When you think of Bengal, what comes to your mind?Of course, there are three things that might strike your mind fish, sweets and most importantly, the burgeoning saree industry!You will never find a Bengali woman with no sarees in her wardrobe.Of all, one of the best and most popular textiles that speak of rich cultural heritage is the exclusive Jamdani sarees.

Origin and history of Jamdani Saree

The name Jamdanihas been derived from Persian origin that predominantly holds the Mughal influence in Bengal.The word Jamdani is a compound word where jam means flowers and dani stands for vase.Looking at the meaning of the name it is well understood that Jamdani sarees contain beautiful floral motifs all over the saree.According to Bengal, the name Dhakai is added to jamdani as most of the production of the product is held in Dhaka of Bangladesh.

Interestingly, if you go back to history, you will find that the mentioning of the Jamdani sarees happened way back in the 3rd century BC during the period of Chanakya.Significant references of the jamdani can also be found in books of Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. Although jamdani got immense popularity right from its inception, yet the major blooming of this art work happened during the Mughal era. Sadly,during the colonization of the British,the industry suffered a setback. Export of cheaper quality textile was one of the major reasons for the decline of the Jamdani. After the partition, many weavers migrated to the present day West Bengal.This marked a new beginning for the industry to flourish again.