Bengal’s extinct Bluchari, hand-woven fabric is set to make a comeback with the efforts and promotion by Tantuja, state government’s weavers’ cooperative society and Weavers Studio Resource Centre (WSRC), an NGO working for revival of Bengal’s lost textile traditions. They have unveiled a series of initiatives under the programme “Baluchari: Bengal and Beyond” to revive the sarees.

Baluchari sarees have been a part of Bengali family heirlooms with traditional motifs -borrowed from epics, religious texts and local legends. “It’s interesting how weaving traditions migrate from one place to another,” said Craft Council of India President, Kasturi Gupta Menon.

The revival project aims at recreating its traditional designs and exploring new directions for the future, said Darshan Shah, Director of WSRC, who is design curator of the exhibition being held from November 18 to December 4 at Birla Academy of Art and Culture. The exhibition showcases nearly 50 exquisite Baluchari sarees (the oldest of which is 150-year-old), historical prices from Tapi collection and contemporary ones from Bishnupur and Beneras. WSRC and Tantuja will make 12 looms operational in the first year with an aim to generate 1,000 jobs in the next two years, said Tantuja MD Rabindranath Ray.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Bankura MP and actor Moonmoon Sen. Swapan Debnath, Minister of State for Textile and Handloom (Independent) presided over the programme. Rajiva Sinha, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME & T Dept. Govt. of West Bengal was the guest of honour in presence of Rabindranath Roy, MD Tantuja,. Tapan Sharma, Dy Director, Weavers Service Centre, Kolkata and Dipal Nath, Development Officer (Handloom), Bankura.

Source: The Times of India