History of Kosa Silk
Legend has it, that after slaying the demon Mahishasura, Goddess Durga wiped the sweat off her brow. As the drops of her sweat fell on earth, the first Dewangan was born, destined to weave textiles that would reflect the brilliance of the mother Goddess. One of the most sought-after variants of Tusser, Kosa silk gets its name from the endearing term bestowed upon the Antheraea Mylitta worm which weaves this thread while roaming free in the heart of Chhattisgarh, spinning its cocoons on Arjun, Saja, or Sal trees that grow in the wild.
Its wild origins find new expression in the yarn which is venerated for its softness, sturdiness, and purity, traits commonly ascribed to the people responsible for bringing this gilded fabric to life.
The very process of spinning this yarn is unique to the womenfolk of Chhattisgarh, who deploy a ‘Thigh Reeling’ technique that is passed down from generation to generation, preserving traditional knowledge and protecting the craft of manual expertise. Even the sarees and fabric that are traditionally woven from this tread are crafted using the ‘Jaala’ technique, which rests upon the skill of each weaver. This is not a skill that can be learnt and replicated quickly, but instead is carried within the memory of a people. It is a craft that has been honed across generations.
For the people of Chhattisgarh, Kosa is more than just a trade or craft, it is a treasure tomb of their heritage, their birthright ,as the descendants of the Dewanagan, brought to life by the mother-goddess Durga.
Our Crafts
The process of reeling Kosa cocoons into yarn has traditionally been carried out by women, most often through a ‘thigh reeling’ technique. Once raw cocoons have been boiled and softened, Kosa filaments are winded over in the opposite direction of dry cocoon filaments to avoid them from getting entangled. Each filament is then taken from multiple cocoons and twisted together and joined with an already reeled yarn on a natva, a pre-loom handheld winding machine. As the natva is rotated in one land, filaments from multiple cocoons are twisted over the thigh in the other to ensure all the strands join and become one thread. This process is dependent on the weaver’s ability to synchronize the movement of her body along with the natva to get a perfectly crafted reel of yarn. She will often moisten her hands during this process, which helps in accentuating the natural lustre and shine of the textile.
Known to be first used around the 19th century, the jala weaving technique is used to create intricate motifs and patterns that cannot be achieved from a dobby mechanism. It is a simpler manual system of jacquard, but yet complex in its process. ‘Jala bandhna’ or tying of the jala means the warp threads are tied up to the horizontal threads across the width of the loom right behind the shafts. Each warp thread is tied individually to a particular horizontal thread that are to be lifted simultaneously as per the graph. It takes two artisans to weave the jala patterns as one person is required to sit behind the shafts over the warp and lift the jala threads manually with a wooden hook after every pick as per the repeat.
Phera technique is used extensively to create patterns in the borders. It requires two weavers to work in tandem. This three shuttle weaving enables interlocking of the body weft and the weft in the border. Phera which translates to ‘turn around’ means the shuttle takes a turn at the intersection of both the wefts. There are many variations to phera such as ‘kanghi phera’, or comb like structured phera, where multiple lines are intersected at the border. This technique also helps in color blocking in the borders and body of the fabric/saree.