Ode to Odisha

A BAHRAIN-raised Indian woman’s love for her home state of Odisha has drawn her to the beauty of the Odiya handloom, including the weavers, their looms and the exquisite fabrics they produce.

For Arunita Praharaj, who heads the corporate communications department at a law firm in Bahrain, the renowned range of textures is more about the weavers, who are mostly poor villagers from the suburbs, than it is about the colourfully rich clothing.

This strong desire to support her home state’s artisans prompted the 27-year-old to curate an Odiya handloom fashion show at the recently concluded Utkal Divas 2022 (Odiya Day). The event was held under the patronage of the Indian Embassy, themed on the arts of Odisha and was in line with India celebrating 75 years of Independence – Azadi ka Amrit Maholsav.

“Five years ago, even I had no idea what my state had to offer in terms of weave varieties,” said Arunitha, who lives in Saar with her parents Dr Arun Prahraj and Sunitha. “However, after learning about fabrics, weaving techniques and the plight of weavers and specific weaves that are becoming extinct, I felt it was something that more people needed to be introduced to.

“While most powerful Indian women wear sarees, popular culture has yet to learn about these eco-friendly fabrics and their importance to indigenous communities. I conceptualised and curated a handloom parade involving our members, showcasing weaves from various regions and segments of Odisha in an effort to raise awareness about the cause and demonstrate the diversity of Odisha handloom.”

Odisha (formerly Orissa), is an eastern Indian state known for its tribal cultures and ancient Hindu temples. It is equally known for its breath-taking handloom range from cotton to silk; demonstrating the unrivalled skills of its weavers. The state has the country’s second largest weaving population.

Arunitha’s love for her home state began as a schoolgirl.

“Being the only Odia child in my class, I was saddened to see classmates staring at me when Odisha was mentioned in our lessons alongside poverty, floods and famines,” she added. “In fact, I grew up around people who assumed I came from a state that merely shared cultures with its more vibrant neighbours. The representation has changed over the years and much of it can be attributed to the global community who have changed their image of their home state and worked hard to spread the word through Odisha’s soft power - Odissi, handloom, handicrafts, and our folk dances.

“Today, as Odias, we know who we are and are very proud of it.”

The handloom range for men, women and children alike reflects the state’s culture and is intricately and distinctly weaved, making it a prized heirloom. The one for the personal collection could be a Sambalpuri Ikat with geometric patterns to landscape and potraits, or a Bomkai cotton popular among fashion connoisseurs. The Berhampuri Paata is famous for its temple-shaped designs along the border and the Khandua Paata is traditionally red or orange in colour. The Kotpad Handloom is a vegetable-dyed fabric and the Habaspuri cotton and Saktapar/Pasapali feature chess patterns.

Arunitha recommends state and government exhibits as well as emporiums in India for Oriya handloom enthusiasts. Most of her weaves were sourced directly from the weavers’ villages during her trips to Odisha.

“Over time, I built a relationship with them and now communicate with them regularly to source weaves,” she said. “Others were a part of personal collections which were also initially bought from trusted sources.”

Among her favourites is the Kotpad handloom, the first from Odisha to get a geographical indication of India, and the Dongria, a gift of love from the Dongria Kondh tribe of the state. She cherishes a beige and black Kotpad fabric with a temple border and fish motifs and a green and yellow Dongria with mountain-like motifs.

“I also have a yellow and purple Khandua Pata from Nuapatna, a Cuttack town in the state which was gifted to my mum by her late grandfather,” she added.

Arunitha is currently curating her personal sustainable lifestyle and fashion brand, dedicated to Odisha handloom and handicrafts.

For details, follow @arunitapraharaj on Instagram.