Kotpad handloom (କୋଟପାଡ଼ ହସ୍ତତନ୍ତ) is a naturally dyed cotton textile woven by the Mirgan weavers of Kotpad in Koraput district, southern Odisha. The yarn is coloured with a dye made from the roots of the aal tree. This gives the cloth its deep maroon and brown tones on a pale ground. "Kotpad Handloom Fabric" became Odisha's first Geographical Indication when it was registered on 6 February 2005.
Where is Kotpad handloom made?
Kotpad is a town and block in Koraput district in southern Odisha. Weaving there is centred on households of the Mirgan community, who both dye and weave the cloth. Weavers say the craft goes back many generations. No written record gives a starting date, so its exact age is unknown.
The Koraput region is also home to other GI products, including Koraput Kalajeera rice. Visitors exploring the area can combine a weaving village with the routes in the Koraput tribal heritage itinerary.
How is Kotpad fabric dyed?
The aal dye is what makes Kotpad unique. Sources identify the aal tree as a species of Morinda. Some popular accounts call it "Indian madder", but that name usually refers to a different plant.
The process, as described by weavers and reporters, works like this:
- Root collection. The roots of aal trees are dug up, dried and pounded to release the colouring matter.
- Mordanting the yarn. Before dyeing, cotton yarn is treated repeatedly with natural materials. Reported ingredients include wood ash, cow dung and castor oil. Iron is used to darken some shades.
- Dyeing. The yarn is soaked in the aal solution and dried many times over. The whole cycle can take around 15 to 30 days or more. Deeper shades need more rounds.
- Weaving. Weavers set up the dyed yarn on traditional looms. Borders are woven pick by pick, interlocking the border and body threads with several shuttles.
Dyeing depends on sunshine. Weavers interviewed by The Better India said work slows sharply during the monsoon (roughly June to October). Weavers also report that aal trees are becoming scarce, which limits the supply of dye.
Colours and motifs
Kotpad cloth is mostly maroon, red-brown and dark brown on an off-white or natural cotton ground. Its motifs are simple and geometric, and they come from the weavers' surroundings:
| Motif | Description |
|---|---|
| Temple | Stepped temple-spire shapes along the border |
| Fish and crab | Water creatures, common in tribal textile designs |
| Axe and bow | Tools from forest life |
| Boat and conch | Auspicious and everyday objects |
| Fan | Repeating fan shapes in borders |
Traditional products include saris, dupattas, gamuchha towels and lengths of fabric. Today weavers also make stoles and dress materials.
GI status
The GI Registry's record for application number 10 shows the following:
- Applicant: The Orissa State Handloom Weavers' Co-operative Society Ltd (Boyanika)
- Filed: 10 June 2004
- Registered: 6 February 2005, certificate number 5
This makes Kotpad the first product from Odisha with a GI. It was also among the earliest GIs registered in India. See the full list of GI tags of Odisha.
Artisans and recognition
Master weaver Gobardhan Panika of Kotpad received the Padma Shri in 2018 for his work in weaving. Other Kotpad weavers have received national awards for handloom. Weavers point to several challenges: fewer aal trees, the long dyeing cycle, competition from cheaper synthetic copies, and young people leaving the craft.
How to buy authentic Kotpad
- Check the colour. Genuine aal-dyed Kotpad has slightly uneven, earthy maroons and browns, not flat bright reds.
- Look at the border. A handwoven interlocked border shows small variations where the colours meet.
- Ask about the dye. A seller of genuine Kotpad should be able to say that it is aal-dyed and name the weaver or society.
- Buy from official cooperatives. Boyanika, the Odisha State Handloom Weavers' Co-operative Society and the GI applicant for Kotpad, sells Kotpad fabric. Utkalika, the Odisha State Co-operative Handicraft Corporation (utkalikaodisha.com), lists Kotpad cotton saris.
You can also browse Odiapedia's curated authentic Odisha products.