29/01/2026
Meet Roopraj, one of six brothers in the Bhobariya family who have received national recognition for their exceptional dhurrie weaving - a refined skill handed down through the generations. They work in cotton, silk, jute, camel and sheep’s hair with natural or synthetic dyes. They take on even complicated bespoke designs. Dhurrie weaving is a traditional, primarily flat-weave, handloom technique creating reversible cotton, wool, or silk rugs. Key techniques include simple, sturdy plain weaving, complex tapestry, and the “Panja” method, where artisans use a metal comb-like tool to tighten weft threads. Patterns are typically geometric, woven on horizontal or vertical pit looms.
Panja Technique is a distinct technique used in Rajasthan, involving a panja (a metallic, claw-like tool) to beat and compress the weft yarn tightly, creating a robust, durable, and dense flatweave.
Weft-Faced Tapestry (Interlocking): The design is often created by interlocking weft threads, allowing multiple colors to exist side-by-side without creating gaps in the fabric.
Extra-Weft Technique: Artisans lift specific, often pre-determined warp yarns and pass the weft yarn across them to create intricate, well-defined, and often complex geometric patterns on the surface.
Weaving is done on traditional, often handmade, horizontal, or pit looms. The warp (vertical threads) is stretched between two beams anchored to the ground.
