104-105 / 168
103
102
58
'TEA FOR TWO' DURRIE
BHATINDA, PUNJAB, CIRCA 1930
Handspun and handwoven cotton,
synthetic dyes
40 x 75.5 in (102 x 192 cm)
$ 1,365 - 2,275
Rs 90,000 - 1,50,000
The present lot is an unusual design of teacups and
saucers paired with teapots. It reflects the life of the
British gentry, and perhaps represents an aspiration
towards that lifestyle by the woman who wove it.
It is executed in the tapestry technique of a non-
continuous weft.
Punjab was an important weaving centre for flat-
weave cotton
durries.
The present lot is a
punja durrie
,
which was typically patterned with rich, bold designs
of flowers, animal figures, or folkloric motifs. They were
usually made by women for their personal use or by
young girls of marriageable age, for their new homes.
Sometimes, Jat women wove them as gifts for their
daughters or close relatives for special occasions, and
would seldom sell them for commercial purposes.
Woman weaving a punja
durrie
© Himman Dhamija