What is a Patan patola?
Of all the fabrics made in Gujarat, the Patan patola is the most famous. Kings ordered them. They were traded to Indonesia for centuries. One saree takes four to six months to weave, and a real one costs as much as a small car.
What is double ikat?
In ikat, the threads are tie-dyed before weaving, so the pattern is in the thread itself, not printed or embroidered on top. Most ikat dyes only one set of threads: either the long ones or the cross ones. Double ikat dyes both. Both sets must line up perfectly on the loom, or the pattern gets blurry. Patan is one of only a few places in the world where this is done.
How a patola is woven
Two people weave together on a slanted loom, adjusting the threads by hand. They finish only a few centimetres a day. The Salvi family of Patan has done this for about nine hundred years. Today only a few households still do it.
The patola saying
Padi patole bhat, phatey pan phite nahi.
It means: the pattern on a patola may tear, but it will never fade. Because the colour is in the thread, this is true.
Patola patterns
- Nari kunjar: women and elephants.
- Pan bhat: betel leaves.
- Phul vadi: flower gardens.
- Chhabdi bhat: baskets.
Patan patola vs Rajkot patola
Rajkot also weaves patola, but as single ikat, where only the cross threads are dyed. It is beautiful and costs much less. Most people who say they own a patola own a Rajkot one.
How to tell them apart: turn it over. A Patan double ikat looks the same on both sides, and the pattern edges are clean. A Rajkot single ikat has slightly feathered edges on the pattern.
How to care for a patola
A patola lasts a lifetime and is passed down. Store it in muslin cloth. Refold it along different lines twice a year. Never keep it in a cupboard with naphthalene balls.
Questions people ask
Why is a Patan patola saree so expensive?
It is double ikat. Both the long and the cross threads are tie-dyed before weaving, and they must line up perfectly on the loom. Two weavers work only a few centimetres a day, so one saree takes four to six months.
What is the difference between Patan and Rajkot patola?
Patan patola is double ikat. It looks the same on both sides, with clean edges on the patterns. Rajkot patola is single ikat, with only the cross threads dyed. Its pattern edges look slightly feathered, and it costs a fraction of the price.
Does a patola fade?
No. The colour is in the thread, not printed on the cloth. That is why people say a patola may tear but will never fade.
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