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Jaipuri Razai - A Warm, Snuggly and Lightweight Quilt From Rajasthan
In the Indian state of Rajasthan, quilt-makers have developed a tradition of making a warm, snuggly, lightweight quilt called a "Jaipuri razai." the translation is fairly straightforward. "Jaipuri" means "coming from Jaipur," the capital city of Rajasthan, and "razai" simply means "quilt."
Tourists usually shop for these quilts on their trip to Jaipur. Moreover, these quilts are not boring like other quilts. Jaipuri Razai are available in striking colors with Sanganeri prints, bright tie-dyed materials, marble prints on cotton and velvet to suit your mood.
These quilts are in demand all around the year by the local populace and domestic and foreign tourists alike. But in the winter months you can not miss these quilts as they are prominently displayed in most of the walled city shops near Hawal Mahal and Johri Bazzar which selling textile goods.
These quilts are also exported to the developed world to the tune of approximately 100 crore rupees.
What's Unique About "Jaipuri Razai"
A Jaipuri razai is unique both for its artisan and for its functionality. First, in handmaking these beautiful quilts, the artisans use the traditional textile-making skills of cotton carding, cotton voile-making and quilting. Cotton carding is the process of preparing cotton to use as cotton fill in a quilt.
In a typical Jaipuri razai, the worker starts with a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cotton and works at carding it for a full week. After fully carding the cotton, the worker is left with a mere 100 grams of cotton to use to fill the comforter. The lighter and fluffier the cotton fill, the warmer and cozier the quilt will be.
Once the fill is prepared, the artisans go on to make the quilts. It is important to layer the cotton evenly throughout the quilt. This is another characteristic of the handmade quilt that gives it its warmth. The shell of the quilt is usually a high-quality soft cotton voile. Cotton voile is a lightweight, gauzy cotton fabric with a soft, smooth surface. The softness of the voile adds to the very snuggly, cozy nature of the comforter. Sometimes the quilter uses velvet covering instead of cotton voile.
After being filled, the quilt is stitched together. Of course, in times gone by, the quilt-makers did all the stitching with a hand-held needle.
Modernly, however, quilt-makers use a sewing machine to stitch the sides of the quilt together. The machine-stitched sides increase the durability of the quilt. Quilters then use a running stitch on the interior of the quilt panels to hold the fill in place and add to the beauty of the quilt. All this work, from the carding to the filling to the quilting, is typically done by artisans whose families have been practicing these skills for generations.
The functionality of the Jaipuri razai is as important as the artisanry that goes into making it. Although this type of quilt is handmade, soft and snuggly, one should not get the impression that it is delicate. These comforters are, in fact, quite durable. This is not surprising when one considers the history and geography of the region that these covers originated in.
Versatile and Durable
Jaipuri razais may be handmade and lightweight, but they are hardly flimsy. In fact, they are quite durable. Of course, they would need to be, considering their origins on caravan routes.
About the Author
Johnclerks is an eminent analyst and writer in Travel & Tourism related topics. He has authored many books on tour guide for Hotels in Rajasthan and Hotels in Jaipur. Now he is rendering his services to Jaipur Hotels and Rajasthan Travel