Kota Doria (Rajasthan)

Few weeks back, over one weekend, I was busy doing a summer cleaning project and came across a rather heavy and large size box in our garage. Dust had settled on the box. After I carefully wiped the dust away, the label on top of the box caught my attention. The label on the box read, “Kodak moments!”. My little one, who was right next to me, curiously asked, “Mom, what’s Kodak moments?” I instantly replied, “An equivalent in today’s world would be Instagram!” One word said it all.
Kota_flower_saree
“Why are Instagram photos in this box?”, was her immediate response. “Well, before digital cameras, or smartphones existed, people used to take photos using cameras with photo films in it. Then, they would print them to view them. Printing photos was the only way to view photos. Kodak was one of the well-known companies who manufactured photo films, and then provided services to print photos onto a special paper. To preserve the photos for an extended period, we used these albums and neatly arranged photos in it. This makes sure that we don’t spoil the original photo by touching it. This box has all of those photo albums. Can you imagine Instagram, but on a paper? That’s exactly what this is.”

I forgot my cleaning project and quickly diverted my attention to the colorful treasure in the box. I was thrilled to open the box. There were albums from my first birthday, childhood family trips, college days etc. Along with that, there were some photos of my parent’s childhood days with my aunts & uncles or with grandparents etc. Basically, a box full of family photo albums dated before digital era. I sat down, chuckled, and began flipping through the albums.
My mom had an intricately woven saree with fine checkered weaves, shimmering zari work on it. She adorned it on multiple occasions. As I flipped through the albums, in many photos I noticed mom looking stunning, wearing this exclusive ornate saree. From her pre-marriage days through few of my birthdays, it elegantly witnessed many family events together with her. I remember wearing the same saree too, in my own college years as well as at my son’s birthday party. In spite of all the glittering zari work, saree always felt very light weight and chic. Suddenly, I had to find out what this stylish, luscious saree was called. It took me a long time to identify its root, weave, and design. A saree older than me, and still in a great condition today, was worth that effort.

Kota Doria, also called Kota Dori, is a unique blend of cotton and silk in a square check pattern. This almost weightless textile is very popular for its gossamer feel, sheerness and corded texture. its airy, translucent, and ideal for hot and humid weather. The checked pattern is termed as ‘khat’ and is one of the distinguishing features of the Kota Doria fabric.

Origin/History: Kota sarees are popularly known as ‘Masuria‘ in Kota and Kota Doria outside the state of Rajasthan. ‘Doria‘ means thread.

The beginning of this exquisite fabric is mired into mystery and not much is known in written form about the exact date/ period of the initiation of Kota Doria, as it is practiced today. Its’ origin as a craft is shrouded in mystery and several tales passed on by way of mouth can be still heard.

KotaDoria_printed

One story goes that in the 18th century, Mughal army general Kishore Singh, while on a campaign down south for the Mughals, was so impressed by Mysore’s weaves that to make those ephemeral sarees for his queen, he brought back some weavers from Mysore to Kota and since then these traditional sarees are being manufactured in Kota.
Its name as Kota Masuria in itself is quite enigmatic. Within Kota, the sarees are still called Masuria, an allusion to the Mysore origin of the technique. But again, there’s a counter view about this name. Some people hold that Masuria refers to the tiny checks, about the size of a lentil seed (‘masur’ in Hindi), that are the most common motif in Kota sarees.

Rajasthani royalty primarily patronized by Maharao Bhim Singh favored this fabric since it portrayed effortless grace and style. The art of using open khat patterns on fabric was so intriguing that it was highly appreciated by the elite. Even today, the traditional ways of setting patterns, making graphs, dyeing and yarn setting are little changed due to the high-efficiency of the methods.

Designers such as Vidhi Singhania & Azgar Ali, a master weaver and national award winner have been instrumental in reviving these sarees in the designer patterns again.

Region: If Banarasi and Kanjeevaram sarees are the flavor of winter, Kota sarees rule through summer. Light and airy, these are an excellent protection against the north Indian heat. Initially, called Kota Masuria, there were later renamed Kota Doria as the weaving practice became more entrenched in the Kota district of southeast Rajasthan, primarily in Kaithoon, which is located approximately fifteen kilometers away from Kota.

Many villages surrounding the districts Kota, Bundi and Baran in the state of Rajasthan are involved in the making of Kota Doria fabric. The highest number of producer communities is based in the village of Kaithoon. Villages like Kotsuwan, Siswali, Mangrol and Sarnsan are also the hubs of Kota Doria weaving. The ‘Ansari’ community of the Hadauti region is largely known for practicing this craft.
Also, recently Kota sarees are weaved in Muhammadabad Gohna, Mau in Uttar Pradesh as well.

KotaDoria_Rajasthan Though the saris found in Rajasthan have a high yarn count, Kota is famous for its fine weaves and low yarn count, primarily due to the presence of Chambar, a perennial river, which makes the air moisture-laden. The greenery present in the otherwise dry state and the presence of black soil also contributes the cultivation of excellent quality cotton in the area. Kota has the distinction of being one of the three fine count cotton-producing regions in the northern part of India, the other two being Chanderi and Maheshwar.

KotaDoria_PolkaDot Innovations in this craft transformed the textile from plain turban cloth to saris designed in varied range of motifs. Additional richness was incorporated by use of embroidery and zari. Cotton yarns in both warp and weft directions were replaced by silk and zari, vibrant rich colors along with naturalistic and stylized motifs gave a new variety to the craft, making the fabric more appealing. While the middle class locals preferred simple cotton fabric that would be suitable for the prevailing hot climate, the elites demanded opulent embellished Doria attire with brocade work and fine silk strands.

Material and Variations: Kota Doria is a very fine weave and weigh very less, has a distinctive woven fabric with a unique square-checked pattern crafted on fine silk, cotton or a blend of these two fibers.

The Kota saree’s weft is woven using a reel mounted on a slender frame that is flung from side to side between the raised warp. Pedals set in a pit below the loom are used to raise the warp for this ‘shuttle’ to glide through. No wonder then that a day’s labor yields only about two feet of fabric — less if it incorporates a complex motif. They smear onion juice and rice paste with a lot of care into the yarn making the yarn so strong that no additional finishing is needed.

The warp is also prepared by a fascinating, even if slow, process that requires two persons to walk round and round a long framework of sticks on which the fiber is stretched. In a word, the tools of a Kota weaver are rudimentary; the magic of the weave lies entirely in the skill.

Initially, the fabric was only made up of cotton, but later silk was weaved in as well, which made it more chic and refined. A square comprising 14 yarns – eight of cotton and six of silk – makes the most common Kota Doria, referred to as ‘khat’. Approximately 300 to 350 khats constitute the width of the fabric that can be woven on the loom. The final fabric prepared is extremely delicate for this reason.

Common designs: Kota Doria sarees and suits are available in 3 different styles: basic, printed and zari. This makes it a versatile fabric since it can be worn for either a casual or a dressy occasion. The plain sarees have checks that are mainly made of a slightly rough cotton texture or just plain gold threads. Block printing is one of the new techniques being used when it comes to adorning Kota Doria sarees, which gives it a fresh feel look. And last but definitely not the least, is the zari work which gives the saree a more graceful and stylish appearance.

KotaDoria_Cotton The traditional Kota Doria is white or beige in color,in order to beat the heat.However, they came in five different shades of white, namely ‘conch shell’, ‘sea foam’, ‘jasmine’, ‘moon’ and ‘cloud’. As sarees were revived,with natural dyeing process, the fabric come out in bright hues like pomegranate red, purple, red, turquoise, lapis blue, turmeric yellow and saffron. Now you can even get a black Kota Doria, never mind the heat.
The use of golden zari, especially for the borders, is also prevalent. Vibrant hues with ornate borders are used for festive wear sarees, as is customary for cultural traditions.

Where to buy from: Very little has been written on Kota Doria. Kota saris display individuality with a bit of embroidery and border patches, making them totally exclusive. Kota sarees are a wonderful way to look stylish at work or a casual evening.

Prices for cotton Kota Doria could range between Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 6,000. Designer work and zari border sarees would cost much more than simple cotton sarees. It’s now easy to buy Kota sarees online in stunning patterns and different hues.

KotaDoria
Fabric Lore
GoCoop
& M.K & Sons, Churni Road, Girgaon, Mumbai

I carefully moved the heavy box of albums into my room. digitizing all the family photos would be my next project. Mom’s opulent Kota Doria designer saree is a priceless gift for me. It has a special place in my heart & in my wardrobe. This saree is now happily waiting to be featured in Instagram photos at next family event.