GoCoop Odisha Team visited the biggest handloom hub of Odisha – Bargarh. The famous Sambalpuri weave or Ikat as it is known originated from this region. Rojalin, Prasenjit, Sunil & Pramod had great insights through interaction with the weavers who are also the state and national awardees.
GoCoop Odisha team members visited the handloom clusters of Bargarh last week. Bargarh is one of the biggest handloom zone of Odisha. It is a western district of Odisha. Bargarh is also called a business hub of western Odisha. "SAMBALPURI SAREES" originated from Bargarh district itself. Hand woven sarees and other Sambalpuri, mostly known as Ikat clothes are made in Bargarh District. Padmasree Kutarth Acharya was the founder of Sambalpuri clothes and he is the founder of the biggest primary cooperative handloom society of the world, “Sambalpuri Bastralaya”. Bargarh zone has total 8 handloom clusters and most of the products are cotton and silk ikat(Bandha) sarees. Dress material, stoles, bedcovers are also woven by the weavers of Bargarh. Most of the weavers are state as well as national awardee in Bargarh district.
The weaving in the cluster by the traditional weavers’ community popularly known as "Bhulia" came in to existence during mid of 17th century and with increase in their population, they spread to other nearby places. They initially belong to Rajasthan and were presented during the 14th century to the ruler of Patna State, a king of Chouhan dynasty "Ramai Deb". Later on they were presented to the king of Sonepur during the 16th century and scattered to the nearby district i.e., Bargarh in the next century.
Unlike the Tie-Dye work of other states of India, the motif and designs of the cluster are infinite in number and every motif or design is categorized under a special caption. No design is let out without giving it a name. It shows the creative mind of the weavers of the region.
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