Know More About Bandhani Saree & Their Cultural Connections

Many people don’t know what a Bandhani saree is. This blog will work as a guide for them.

Bandhani word is a derived Sanskrit or Hindi word ‘Bandhana’, which means to ‘tie’ something. Bandhej is a variation of this word. But you must be thinking that how Bandhani is a name of saree. Right? Bandhani is a traditional ‘tie and dye’ method which is impermeable in nature and done of the fabric. It looks beautiful and generally circular in pattern.

Bandhej is one of the oldest techniques and started around 5000 years ago. It is said that first Bandhani saree was worn a Bana Bhatt’s Harshacharita in a big royal marriage. The oldest visual of this saree is shown in the Ajanta caves.

When we talk about India, the first Bandhani work was started by the Khatri community, first found in Gujarat. Other than this, there were some centres of Bandhani saree producers, these are, Sikar, Jamnagar, Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bhilwara, and Bikaner. This ancient art is still loved by many people.

Technique for producing Bandhani sarees:

Bandhani saree has its own incredible history. This technique is used by many people as they love its final result. Here, the fabric is tied using different small things and then dyed using some extraordinary colours. When the experts dye these tied fabrics, the tied part doesn’t absorb the colour and remain white or the same colour as the cloth. Once they completed this method, they left the cloth to dry in the open air. The dying tie also varies as you can’t judge the weather conditions. In monsoon season, the cloth takes almost 2 days to get dry, while in the summer season, it only takes 4-5 hours. Always consider the absorbing properties of the cloth.

Traditionally, cotton and muslin cloth was used to make a Bandhani saree. But with the demands and increasing love for other fabrics, the producers start producing it on georgette, silk, cotton-silk, viscose and other variants of cotton fabric. All of the fabric has its own dying properties so the technique will behave differently on each.

Different variety of Bandhani saree:

Bandhani saree is considered to be the most colourful saree. It is a combination of different colours, patterns and designs, which may depend from region to region. The common colours of this saree patterns are Blue, red, black and green. It is not just about dots, it includes shapes like waves, stripes, and squares. It may depend on the cloth tying techniques. The common patterns are Shikari, Leheriya, Ekdali, and Mothra.

Not only on sarees, but you can also see this pattern on Kurtas, chaniya cholis, salwar kameez, and dupatta. There are different types of tying techniques involve in Bandhani. Some of these are in the single knot, double knot, four knots, mountain pattern, small dots, teardrop shape, and diamond shape. Different colours indicate different meaning in Bandhani form.

Types of Bandhani sarees:

• BorJaal: This type of Bandhani style is mostly used in Wedding Sarees. It is fuller and intricate in nature and is quite popular in Marwari people. Its name is means jaal or web that is why it is fuller and colourful in nature. It is basically done on the georgette saree.
• Jhankaar: This saree is very colourful and vibrant in nature. It is known for its fine patterns and doesn’t have white or light dots on it. Like, a green saree will have red dots on it.
• Colour discharge: This saree is created using darker colour fabric. In this technique, the lighter colour is visible over the darker coloured pattern. It is mainly done by combining red dots on a yellow base.

Ways To Maintain This Saree:

It is very important to maintain a Bandhani saree as it is made up of loose and vibrant colours. These sarees are carefully rolled, pressed and finish before coming into the market. The same process should be followed by the saree owner. Try to press it with a steam iron. Don’t wash it at home and always give it for dry cleaning. This saree is delicate in nature so they may lose their colour if washed at home.

Bollywood Love The Bandhani Saree:

You must have seen many actresses wearing Bandhani dupatta. It is because it indicates the real colours of India.

Many Gujarati or Rajasthani serials or films use these sarees in their show. India loves this pattern as it looks different from others. Also, the bright colours of this pattern look amazing on screen, that’s the reason why many Bollywood and Hollywood actresses are spotted flaunting Bandhani.