7 Most Loved Heritage Dupattas of India

Dupatta, odhni or chunari, this delicate piece of cloth, dates to the time when it was worn as a matter of pride, modesty and fashion statement and was an indispensable part of a woman’s wardrobe. A lot of heritage textile crafts have been achieved on these dupattas for years, and both artisans and the end customer i.e. women have a major role in keeping the scent of these earthy crafts alive. As you dive in reminiscence, read about the most loved Indian Heritage dupattas of all time below:  

Banarasi Silk Dupattas

Donned by the Mughal royalties, Banarasi Silk is a treasured craft of its time. While originally being woven from real gold and silver threads, the artisans for years have been working on maintaining the pride it brings along and crafting intricate designs inspired by the Persian architecture and Mughal gardens. While the love for Banarasi Saree remains untouched, Banarasi Dupattas have achieved a lot of adoration and fascination in the past few years.

Combinations of Chanderi Silk Suits decked with Aari work, Embroidery, Gotta Patti and foil prints seamlessly match with Banarasi Silk Dupattas. Being a glossy heritage weave, Banarasi Dupattas are best fit for small to big festive occasions and wedding functions.     

Bandhani Dupattas

From mentions in the great time texts of Alexander to carvings on the Ajanta walls, Bandhani - also known as Bandhej, is one craft, that is close to every Rajasthani bride. This ancient art of tie & dye for ages has been practised and crafted with love by the artisans of Jaipur, Sikar, Bhilwara, Bikaner and more parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Regarded as an auspicious gem in the Rajasthani Culture, women until date are seen flaunting Bandhani sarees, suits, dupattas and men matched in Bandhani Saafas.

The strenuous art of tying seeds, knotting, dyeing and drying, makes Bandhani Dupattas a timeless love of every artisan. Nowadays, Bandhani Craft is best achieved on fabrics like Chiffon, Chanderi, Cotton and Gajji Silk. These dupattas are dyed in bright vibrant colors and can be styled with ethnic kurtis, skirts, palazzo pants to name a few.

Phulkari Dupattas

Standing tall as the pride of Punjab for years, Phulkari is a rural embroidery craft of Punjab, highly known for its vibrancy and striking geometric floral motifs. In the previous times, Phulkari was usually made of a thick cotton fabric known as Khaddar, with time Phulkari is widely been achieved on light and flowy fabrics like Chiffon and lighter Cotton, keeping its grace and originality intact.

Phulkari which essentially means flower work comes in a variety of traditional threadwork motifs like Bagh, Thirma, Darshan Dwar, Sainchi, Vari-da-bagh, bawan bagh, chope and panchranga bagh, with each having its own significance and charm. Phulkari Dupattas are best worn on office parties, festive occasions and mehndi or sangeet.

Kalamkari Hand Painted Dupattas

Immersed in rich art and culture of painstakingly drawing motifs of flowers, animals, paisleys, vines figurines and tales of Mahabharta and Ramanaya on fabrics like Cotton, Mangalgiri Cotton and Cotton Silk with a kalam, further applauded with select craftsmanship i.e. kari, Kalamkari Craft is as old as 3000 B.C. Artisans paint stories on a plain fabric canvas, dip the pen in natural dyes, draw designs, dapple it with some hand blocks and fill colors to achieve the final output. An artisan takes around 10-15 days to create a single piece of Hand Painted Dupatta and goes through tedious steps dyeing, printing, hand-painting, starching, cleaning and more.  

Acknowledging the fact that, all work of artisanal craftsmanship comes with some irregularities, one should always dry-clean a Kalamkari Hand-Painted Dupatta. Pair these dupattas with Long skirts, bright solid kurtas, palazzos pants, A-line dresses and more.

Ikat Dupattas

A craft embracing love from around the world, Ikat for years have been known for its colorful and abstract blurry patterns. This ageless craft of tying and dyeing each yarn and then weaving them to achieve the final fabric, is said to find its origin in parts of Latin America, Indonesia, Japan, Europe and India to name a few. In India, artisans of Andhra Pradesh residing in parts of Pochampally, Puttapaka and Choutuppal are the frontrunners in keeping this heritage craft alive for so many years now.

Owing to its international recognition, Ikat is a true charmer in the fashion world. Designers are extensively experimenting with this age-old craft, and shaping it into modern-chic silhouettes of rompers, peplums, jumpsuits, asymmetrical dresses, men’s wear shirts, kurtas, and even bags, clutches, shoes and more. Ikat Dupattas can beautifully be paired with any ethnic or fusion suit set and is apt for work and casual outings.

Ajrak Modal Satin Dupattas

A Hand Block craft immersed in tones of crimson red and blue, Ajrak finds its roots in the Sindh Province of India. It also has its traces in the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. The arcadian motifs of sky elements, geometrics, florals, jharokas dappled with hand blocks, dipped in natural dyes, are further highlighted with contrasting tones of white and black, giving it a rustic bohemian feel. These motifs when pressed on soft and lustrous Modal Satin append a rich, boho-chic vibe to every outfit, it is paired with.

Ajrak Modal Satin Dupattas done in earthy natural tones can beautifully be paired with plain ethnic wear. Since you will always find these dupattas entirely covered with motifs, it’s preferable to match it with plains, in order to display the intricate design patterns in full glow.

Embroidered Dupattas

Embroidery has been an everlasting play of thread and needle practised by not only artisans and weavers but also a lot of ancient household women. Crafts like Phulkari, Chikankari, Bengali Kantha and Patchwork have been celebrated and are until date flaunted by both men and women across India and even overseas.

Tissue Silk Embroidered dupattas have been gaining a lot of eyeballs lately. Women are not only teaming these with suits but also with floor length maxi dresses. Patchwork dupattas wherein various textile craft patches are sewn together is another one-of-a-kind set of dupattas, that go really well on casual and semi-festive occasions. bulk Fabric cut-out tassels further make these dupattas look even more appealing and flaunt-worthy. 

Each dupatta has its own story to narrate. Let elegance swiftly slip into your wardrobe as you shop Fabriclore’s Dupattas Collection and don these heritage beauties with pride and poise wherever you go!