Rasananda Meher Wins National Handloom Award For Saree With Info On Odisha’s GI Products

Bhubaneswar: Rasananda Meher of Sonepur was felicitated with the National Handloom Award by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar at New Delhi for weaving an unique Sambalpuri Bandha saree.

The award, which is instituted by the Ministry of Textiles, was conferred on the weaver for his contribution to the handloom sector. He was honoured for weaving a Sambalpuri Bandha (Ikat or tie and dye) saree, which has motifs and information on the 17 GI-tagged products of Odisha.

Researcher Anita Sabat helped the weaver with the idea. Weaver Prafulla Meher had also provided guidance to Rasananda.

Making of the saree

In August 2021, handloom enthusiast Anita Sabat conceived the idea of creating a saree on GI tagged items of the state. She approached the weaver with the idea. Famed handloom designer Prafulla Meher created the design graph and shared the same with Rasananda, who then shaped the saree using the tie and dye weaving method. “The graph work was challenging and multiple updates and corrections were made with our intervention and suggestions. The bandha work took 2 months, and after that, he completed the weaving of this saree in a month,” said Anita, who is also a culture and GI activist.

Images on the saree: From Rasagola ‘handi’ to Ganjam Kewda ‘Rooh’

The saree is a masterpiece of Sambalpuri Bandha (Ikat) on silk fabric. Sambalpuri Bandha Saree and Fabrics had also been accorded with the GI tag. While the entire saree is black, the calligraphy and motifs have been woven in off-white shade. “You will find distinctive images along with the names of respective 17 Odisha GIs, GI Type and GI Number (Application Number) on the body of the Saree. The list of 17 Odisha GI names, the GI logo and the GI taglines in 3 Indian languages: ‘Atulya Bharatara Amulya Nidhi’ (in Odia), ‘Atulya Bharat Ki Amulya Nidhi’ (in Hindi) and ‘Invaluable Treasures Of Incredible India’ (in English) have been woven on the aanchal ,” Anita explained.

She also added that to represent each item some motifs or images were chosen. For instance, to depict the Odisha rasagola, which also has the GI recognition, a rasagola ‘handi’ has been incorporated into the saree’s design.

“To represent Dhalapathar Parda & Fabrics, there is an image of a woman bowing down. We have an image of a bottled ‘rooh’ to represent the GIs for Ganjam Kewda Rooh and Ganjam Kewda Flower,” she said.

List of Odisha’s GI products , till 2023

(1) GI-10 – Kotpad Handloom Fabric- Handicraft

(2) GI-22 – Orissa Ikat – Handicraft

(3) GI-87 – Konark Stone Carving – Handicraft

(4) GI-88 – Orissa Pattachitra – Handicraft

(5) GI-86 – Pipli Applique Work – Handicraft

(6) GI-136 – Khandua Saree and Fabrics – Handicraft

(7) GI-167 – Gopalpur Tussar Fabrics – Handicraft

(8) GI- 207 – Dhalapathar Parda & Fabrics – Handicraft

(9) GI- 208 – Sambalpuri Bandha Saree & Fabrics – Handicraft

(10) GI- 217 – Bomkai Saree & Fabrics – Handicraft

(11) GI- 219 – Habaspuri Saree & Fabrics – Handicraft

(12) GI- 220 – Berhampur Patta (Phoda Kumbha) Saree & Joda – Handicraft

(13) GI- 228 – Ganjam Kewda Rooh – Manufactured

(14) GI- 229 – Ganjam Kewda Flower – Agricultural

(15) GI-607 – Araku Valley Arabica Coffee – Agricultural

(16) GI-610 – Kandhamal Haladi – Agricultural

(17) GI-612 – Odisha Rasagola – Food Stuff

In 2015, his son, Son Biswanath Meher had won the first National Handloom Award for his Maa saree.