit graph paper, 7 X 7 (Dori) -millimeter units represent
1 Khat or 1 check because the units in this sheet are rectangular as
compared to the former squared one and so there is a magnification
of the motif into a more detailed design. The finishing of the motif is
more refined and detailed when developed in the 20 X 12-millimeter
graph as it makes the weaving through resulting in the product hav-
ing a high-cost price.

Image 38- grapher drafting design on graph 65

LOOM PREPARATION Image 39- Reed

Loom is set up by boys and men in Kaithun for weaving who are trained
by their elders. Setting up the loom for weaving involves the following
activities:
DRAFTING
Equipment: Heddle (Ranch)
For drafting Kota Doria warp yarns originating from the warp
beam are passed through the eyes of the Double clasped heddle known
as Ranch, as per the drafted design. The Ranch is made locally by the
carpenters of the village who have a precise skill for wood work that has
been running in their family through generations The warp threads are
drawn through the heddle eye. The heddles are controlled by treadles
which are placed inside the pit that enables the warp yarns to open for
shedding so that weft yarn can pass through it.
DENTING
Equipment: Reed (Fani)
After drafting, the yarns are filled in the reed which is a comb-
like structure in a frame, locally known as ‘Fani’. The reed consists of
multiple teeth (wooden or steel) having spaces between and those are
called ‘dents.’ Silk and cotton yarns pass through the dents in in a par-
ticular order known as the ‘denting order’ which is–1 silk yarn from
1 dent that forming the transparent background effect 2 cotton yarns
from 1 dent that form a definite Khat pattern with distinct yarn visibil-
ity.
Skilled artisans fill the reed on their own or outsource it to men
who are adept at this skill. The reed that they fill is made of a special
variety of bamboo found in Banaras and Ahmedabad and are available
in local markets.

66

PIECING / (Judai) (Alternative Method)
Since denting and drafting is a very tedious job, new warp yarns are knotted to the leftover or yarn ends of the previous set-up by mending
those using weaver’s knots. The weavers apply ash on their palms making it easy to hold and tie yarns. This process of joining the warp yarns
with the help of manual knotting is known as Piecing.

Step-1 Then tie thread is then placed under the broken end by the right hand
Step-2

Step-3

A loop is made with the tie thread around the left hand thumbnail, To form the knot , the right hand pulls the tie thread, while the left Right hand thumb is used to push the tail formed by the broken
and tie thread passed behind the tie thread end hand holds the knot sationary . There should be no pulling by left end , under the left hand thumb
hand
Step-4 Step-6
Step-5
67
Step-7

HANGING WEIGHTS Image 40- weights hung for
maintaining warp tension
After Piecing/Judai, the loom is set up. The warps are wound on a
warp beam that usually hangs from the ceiling or is attached on the
side wall at the back of the loom. Also on this beam, warps are tied
to Wajans filled with sand that helps in maintaining warp tension/
tightness so that the loom can operate smoothly for weaving.
Cotton yarns are taught with more weight as compared to silk.
Following are the weight charts for cotton, silk, and zari:
1)2.5 Kg in cotton
2)1.5 to 2.25 Kg in silk
3)Weight for zari is lesser than cotton and silk but is mainly depen-
dent upon the amount of zari to be used. If the weight exceeds the re-
quired measure, the yarns could break and cost heavily to the weaver.
4)For weight distribution, cotton and silk warps are divided into 4
groups each. Thus the 4 groups of cotton warp carry a total 0f 10 Kg
( 2.5 X 4 ) and Silk yarns carry approx. 8 Kg.
5)In all, almost 18-20 kg is carried by the warp yarns on a jaala mech-
anized pit loom.

68

MOTIF AND PATTERN WEAVING
IN KOTA DORIA

In the past, Kota Doria was more of a plain Khat fabric without elaborate motifs and was entirely made of coarse cotton yarns but as
time passed by, the weavers of Kaithun tried to venture into more intricate techniques of adding design to the Khats by attaching Jaala
and Jacquard mechanisms to the throw shuttle pit loom.

JAALA TECHNIQUE

•The weavers learned the art of Jaala weaving on their own and passed down this legacy of breath-taking craft to the younger generations
who are making full use of the guidance and skill of their ancestors into weaving these beautiful Kota Doria fabrics. Kota sarees having a lot
of motifs covering the body are made using the jaal technique.
•In jaala, the loom set-up is done by skilled men who arrange yarns according to the graph design.
•After the design is drafted, the warp is divided into sections based on the width of the fabric, frequency of Khats in the width and repeat size.
For a standard Kota Doria Saree with a width ranging from 46- 48 inches, a precise jaala is planned out.
In the pit, along with the treadles, one will find big iron needles ( Suae ) hung down on several vertically running threads so that the yarn
tension is maintained during weaving.
•Horizontally running sets of threads locally called Jaal Ke Dhaage or Jaala are tied above and below the warp yarns through which the ver-
tically tied threads pass and are placed behind the reed.
•The warp yarns are tied to the vertical threads set up. These threads are further divided into sections according to the graph. A rod that
remains above is held into place by cords
•A horizontal set of threads from the jaala above the warp is hooked to the rod according to the design draft with the help of hooks that lift
the warp yarns to form a shed.
•Usually, for the jaal technique, spindles (locally known as Tillis) of zari or dyed silk yarn are individually passed through each lifted warp as
an extra weft making it quite a tedious job but it is only through this indigenous arrangement that various detailed patterns can be achieved.

69

70

Image 41- an artisan weaving kota doria fabric71

with jaal technique.

72

JACQUARD TECHNIQUE

PREPARING THE PUNCHED CARDS
Setting up the jacquard takes place after the design graph is finalized. Following that, pieces of cardboards are punched according to the
required count in the design by striking a nail through a metal plate having holes in it.
JACQUARD MECHANISM
The threads controlling the warp are collected in the same heddle and are joined to a single counterweight (Wajan/Sat) through a string
hanging from above.
A string of punched cards controls the warp lifting mechanism. Warp threads on a loom are raised and lowered by the harnesses which
are hooked and sit inside the jacquard box that is hung from the ceiling.
Inside the Jacquard box, there is a cluster of needles and hooks in which needles are placed below the hooks. Each hook passes through
the needle and the needles are controlled by the holes in the card that wrap around a rotating perforated cylinder.
When the treadles are pushed, a frame containing hooks called ‘griffe’ rises. Inside the griffe there are a series of metallic ridges called
knives.
If there is a hole in the card, the needle will pierce through the hole and into the cylinder.
The hooks inside the mechanism will either catch on to the knife and be raised or they won't catch on to the knife and they'll stay down
which will raise and lower the harnesses along with the warp yarns.
The shuttle containing weft yarn can now pass through the raised warps (shed) and create the desired pattern.
After that, the weaver beats the weft yarn with a reed and makes the punched cards rotate by pulling a thread so the needles pass through
holes of the next punched card and the pattern can grow.

73

WEAVING Image 42- Artisan weaving

Equipment: Throw shuttle pit loom
Weaving the Kota Doria fabric is more than just a job.
As quoted by Mrs. Shehnaaz Bano “A weaver doesn’t only weave the
fabric, she weaves her dreams with it” in the Kota Doria documentary
video by Craftmark in association with AIACA.
The Kota Doria fabric is woven on the Throw Shuttle Pit Loom
that can be straightened by 5-7 carpenters residing in the village and
are present in almost all the households of Kaithun’s Ansari Commu-
nity. Looms are usually made in two sizes, the ones used for weaving
saree and curtains is 48 Inches wide and the other used for weaving,
dupattas or saafas’ is 36 Inches wide.
Each family member participates in this intricate weaving pro-
cess even if it’s a school-going child or an aged master weaver making
the fabric more than just a product but a souvenir of this traditional
craft.
In Kaithun, age-old Throw shuttle pit looms have permanent
structures of loom frame, healds, reed, sley, warp beam, backrest, front
rest, cloth beam, etc. most of which are made from teak wood, bamboo
wood in addition to steel variants of old wooden equipment.

74

MOTIONS OF THE LOOM

WEFT WARP WEFFILTLING

Shedding Picking Beating

Shedding- Action of the Heddles Picking- Action of The Throw Beating – Action of The Reed
A shed is an opening/space or a gap Shuttle
between the two sets of warp formed The reed is moved back and forth to
by the up and down movement of the Picking is the process of manually beat the last pick to align and tighten
heddle shafts that are tied and oper- propelling the weft carrying shut- the weave. The process is called beat-
ated by the treadles in the pit so that tle, from one side to another on a ing the last pick.
the shuttle containing the weft can shelf that is present below the reed,
run across the width of the loom. through the shed. One pick is formed
when the shuttle completes a single
run across the loom.

Taking Up- Action of The Cloth Beam
Finally, the woven fabric passes through the Kanpatti which is a wooden bar that feeds the finished cloth to the cloth beam and wounds onto it
by rotating its handle.

75

VARIETIES IN KOTA DORIA

Dyeing varieties

2 Leheriya 4

Image 44 Image 46
It is a traditional
Dhoop Chhawn style of tie-dye, a type of 5
resist dyeing technique
practised in Rajasthan. Image 47
A weft of one colour
and a warp of another colour 3 Bandhej
creates a new type of Kota
Doria called ‘Dhoop Chhawn’. Image 45
It is a type of tie-dye tex-
1 Rangoli tile decorated by plucking the
cloth with the fingernails and
Image 43 manually tying with the help of
Though in the making thread to create a resist pattern.
Tie and Dye of Kota Doria yarns are dyed
before weaving, recently very
few saris are also being dyed
The tie and dye tech- after weaving in multi co-
nique is being used to get the lours called ‘Rangoli variety’.
famous tie-dye effect after
76 the fabric has been woven.

Hand block printing varieties Printing varieties

68 10

Image 48 Image 50 9 Image 52

Ajrakh Printing Sanganeri Printing Image 51 Screen Printing

Digital Printing Kota Doria sa-
Ajrakh is a form of block This block-printing rees are being print-
printing in which the fabric is technique has its roots in ed via manual and
first printed with a resist paste Sanganer, Rajasthan, and Detailed digital automated screens
and then dyed on both sides. is printed in red and black prints are printed on (rotary and flatbed)
It is practised in Sindh, Paki- motifs on white material. Kota Doria using la- with intricate designs.
stan; Kutch in Gujarat; and ser or ink-jet printers.
Barmer, Rajasthan in India. 7

Dabu Printing Image 49


A type of
mud-resist block print-
ing from Rajasthan,
where natural dyes are
used in the printing.

77

Image 53- Phulkari EMBROIDERY

Gota Patti -It is a type of embroidery in which elaborate pat-
terns are created using applique technique with metals like gold,
silver, copper etc.

Aari Taari -Aari Taari is fine and delicate thread work made
using zari, cotton, and silk with a pen-like needle.

Chikankari-The white embroidery work uses herringbone
stitches on the fabric's back to fill in designs, creating a fine shadow
on the front.

Phulkari -Phulkari embroidery originates from Punjab in
which geometric and floral motifs are made in coloured silken
thread on the wrong side of coarse cotton cloth using darn stitch.

Muqaish -This embroidery technique involves twisting thin
metallic threads and embedding them into the lightweight fabric.

Kashidakari -It is a very elaborate embroidery practised in
Rajasthan which uses thick threads to create designs through fill-
ing stitches such as satin stitch, chain stitch, stem stitch and her-
ringbone stitch.

Sequin Embroidery -This embroidery uses tiny disk-shaped
sequins, which have a hole in the centre, which are embedded in a
fabric.
Shisheh / Mirror Work Embroidery -It is a type of embroi-
dery which involves attaching small pieces of mirrors or reflective
metals to fabric.

78 Image 54- Chickankari

COLORS

Rajasthan as we know it is sprayed in colors and
Kota Doria just absorbs them all in a beautiful way.
During the era of Raj, Kota Doria was only made in
two basic colors white and beige for turbans but lat-
er varieties of vivid hues became popular in odhnis.

Kota Doria sarees come in all shades one can find in a
color spectrum; pastels, dark, vibrant, dull, and bright colors;
breaking the conventional palette. Pastels work best in sum-
mers while dark earthy solids make a perfect combination with
silks and zari in winters. Consumers are given a wide range of
hues to select from so that everyone gets what they admire.

The most popular colors being Lal (Red), Rani (Pink),
Firozi (Turquoise), Peela (Yellow), Sinduri (Scarlet), Naran-
gi (Orange), Green along with soft pastels that are abun-
dantly found in markets of Kaithun and nearby districts.

Image 55- image of shade card79

PHOOL PATI GINNI BUTI NUG MOTIF ELEPHANT ’HAATHI’

TEMPLE PEACOCK ‘MOR’ STYLIZED PAISLEY PARROT ‘TOTA’
‘MANDIR’/’CHINH’ MOTIF
80

MOTIFS

In Kethun small flowers with high repetition are collectively called buti whereas the big flowers are called
buta.
-Ginni buti - very small round /gol buti
-Munga - a single check design inspired from Moong Daal
-Creepers made with the jaal technique are called Bel and can be seen spread throughout the saree’s body.
-Stylized Paisley motifs 
-Temple ‘Mandir’/’Chinh’
-Peacock ‘Mor’
-Parrot ‘Tota’
-Elephant ’Haathi’
-Pot ‘Gamla’
-Nug- motif made by one type/colour of yarns is surrounded by other type/colour of yarn
-Tree ‘Ped’
-Flower and leaf – ‘Phool Patti’

81

TYPES OF MOTIF ARRANGEMENT

Jamawar - In Kota Doria sarees, motifs that are woven closely to each other are called jamawars.
Jamawar is a layout for motif placement and includes various varieties such as kanguraa
jamawar, geometric floral jamawar, and jaal jamawars (all-over pattern).
Scatt border – In this large motifs are used on Palla and near the saree’s border but they keep
on receding in size as they move away from the edges forming motif gradation all over the body
but with the same motif.
Jaal- In this arrangement motifs are spread all over with curved floral vines, jungle scenes,
etc.
-Zigzag lines on Kota Doria sarees are called – Kanguraa. These can either be independently
woven or can be arranged all over the area and are called Jamawar Kanguraa.
-Chattai motif - A unique variation of stripes used to make checks using zari yarns on cotton
khats is found in Kota Doria
-Diagonal lines

82

Image 56 Image 57
Kanguura, zigzag pattern in kota Chhatai pattern in kota doria

doria saari. Saari

Image 58 Image 59 Image 60
Zamavar pattern in pallu of saari Scatt border in kota doria saari Jaal pattern in kota doria saari

83

SIGNIFICANCE OF KOTA DORIA

A nation's handloom and handicraft industry preserves the essence of the land's primitive sensibilities, which bind the people emotional-
ly with its culture and art. India has a rich profusion of crafts that provide livelihood to a large number of inhabitants. Most of the people
involved in the crafts come from rural and tribal backgrounds who have tried to hold onto their rich heritage despite accelerating urban-
isation. Many crafts disappeared due to sheer negligence from the people and some were abandoned in pursuit of a progressive life but
as a matter of fact, crafts do matter, people who make them matter and it is one’s responsibility to protect and propagate their existence.
The craft of Kota Doria survived through some huge transformational challenges because the makers refused to give up on their commu-
nal heirloom. The Ansari community of Kaithun cherish the craft and have the utmost respect for it as weaving Kota Doria products is
their livelihood that has been in their families for centuries.
“All the elders that I have known have acquired this tradition from their parents who in turn were taught by their parents and grandpar-
ents. All the people here in Kaithun have witnessed the process involved in this craft since they were kids and learned it by repeatedly
weaving, adding designs, winding and so on”
-In the words of Ms Shehnaaz Bano, a weaver of Kota Doria,on relationship between the craft and their community.

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It also plays a significant role in promoting sustainable development in society, economy, and environment and fostering social cohesion.

Women Empowerment Creating Sustainable Economies

All the people associated with the craft have a fair share in This craft creates facilities for makers such as organising work-
making it more viable and relevant. Although both men and shops for developing, sustaining and learning new skills along
women are involved in the processes of making fabric, most with holding exhibitions for showcasing their work. The arti-
of the weaving is done by women. Weaving the Kota Doria sans have also developed a diverse skill set and a broadened
empowers the women of the village and provides them with vision by forming co-operatives and collaborating with groups.
a reputed status that they certainly deserve. For the women All these activities have created a balanced yet progressive out-
weavers of Kaithun, weaving is a way of life that empowers and look in the current generations involved in the craft who are
rewards them and they hope and request everyone to support willing and able to take it further.
this traditional ancient craft that is feasible.

Kota Doria and Employment Ecologically Responsible

Almost all the age groups are involved in the craft even if it Kota Doria manages to reduce carbon impacts by careful-
pays a little. Thousands of adults and old people contribute ly managing all the processes and responsibly procuring raw
even to small-scale operations which makes the craft a sensible materials. From winding to weaving, all steps are manually
occupation. Understanding between the artisans has resulted done in households, involving materials that are natural and
in shared operations involving the production of the fabric. whose disposal is not a threat to the ecosystem. As Kota Doria
And so, the artisans have consistently maintained harmony is a handwoven product, its durability and quality are assured
with each other, resulting in a productive work environment. thus, the consumption of which will promote slow fashion.

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PRODUCT RANGE

In recent collections, Indian and foreign designers have Image 61 – A Kota Doria Lamp Image 62 – A Kota Doria curtain.
used the adaptable Kota Doria in a variety of ways, from clothes
for men and women to accessories like wallets and pouches to Image 63 – A Kota Doria duppata. Image 64 – A Kota Doria blue pillow.
home furnishings.
Initially only sarees and safas were produced but now the
weavers have discovered more products like accessories, hand-
bags, pillowcases, home décor, lampshades, home furnishings,
modern clothing etc. which can be made out of this creative weave.
The most traditional and known Kota Doria sarees have a cream,
unbleached base colour.
The golden zari is also used in traditional designs especial-
ly for the borders. These colours were decided upon due to the
hot climate for which they were originally made. The ones with
colourful shades are more modern and custom for cultural tradi-
tional occasions. Rare ones with periodic stripes of gold and silver
on the borders are very much admired by customers. Especially
during the festive season in Kaithun, there is an increased demand
for elaborate zari Kota Doria sarees by the women of the Jain com-
munity for their communal rituals. But most of the time, demand
remains focused on the minimal patterns due to the light weight-
less feel of the fabric.

Image 65 – A Kota Doria purse. Image 66 – Kota Doria saree

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PRODUCT COSTING

Cost of raw MATERIAL UNIT OF MEASUREMENT COST
materials Cotton Kilogram 700-800 rupees
MSRP of Kilogram
products Mulberry Silk Kilogram 5000-7000 rupees
Labour Zari 600-1000 rupees
Charges
MATERIAL UNIT OF MEASUREMENT COST
Basic / Dyed Fabrics Metres 200 - 500rs per/m
Metres
Dupatta Metres 700 - 2500rs
Basic Saree Metres 2000 - 3000rs
Heavy work Saree 4000-12000rs
Custom-made heavy Metres
work zari sarees up to 20000-30000rs

MATERIAL QUANTITY LABOUR CHARGES
Basic saree 5-6qty 1500-2000 Rupees/month
Zari saree 1-2qty 5000-7000 Rupees/month

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MARKETS AND MARKETING CHANNELS

In India, Kota Doria is a fabric having the finest most open weave that has led to its immense popularity throughout
the globe. The weavers make the most beautiful creations on their looms but sometimes it becomes difficult to promote their
products even on a state level due to limited knowledge in the field of marketing. So, they tend to depend more on direct sales
platforms (under their name via direct or indirect means), intermediaries (distributors, wholesalers and designers) or master
weavers who in turn exploit the makers by sparing limited money from the profits earned. The weavers also sell their products
to resellers who sell them under their brand to the final customer.
Most of the weavers in Kaithun sell their products in local markets where retailers further sell them to the customer in-
volving little or no marketing. Sometimes, weavers also get an opportunity to showcase and directly sell the product at large/
small scale exhibitions organised by the Central/State/Regional governments or NGOs in Kaithun, Kota or other regions.
With an increase in skill-oriented workshops and training, artisans have become more capable of deciding amongst
various channels of marketing and the most buzzing platform for such promotions is the internet. It was brought into light
that the artisans were directly selling their products via WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Amazon or through websites
operated by NGOs and SHGs they are linked with. The weavers are also showing keen interest in learning marketing and
e-commerce for reaching out to National and International clientele.
Customers
The clientele usually includes people who live nearby and are aware of the craft, elusive green consumers, craft-based
brands, handloom enthusiasts, millennials, highly educated people, civil workers, celebrities and weavers themselves. As the
Kota Doria saree is the primary product, most of the buyers are women but also, other genders who love the craft’s aesthetic.

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SWOT
ANALYSIS

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1)An interesting background of the being of Kota 1)The fabric used in Kota Doria’s making is quite
Doria helps it stay even more relevant along with expensive. Handmade sarees take more time to be
the unique features. Word of mouth helps a product prepared compared to the power loom sarees.
stand out when people have something interesting 2)Low level of innovation and technological ad-
to say about it. vancement makes it hard for Kota Doria to appease
2)Kota Doria holds a rich history and has survived the new generation.
almost three centuries making it a treasured craft. 3)The craft is not valued much these days as the
The product will be in high demand in the future as profit margin is low compared to how much labour
well due to its rich heritage and unique features. goes into it.
3)Kota Doria is a handloom creation. Craft and Han- 4)The productivity rate is quite slow which makes
dloom both play a big role in the psyche of consum- it harder for artisans to earn a decent wage.
ers as usually handmade products go for a higher
price in the market.
4)Kota Doria can be made with exclusive products
on demand making consumers lean towards it as
they get whatever is wished for.
5)Foreign markets seek for unique products like
Kota Doria which makes it an international seller.
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1)Kota Doria has a wide potential due to its unique- 1)Powerloom products could potentially take over
ness and customizable options which could easily due to their low costs.
attract foreign markets to it as they keep looking 2)Traditional weavers and the upcoming genera-
for new handmade crafts from India. tion of weavers could give up due to a low profit
2)The fabric used in this handloom can easily be margin and cut-throat competition from the global
incorporated in a high-end garment for couture markets.
shows. 3)The prices and taxes fluctuation could cause con-
3)Better marketing and exposure could boost the fusion making the artisans not willing to continue
handloom community as their products are real the craft anymore.
and high quality compared to the power loom 4)Replicas of the GI mark could be used by the
products. power looms illegally making it harder for the arti-
4)Creative innovation in design and production sans to sell any product.
processes can result in higher demand. 5)Less popularity of the product within its own
country could also cause lesser growth as there
would be no word of mouth in that case.

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KOTA DORIA
AND GI

• Kota Doria& GI
• Journey of attaining a GI
• Kota Doria Logo
• Handloom Mark
• Quality check
• Villages under Kota Doria GI
• Factors differentiating the
original Kota Doria from the fake
Kota Doria

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KOTA DORIA AND GI Image 67 – GI certificate of Kota Doria.

About GI (Geographical Indication)
Geographical indications are trademarks used by manufac-
turers in their original products that have a specific geographic ori-
gin and the quality and reputation associated with that origin. Geo-
graphical Indications are a part of the intellectual property rights
that comes under the Paris Convention for the protection of in-
dustrial property. GI is governed by the world trade organization’s
agreement.
GI tags are for the legal protection of the products and prevent un-
authorized use. It makes it easy for consumers to get quality prod-
ucts of desired traits sure of their authentic nature. Gi tag goods
can promote the economic prosperity of its producers by increasing
demands in national and international markets hence, contributing
to the country’s economic growth.
Due to its distinctiveness and connection to the region's traditions
and customs, Kota Doria has also been designated as a Geographi-
cal Indication (GI).

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STEPS TO ATTAIN THE GI

In India, geographical Indication is administered by the geo- Step one after accessing the officials through the above steps,
graphical indications of goods act, 1999. The first product in India to towards registering for a GI is filling out an application. The appli-
be awarded by the GI tag was the Darjeeling tea in 2004-05. Agricul- cation must be made in triplicate. The application should then be
ture-related products, food, wine, spirit drinks, handicrafts, and indus- signed by the applicant or their agent and then should be accom-
trial products are all commonly associated with geographical indica- panied by a statement of the case. Details of the characteristics that
tions. To act as a GI, a sign must identify a product as coming from a make the product unique and how its standards are maintained.
specific location. The product's attributes, traits, and reputation should Details of an inspection are given. If there are multiple producers,
all be influenced by its place of origin. There is an obvious link between a joint reference to all the producers of the goods should be made
the product and its original location because the attributes are depen- in the application and the GI for those producers’ products, If regis-
dent on the geographical location of production. tered will show up in the register. The Examiner will then be scruti-
Firstly, In case an applicant wants to access the physical office to nizing the application for any missing details. The applicant should
register for a GI, the GI registration office is situated in Chennai at the provide missing details within 2 months of contact. The content of
Shri Chinnaraja G Naidu Deputy Registrar of Geographical Indications, the statement of the case is examined by a group of experts who are
Intellectual Property Office Building G.S.T Road, Guindy, Chennai - 600 well versed on the subject. These examiners will determine the legit-
032. Applicants can also use phone and fax services at: imacy of the information provided. If any error or false information
Phone: 044- 22502092 is not corrected after giving the applicant a chance to do so, the ap-
Fax: 044-22502090 plication will be withdrawn by the registrar. The applicant can file a
Their Email can be accessed at: [email protected] , [email protected] notice of opposition if any objection exists.
A registered GI is valid for 10 years and can be renewed by paying
a fee. Any person unhappy with an order/ decision could appeal to the
intellectual property appellate board (IPAB) within three months.
In India, any association or person, or producer can apply for a GI tag.
If the applicant represents the interests of the producers of the goods
in question, they are awarded it only after a thorough historical and
empirical inquiry. If a product’s origin can’t be effectively traced be-
tween two states, then either should be ownership or none at all. The
respective state or the community needs to actively promote the prod-
uct and its respective industry.

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KOTA DORIA LOGO

Image 68 – Kota Doria illustration. Image 69 – Kota Doria logo made on graph paper. Image 70 – Kota Doria logo weaved on fabric.

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HAND LOOM MARK

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched the Handloom
Mark Scheme in 2006 to promote the handloom industry.
It aims to improve the livelihood of handloom workers by
providing recognition and collective identity to handloom products.
Buyers can use it as proof that the product they are purchasing is au-
thentically handwoven from India. In India, the Textiles Committee,
Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, administers the Hand-
loom Mark label, which is issued by the Development Commissioner
for Handloom. A handloom mark identifies a fabric that is handwo-
ven and has several unique characteristics.

A domestic mark and an international mark are available for
marketing. High end, elite handloom products are characterized by
woven designer labels in black with blue or red logos.
It was designed by NID Ahmedabad from an interlocking warp and
weft that forms a three dimensional cube when combined. Each
thread represents a collaboration between institutions and artisans.

Taffeta labels, measuring 1" x 2', are available at nominal cost
in batches to individual weavers, apex and primary handloom weav-
ing cooperative societies, Handloom Development Corporations, re-
tailers, and exporters upon application and registration.

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VILLAGES IN KOTA UNDER THE GI MARK

Baran district Kota district Bundi district
Mangrol Kotsuwan Bundi
Siswali Kansuwan
Anta Kathuri Keshoraipatan
Mandana Kapren
Mandawara Roteda
Sultanpur
Sangod

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