Odhni, Veil-Cloth

The manufacture of this type of bandhani fabric, with a total absence of figurative elements, can be traced to the Muslim Khatri community in Kutch, specifically to the town of Abdasa.

The region of Kutch in Gujarat is renowned for its fine tie-and-dye work. Practiced by both Muslim and Hindu dyers, the work done for the veil-cloths of the Memon, Sonara and Khatri communities is distinctly finer. When chiffon or satin was used for this work, the tying of dots was done by double-folding the material to save labour. Black and red dyes were the most popular among these communities. The gold thread woven band was limited to only that portion which was visible while wearing. This too was a cost-saving device.