Tana Bana - Bhujodi
Materials:
Traditionally the fabric was woven in wool but more recently, the weavers have started experimenting with a combination of cotton and silk.
• Chaukhta (wooden frame to wrap thread)
• Wheat flour
• Loom
Process:
The yarn, in its raw form, is soft & breakable. It can get easily entangled. Thus, a thin paste of wheat flour with water is boiled and a bunch of woollen strands is soaked in it. It is sun-dried and separated by combing them apart.
Tana – Warping:
This thread is then warped on a wooden frame called ‘Chaukta’. Mostly a woman is assigned this job. Preparing the weft – with the help of a hand-made machine that spins the thread onto a spindle, the weft is prepared.
Bana – Weaving:
The yarn is laid on the loom and it is prepared for weaving where the long thread Tana, intersects with Bana, the shorter one, hence weaving here is called ‘Tana Bana‘. The loom has the shuttle movement controlled by a foot-over pedal. Weaver then starts the intricate work process of passing the thread through the warp manually.
The finishing includes tassels, decorative embroidery, new weaved designs and mirrors among others.
