Traditionally the face of the fabric has a satin weave ground (warp threads) with small patterns made by the weft threads, repeated over the entire surface.” The designs are usually found interspersed with bands usually on grounds shaded bright blue, purple, green or red. Flying birds, paired cocks and floral sprays between these from the usual uncluttered patterns, while the pallu is filled with the design from edge to edge, usually figuring peacocks, and baskets of flowers, sometimes even hunting scenes.

The base fabric for Jamdani is unbleached cotton yarn and the design is woven using bleached cotton yarns so that a light-and-dark effect is created. Alexander the Great in 327 B.C mentions “beautiful printed cottons” in India. It is believed that the erstwhile Roman emperors paid fabulous sums for the prized Indian cotton.

The dominant feature of the jamdani is its magnificent design which is essentially Persian in spirit. The method of weaving resembles tapestry work in which small shuttles of coloured, gold or silver threads, are passed through the weft. The jamdani dexterously combines intricate surface designs with delicate floral sprays. When the surface is covered with superb diagonally striped floral sprays, the sari is called terchha. The anchal (the portion that goes over and beyond the shoulder) is often decorated with dangling, tassel like corner motifs, known as jhalar.

The traditional nilambari, dyed with indigo, or designs such as toradar (literally: a bunch or bouquet) preserved in weaving families over generations are now being reproduced. Other jamdani patterns are known as phulwar, usually worked on pure black, blue black, grey or off-white background colours.

For traditional jamdani weaving, a very elementary pit loom is used and the work is carried on by the weaver and his apprentice. The latter works under instruction for each pick, weaving his needle made from, buffalo horn or tamarind wood to embroider the floral sequence. With a remarkable deftness, the weft yarn is woven into the warp in the background colour from one weaver to the other.

The butis (motifs) across the warp, the paar (border) and anchal (the portion that goes over and beyond the shoulder) are woven by using separate bobbins of yarn for each colour. The fine bobbins are made from tamarind wood or bamboo. After completion the cloth is washed and starched.

Jamdani, because of its intricate patterns, has always been a highly expensive product. According to historical accounts, Jamdanis custom made for the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17^th century cost over thirty pounds; evidently the jamdani fabric was essentially meant only for the affluent nobility, in those days.

The region in and around Dhaka (now in Bangladesh) became synonymous with this wonder fabric. Trading accounts reveal how the Jamdani travelled to the courts of the Mughals in the 15^th - 16^th century period. For the Mughals it was fashioned into elaborate angarkhas (upper garment/shirt) worn by both men and women; it also travelled from Dhaka through Agra, to Bukhara, Samarkand and other parts of West Asia. In the centuries that followed Jamdani was procured European export companies which retailed it in cites like Hamburg, London, Madrid, Copenhagen and so forth.

There is historical evidence that Himroo style of shawl weaving was brought to Aurangabad (in Maharashtra) by the monarch Mohmmad Bin Tughlak when he shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad. The designs for Himroo involved pull the design threads and master weaver has to weave with two - three coloured threads. Aurangabad's Himroo was used by royal families, and it is said that Himroo was sent to royal families in Delhi also. Popular motifs and designs elephant, peacock, parrot, are used abundantly used on these shawls.

Earlier only natural dyes were used which included yellow from the palash (flame of the forest) and kusum flowers, red pollen dust of the rora flower and the deep rose red from lac. But with time the range of colour and motifs have increased dramatically. The commonly available shades are Dhaniya (light green), Mas (deep blue), Kariya (black), Anchi (deep purple), Jamalla (purple), Darra (deep rose red), Katha (maroon), Narangi (orange), Rani (deep Indian pink), Phiroza (turquoise) among others.

Assam’s weavers bring forth diverse varieties of silk namely endi, muga and pala. The most outstanding of the three is muga - royal and exotic. This beautiful fabric combines beauty (owing to its scintillating golden colour) with strength and durability. Unlike other silk fabrics, muga is washable at home. However due to low porosity of the threads Muga can neither be bleached nor dyed. This fabric is extensively used in making Mekhala Chador - the traditional dress of the Assamese women.

Endi derives its name from the castor leaves on which the silkworm feeds. This silk has a yellowish tinge and is available in both rough as well as smooth varieties. It is extensively used in winter for warmth. Pala is obtained from the silk worms that feed on the leaves of the mulberry trees.

Cotton Fabrics are one of the famous and attractive handicrafts made by the Bastar tribesmen. The tribals also churn out a fabric made of kosa silk threads obtained from a kind of worm found on trees in the forest, which are hand woven and hand printed by the tribals themselves, who incidentally trace their antecedents to the medieval, secular saint-poet Kabir, who was a weaver by profession. The hand printing is generally done with the natural vegetable dye extracted from maddaer (aal) trees, found in the forest of Bastar.These fabrics includes cotton saris, dress materials and drapes.