Meeting Kotpad weavers at their village | Koraput vlog скачать в хорошем качестве

Meeting Kotpad weavers at their village | Koraput vlog

Kotpad is the first product from Odisha to be granted the Geographical Indication tag. Woven by Mirgan and Tanti community of Koraput district of Western Odisha, these were originally made for local tribal population. Weaving is practised in many villages, and Kotpad town primarily acts as the trading centre. The manufacturing process of Kotpad is time-consuming and relies only on natural methods. Cotton yarns are first thoroughly washed and squeezed dry with feet. They are then treated with hot castor oil and washed again. Followed by mixing in cow dung and drying completely. Wood ash boiled water is next poured on them and allowed to dry on wooden rods. This is repeated for 15 days. Finally, they are washed in pond and sun-dried. The characteristic of Kotpad is the usage of vegetable dyes derived from root bark of 'aal tree' that grows locally. The powdered form, when mixed with hot water, first adds orange colour to the yarn. When treated twice, it deepens to maroon. To get brown, further mixing is done by adding 'hirakashi' or ferrous sulphate and 'haritaki' or myrobalan. A true Kotpad will not have any other colour. Weaving is done in a three-shuttle pit loom made of wood and bamboo. Yarns are sprinkled with rice starch before fixing to the loom. Traditionally, thick yarns are used, though now finer cotton is employed to appeal to the mass. Kotpad patterns are inspired by nature and life in the villages. Kotpad is nowadays woven mainly for modern sarees and yardage. Local women hardly wear their traditional weave as often these are out of reach for them. They are, however, heavily involved in the production of these fabrics, and the preparation of yarns is entirely done by them. Weaver Rajendra Tanti +91 63715 79718 (edit: I've been told that his number is unreachable many a times. I'm sorry I cannot help with this.)