A point-of-sale display of jamdani saris and other hand-woven products is under way at the Bangladesh National Museum at the capital’s Shahbag area.
The ten-day exhibition, organised jointly by the museum and Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation, features a total of 38 stalls set up by traditional weavers from the Rupganj of Narayanganj district.
The stalls feature mainly jamdani saris as well as other fabrics including salwar kameez, scarf, wrap, shawl and handkerchief and so on – all adorned with typical jamdani designs of the loom. The fabrics are distinguishable by their high-quality cotton, vivid colours and the exquisite painstaking methodology used to produce them.
The designs have variations too, some depicting animals, some depicting plants and foliage, while others showing geometrical lines and figures. Figured or flowered, however, the saris come in different prices, the lowest being around Tk 3,000 while the highest price being Tk 60,000.
‘The cost of a sari depends on the quality and complexity of its designs, and also the quality of the fabric,’ said Mohammad Abu Said, a jamdani weaver and proprietor of Farhad Jamdani Weaving Factory.
Mohammad also said weaving jamdani runs in his family. ‘My father and grandfather were also jamdani weavers. It was because of them that I took up jamdani production as a profession,’ he said.
Another jamdani weaver, Jahirul Islam, proprietor of Setu Jamdani Kuthi, said there has been a gradual rise in the jamdani industry in recent years. ‘Working opportunities have increased in recent time. We are getting regular orders from boutique shops,’ he said.
The art of weaving jamdani has been declared by UNESCO as a Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, bringing international recognition for this indigenous weaving tradition of Bangladesh.
The exhibition is being visited by people from all walks of life. ‘I am very fond of jamdani saris and I have come to the show to buy saris straight from the traditional weavers of Narayanganj, who are known for their work,’ said Shimana Nasrin, a government service holder.
The exhibition will remain open for all until July 10.
-With New Age input
