Saree Weavers of Dhaniakhali Village - Day Tour from Kolkata

Take a tour to the village of Dhaniakhali, home to the legendary Tant Saree weavers, understand the whole process of making these beautiful sarees.

Highlights

• Visit the Dhaniakhali village which is not too far from the 'City of Joy', hence can be a perfect weekend getaway.
• Meet and interact with the local Tant Saree weaver and understand each and every step of weaving these sarees.
• Company of an experienced and a local guide.

Detailed overview

According to the famous newspaper, The Hindu Business Line "The Bengal cotton saree is a fashion statement wherever it is worn", well guess where does it come from. These lovely sarees come from this very village of Dhaniakhali. This small village located in West Bengal is known for the traditional handloom sarees of West Bengal. These sarees are so well made that even the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee wears one these. On this tour, you will explore this village with our guide and learn about the culture and weaving processes. 

Itinerary

• Your tour begins with a pick up from your hotel/residence in Kolkata city limits at around 8:30 am. You will meet your guide/host for the day.
• Post pick-up you will be driven to Dhaniakhali, which is about 60 kilometers from Kolkata.
• At around 10:00 am after your arrival, you will spend the next few hours in the village of the weavers.
• During the course of the day, you will be visiting weavers in their homes and watch them in action on their handlooms. You will also visit a dyeing unit which is an integral part of the Saree making process.
• These master weavers of Dhaniakhali use the Jacquard weaving technique, the different steps of the weaving process like shedding, picking, beating-up, left off and take up can be seen.
• You will for sure be mesmerized by the variety of the designs of these sarees ranging from the simple elegant horizontal stripes to intricate fish and conch shell motifs.
• The vertically running woven braided line near the anchal or pallu is the identifying factor for a Dhaniakhali Saree.
• Like any other handloom industry, there was a fear that the Dhaniakhali saare industry might lose the market as the designs may be outdated. But the weavers have embraced the contemporary designs with bits of help from the students of the leading designs schools, NIFT and NID.
• At around 4 pm you will be leaving for Kolkata and your tour ends with a drop back to your hotel/residence in the city limits at around 6:00 pm.