RTA tries to revive the weave, often overshadowed by Kishuthara

Jigmi Wangdi

Hortha, a traditional form of Bhutanese weaving, often overshadowed by other forms of weaves may finally gain some popularity with initiatives to ensure weavers use the style while  safeguarding its longevity as a form of traditional weaving.

Hortha is a style of weaving originating from Radhi, Tashigang. It refers to fabrics with supplementary warp pattern bands. These intricately patterned fabrics are made of cotton, wild silk and cultivated silk.

Hortha consists of alternating bands of plain weave (pang) and supplementary-warp patterning (hor) on a plain weave ground, featuring five distinct colour schemes. The warp patterns are created using alternate and supplemental warp threads; the weft threads are not changed in this pattern technique. Supplementary warp patterns are double-sided, which means they are duplicated as mirror images on the opposite side.

Highlighting the significance of Hortha, the Royal Textile Academy (RTA) is hosting an exhibition to showcase the different styles of the weaving form.

Speaking to Kuensel, the assistant collection manager of RTA, Tandin Wangchuk said that the Hortha form of weaving is not as popular as the weaving of Kishuthara because of the market which demands the latter.

“Looking at the market value, Kishuthara is more sought after than that of Hor. Most of the weavers look at the market and see which product is commercially successful,” Tandin said.

Building on that, Tandin Wangchuk added that the Hortha exhibition is specifically being held to promote its form of weaving.  He highlighted the importance of Hortha by comparing it to Kishuthara. “Our women wear Kishuthara kiras on special occasions. For men, the ghos that we wear are Hor and this shows how important it is to preserve it.”

Over the years, with advancements in digitalisation, weavers and digital creators have also come together to create new techniques to weave. This makes the modern patterns more intricate compared to simpler motifs in the past. This, according to RTA, keeps the cultural heritage vibrant and evolving.

In March of this year, RTA organised a competition called ‘From Pixel to Fabrics: Digital Design in Traditional Weaving’ aimed at preserving Bhutanese cultural heritage in textile design with digital technology and improving weaving conditions.

Tandin Wangchuk said that many people are opting for this style of weaving, where the design is made digitally before being weaved. This highlights that the future of traditional textiles is yet to diminish, as weavers are adapting their methods to modernisation.

As for Hortha, the forms of weaving vary in style. Some examples of the Hor products are Mentse Mathra, Lungserma, Aikapur, Dromchu Chenma and Mentha (exclusive to women).

The exhibition is in partnership between RTA and

The Textile Museum, MuseumDivision, DCDD, MoHA.

 

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