Morpankhi -Installation

Yarns made from the feathers of peacocks have been used in rare, richly brocaded fabrics called Gyasar, for ceremonial clothing and the decoration of monasteries in the Buddhist Himalayas. Such yarns are interspersed with patterns of flowering vines and meanders, to create highly ornamental textiles, which befit their offering, further, as objects of worship. With the Visvakarma commissions attempting interventions in various Schools of hand weaving in Varanasi — from the Tanchoi to the Jamdani — the Gyasar itself was seen for its potential to create heavy weight fabrics for luxury furnishings and couture. The natural iridescence of peacock feathers is both complemented in its rarity of material by the use of silver yarn here, as it is contrasted through colour.

The speciality of this textile is the use of peacock feathers in the weft. The iridescent colours produced by the peacock feather make this fabric unique and exclusive. The warp is pure silk, and the silver ground weft complements the peacock feather. Using the extra weft technique, the peacock feathers are carefully interwoven with the silk warp. The base satin weave styles the feather to cover the surface. The extra weft insertion is planned in such a way as to produce a diagonal stripe alternating with ground weft and peacock feathers. This type of textile is called as Gyasar, which is used as ceremonial clothing and the decoration of monasteries.