Ikat is known for its exquisite diamond-shaped patterns, curving scrolls, and paisley motifs. Do you know that what appears to be fabric with printed patterns is actually a sophisticated weaving technique that employs specially colored threads to create a pattern on the fabric as the weaver moves along? Despite the fact that ikat is a type of tie-dye textile art, it has its own distinct flavor.
If you truly look back in time, ikat was not originally an Indian textile art form. Ikkat or ikhat are other names for it. As ikat is a widespread textile art, textile historians are still attempting to identify its location of origin. The origin of the word ikat, which means to tie a bundle of yarn or threads, is nonetheless an intriguing fact. The word is derived from the Malay-Indonesian phrase Mengikat.
Ikat patterns can be found in India in sources that date as far back as the 7th century. It is created into beautiful fabrics, sarees, and ethnic, and fusion clothing. With more than 9–10 varieties/variations of Ikat techniques and dozens of patterns available, Ikat kurtas and saris are very popular in India. With more than 9–10 varieties/variations of Ikat techniques and dozens of patterns available, Ikat kurtas and saris are very popular in India.
Ikat Across the Countries
In fact, many textile specialists think that Indonesia and other Southeast Asian nations like Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand are where the art of textiles first emerged. They each have their own distinct flavor, and because of the Dutch invaders' lengthy history of colonizing Indonesia and other countries in Central America, ikat as a form of textile art spread to nations like Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, and Guatemala.
Yet, ikat arrived in India a very long time ago as a result of the country's historical commercial relations with China and Indonesia.
Figures wearing clothing with Ikkat designs can be seen in ancient frescoes at the Ajanta and Ellora caves, demonstrating that Indian weavers were using the ikat method of dyeing yarn and weaving fabric as early as the 7th century AD. Here, the artwork assumed a very intricate and refined tone.
In India, Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Gujarat, and Odisha are the three main places where it evolved into a well-known handloom textile craft. These three locations each evolved their own distinctive Ikkat weaving technique over time, each with a pattern and use of yarn that is unique.
In fact, the high-quality Indian ikat was so well-liked that it was once used as payment along the fabled Silk Road, which helped the ikat form spread to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.
