Ikat Sarees of Orissa

Sambalpuri Oriya Ikat Saree
Photo by Nayansatya [CC BY 3.0]

Ikat sarees are made in several parts of India including Gujarat, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh although they can generally be differentiated by their colour schemes and designs; the colours used on Orissa Ikats (called Bandha) tend to be less saturated than those used in both Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

Oriya Ikats are usually single Ikat sarees: either the warp or the weft is dyed before it is woven, although they may sometimes be double Ikat too with both warp and weft being dyed in various colours to form designs once they are woven. The sarees are made of cotton or silk (with silk sarees often having a silk body, and cotton borders and end-pieces). Their bodies may be plain, with butis, or with Ikat designs; their end-pieces generally have Ikat designs; and borders often have both thread-work and some Ikat.

Pasapali Ikat Saree

There are several types of Ikat sarees which derive their names from the places where they are woven (such as Sambalpur, Sonepur, Nuapatna), from the motifs which they feature (such as Pasapali featuring the designs of board games), and the designs and purposes of the sarees themselves (such as Khandua which is generally made of Malda silk with a plain/Ikat body, and a contrasting Ikat end-piece in the same colour as motif-free Ikat borders with thread-work).

Oriya Ikat sarees often feature a temple border although this is by no means necessary, and the designs used include geometrical patterns, motifs of flora and fauna, and calligraphy.