Khadi Board starts production of Baluchori saree
Kolkata: The West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board (WBKVIB) has started production of Baluchari saree on its own at its Muslin Tirtha in Berhampore, Murshidabad. The entire infrastructure for production like machinery, loom and designing has been put in place at Murshidabad.
There have been some sporadic complaints about the genuineness of the Baluchari Sari that are being available in the market with allegations of mixing of inferior material. "We have an existing production centre at Sonamukhi (Bishnupur) in Bankura where best quality Baluchari is produced. Now with the inclusion of the second centre at Murshidabad, the production will be augmented and the demand for genuine saris will be met. Our aim is to ensure that there is no compromise in quality and offer the access to a more and more genuine variety of the saree to the people of Bengal," said a senior official of WBKVIB. Senior officials of WBKVIB recently visited the Muslin Tirtha at Berhampore and examined the infrastructure.This particular type of sari originated in Bengal and is known for depictions of mythological scenes on the pallu of the saree. Every piece holds an interesting story in its folds – the lavish lifestyles of Nawabs and Europeon Sahibs and Bibis. It was mainly produced in Murshidabad but presently Bishnupur and its surrounding places of Bengal is the only place where authentic Baluchuri saris are produced. It takes approximately one week to produce one such sari. The sari has been granted the status of geographical indication in India. Two hundred years ago Baluchari was practiced in a small village called Baluchar in Murshidabad district, from where it got its name. In the eighteenth century, Murshidkuli Khan, Nawab of Bengal patronized its rich weaving tradition and brought the craft of making this sari from Dhaka to the Baluchar village in Murshidabad and encouraged the industry to flourish. After a flood of the Ganga river and the subsequent submerging of the village, the industry moved to Bishnupur in Bankura.
"So Murshidabad has a historical significance when it comes to Baluchari variety," said the official.
