'Textiles from Bengal': New book to explore legacy of Bengal's weaving traditions

New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) "Textiles from Bengal: A Shared Legacy", an upcoming coffee table book, will delve into the forgotten textile traditions of Bengal from the 16th to the 20th century and examine their influence on the region's history and culture. Scheduled to release on January 30 during the opening of an exhibition by the same name at Kolkata Centre for Creativity, the book, published by Mapin, is co-edited by design historian Sonia Ashmore, professor Tirthankar Roy, and academic Niaz Zaman.

It aims to serve as a public history, with engaging chapters presenting a unique perspective on the textiles of wider Bengal supported by superb illustrations of textiles, maps and trade documents from the past, most of which have never been published before.

"This is the first publication to survey the rich textile history of Bengal, from the muslin that clothed emperors, to the jute gunny (or hessian) sacks that transported goods across the world. It looks at the rivers that enabled the trading of textiles in Bengal and beyond, at local traditions and consumers and the world of the weavers who made these varied and marvellous fabrics," said co-editor Ashmore in a statement. Hameeda Hossain, Ghulam Nadri, Barbara Karl, Ritu Sethi, Paola Manfredi, Susan Bean, and Rosie Llewellyn-Jones are among the 34 contributors to the book, which also highlights how the decline of Bengal’s textile industry, driven by the European Industrial Revolution, resulted in the obscurity of muslin and baluchari.

The volume, according to the publishers, will "inspire the reader, reorient scholarly attention and provoke a rethinking of the nature and history of Bengal textiles".

"This fascinating book is not just about the textile tradition of Undivided Bengal but it also explores how Dhaka's muslin conquered the world of trade textiles and the hearts of Mughal emperors and European royalty.

"For the first time, one begins to understand the power of warp and weft and the artistic legacy of Bengal textiles with the help of expert contributors from around the world and many extraordinary pieces of textiles presented here," said Bipin Shah, publisher and MD of Mapin Publishing.

The foreword of "Textiles from Bengal: A Shared Legacy" is written by Rosemary Crill, former curator at the V&A Museum, UK. PTI MG BK BK