Discussions about Indian handlooms usually highlight famous names like Banarasi, Chanderi, Kanjeevaram, and Jamdani. However, India’s weaving heritage is far more extensive and diverse, encompassing numerous regional textiles that embody centuries of tradition, skill, and cultural significance. Examples include Bihar’s detailed Bawan Buti, Manipur’s unique Moirangphee, and Karnataka’s subtle Patteda Anchu. These less-recognized weaves are remarkable not only for their craftsmanship but also for the stories they tell—each mirroring the geography, beliefs, and communities that have sustained them through generations.
Bawan Buti
One of the oldest—more than 600 years old—Bawan Buti weaving techniques from Nalanda, Bihar, literally incorporates 52 intricate butis or motifs all over the saree. This weaving heritage has recently been awarded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag (an official recognition of its creative and geographical uniqueness). The motifs largely comprise Buddhist, geometric, and botanical symbols. These are handwoven skillfully using an extra-weft technique, each with the exact same proportions, and are made with the base weave—meaning they are not printed or embroidered after the base fabric is woven, but are created during the weaving process.
Baluchari
Originating in West Bengal, Baluchari sarees are known for their pallus that depict the subcontinent’s folklore, history, and mythology. Unlike other weaves, which usually showcase geometric and botanical motifs, Baluchari focuses on historical figures from epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata and their stories —such as Krishna in a chariot and Mughal Court Scenes—resulting in a grand effect that makes it a one-of-a-kind weave.
Khandua
This weaving technique from Cuttak, Odisha, is renowned for its lightness. Weighing only about 300 grams, Khandua sarees were traditionally worn by royalty and the gods in temples—particularly at the Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha. The motifs reflect this spiritual influence through temple, conch, lotus, and chakra designs. The fabric—single ikat—is made by tying and dyeing the weft (mostly). The term Khandua originally refers to a garment worn on the lower half of the body.
Moirangphee
Woven in silk or cotton, the Moirangphee weave originates in the northeastern state of Manipur. The most striking feature of this weave is its border, which comprises repeating conical triangles along the edges—resembling the teeth of the mythical Manipuri character Pakhangba (a python). The motifs on the saree’s body reflect Manipur’s unique flora and fauna. This weave resembles West Bengal’s Jamdani because of the supplementary weft technique, but Moirangphee’s border is what makes it distinctive.
Patteda Anchu
This traditional 10th-century weave from Karnataka, South India, is known for its simplicity. The chequered body, along with a simple line border, is characteristic of Patteda Anchu sarees and fabric, which mostly come in office-friendly greys, whites, and blacks, with striking colored borders. Traditionally, a daily wear—or as they call it, a ‘rough-use saree’—for women farmers and laborers in the region, Patteda Anchu is made from coarse cotton fiber and uses only natural colors.
