Traditional Tangail sarees retain their appeal

A weaver at work.Photo: STAR

Every year, the weavers of Tangail offer something new on the occasion of Eid and Puja -- the biggest festivals of Muslims and Hindus, respectively. The saree weavers of the district make changes in their designs, keeping up with the current trends. Tangail saree is still the first choice of many women on any occasion.
Weavers in Tangail produce different qualities and kinds of sarees including suti (cotton), jamdani, silk, half silk, khaddar etc.
Several weavers in Tangail said that they produce casual handloom sarees as well as the more expensive ones, with prices ranging from Tk 200 to Tk 10,000 and so on. Their products meet the demand of people from all classes and backgrounds.
Weaver Raghunath Basak, who is the president of Tangail Taant Saree Traders' Association, of Pathrail said that it is necessary to bring about changes in the designs and colours every season to keep up with changing trends and tastes.
This year Raghunath has introduced jute cotton and jute silk sarees. Innovative designs and patterns are already drawing attention of the consumers. Prices of jute cotton and jute silk sarees range from Tk 3200 to Tk 7000.
Weaver Dilip Basak of Pathrail has also introduced his new designs for this season. On the occasion of Eid and Puja, Dilip has unveiled his suti, silk, half silk and koda sarees. Some of his sarees feature jori work on the anchal (end) and paar (border). Alpona (motif) adorn the suti and half silk sarees. Block prints also seem to be popular this season.
Most of the sarees introduced this season feature shades of magenta, ash, black, red, yellow, orange, violet, white, blue, saffron and green.
Raghunath Basak proudly claimed that Tangail sarees remain popular thanks to the innovation of the local weavers. "Weavers of other parts of the country have tried to emulate the style of Tangail weavers in the past, but cannot match the quality and variety of Tangail sarees," he added.
Sale of Tangail saree sees a boost on the occasion of two of the biggest festivals in the country, as this traditional item with its varied designs and flexible prices continue to attract increasing number of buyers from home and abroad.
Around 3,50,000 workers were employed in around 75,000 handloom units in the district to meet the demands of Eid and Puja, said sources at Tangail Weavers Rehabilitation Organisation.