Arts Commentary & Writing, No. ❼
April 13, 2023
Dowry of the Dhurrie
Adapted from ‘Bridal Durries of India’ by Ann Shankar and Jenny Housego: the only other print archive of this hidden craft.
Edited by Malini Narayan and Pradyumna Sapre
Dhurries are woven carpets, which originated from the valleys around India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Burma. They are commonly used as floor rugs around the world, but in South Asia, they are also used as bed covers, wall-screens and wall-hangings. The term dhurrie itself is considered native to the Indian subcontinent; the language spoken by Zoroastrian Iranis, commonly called the Parsees (who arrived as refugees to India, in 936 AD), is called Dari, and is similar to the Persian dialect spoken in parts of Afghanistan. Dar means ‘door’ in Persian and Urdu, and many speculate that Dari could mean ‘of the door,’ as dhurries were often used as wall-screens hung over doorways and rolled up as needed. In the same way Farshi, large floor dhurries, derive their name from farsh, which means ‘floor’ in Urdu. It might even be derived from the word dori, which means ‘thread’ or ‘string’ in Urdu. This would refer to the use of thick thread used to weave the dhurrie. No concrete origin of the term has yet been established.
The story of the dhurrie has traveled wide and far; from the remote villages of Rajasthan to the modern homes of the United States, flat-weave rugs have become a common household item around the world. These flat-weave rugs have far more humble beginnings than their global reach might suggest.
In the small villages of Haryana, Indian Punjab, and Pakistani Punjab, dhurries are often woven as a part of the dowry that travels with a girl to her bridal home. These ‘bridal dhurries,’ or ‘dowry dhurries,’ and the tradition of weaving them has been passed on for centuries, and is the exclusive preserve of women. A girl is taught to weave by an older woman of the household—her mother, grandmother, paternal aunt, or sister—around the age of twelve. The passing down of the craft from one woman to the other is considered a sacred event, marking the maturation of the girl and her entry into womanhood. This practice is similar to other coming-of-age celebrations such as the Mexican quinceañera and the Jewish bar mitzvah.
Dhurrie depicting a pair of lions with human faces and tiger stripes surrounded by sparrows at either end. Thakora village, Ropar District, Punjab, 1974. Image Credit: Ann Shankar and Jenny Housego
The process of weaving a dhurrie usually takes two to five years and is extremely labor-intensive. Unless she has younger sisters needing her help, the girl is unlikely to weave again until the time comes to teach her own daughters. The work is done with great pride and affection, for the product of her labor will be her life-long treasure.
The practice of dowry itself is one that propagates the patriarchy that characterizes the institution of marriage in South Asia. Even today, dowries are widely prevalent in parts of South Asia, given by people of all stratas of society. However, the dhurrie represents a different avatar of dowry where the marriage gift given is not an offering of material wealth, but a robust exchange of tradition. The gifting of a bridal dhurrie symbolizes an affectionate labor of love that exhibits an abundance of creative skill and years of dedication. The dowry no longer seems to be a capitulation to male avarice, but rather a token of love and affection given from the bride to her groom.
Dhurrie with pairs of peacocks confronting a central plant, with a row of sparrows at either end. Marakpur village, Ropar District, Punjab, 1980 Image Credit: Ann Shankar and Jenny HousegoDhurrie with pairs of cocks facing each other. Dhanas Village, Union Territory of Chandigarh, 1990. Image Credit: Ann Shankar and Jenny HousegoDhurrie with judwen tote (pairs of parakeets), and the name of the weaver’s brother: Jasvir Singh, at the bottom. Mundi Kharar Village, Ropar District, Punjab, 1973. Image Credit: Ann Shankar and Jenny Housego
The practice of exchanging craft s as a form of dowry is exclusive to South Asian countries. In fact, in many craft communities, dowries were historically considered to be a display of the bride’s skill in traditional handicrafts. For example, the Rabari tribe of Kutch maintains the dowry tradition of Moti Bharat, which is the exchange of items which have been embroidered with glass beads. This rather chaste and immaterial form of dowry took away the stigma associated with the practice.
When one looks at a bridal dhurrie, it seems almost like a naturalistic canvas in which each hand-selected image has personal significance for the creator. The imagery ranges from small human figurines to domestic animals and specific flora which populates the region. Historically, the forms of these symbolic etchings seem to be inspired by a variety of topical events.
Dhurries also reflected the traditional life in the villages where they were woven. A common symbol was that of the guddian, which translates to ‘doll’. The symbol was a female figure, in a stylized form, carrying out her daily chores of carrying pots of water on her head with one arm raised to steady it and the other akimbo for balance. Religious portrayals of goddesses such as Ganga, the goddess of the river Ganga, and Prithvi, the goddess of the earth, would be oft en represented in a similar pose.
Detail of a dhurrie with British memsahibs (madames). Khudda Jassu village, Union Territory of Chandigarh, 1975. Image Credit: Ann Shankar and Jenny HousegoDetail of a dhurrie with a guddian (doll) depicted as a jago (female figure carrying a large oil lamp on their heads). Dhanas village, Union Territory of Chandigarh, 1990. Image Credit: Ann Shankar and Jenny HousegoBridal dhurries are typically adorned with the fauna
of the native region: beautiful in their natural and stylistic simplicity. With clean rectilinear outlines, women deftly capture characteristic poses and fundamental qualities of many different species of birds and beasts of the region. The warmth of these women manifests in the way they depict animals around them. Animals sometimes have their favorite foods woven beside them: hares with cotton flowers, squirrels running up kikar trees and birds sitting in gardens with a little something to eat in their mouths. This empathy with animals has ancient roots. There are similar scenes painted on objects from the Indus Valley Civilization, such as pottery from Chanhu-daro, on which goats nibble at trees; and copper tablets from Mohenjo-daro, which show hares feeding.
From dhurries with European men marching into the Indian subcontinent, to dhurries with figures resembling the Harappan pottery figurines of the Indus River, bridal dhurries denote the political and cultural environment of the place and time in which they were created.
Particularly during the rule of the British Raj, tradition and transference of histories seemed to combine on the ever-evolving, fluid canvas of the dhurries. Weavers depicted figures such as smug, bored British memsahibs sitting on their straight chairs, sometimes drinking tea or holding flowers—the epitome of British colonial presence, seasoned with native humor.
Dhurrie with multicolored geometric design of serrated lozenges and other forms in colored bands. Kansal village, Ropar District, Punjab, 1969. Image Credit: Ann Shankar and Jenny Housego
Today, when someone sees a dhurrie, they may see a mere floor-covering—a mundane house-hold item. However, it is exceedingly important to understand the dhurries’ origins as a powerful symbol of creative endeavors and a repository of material memory. Their history and character transcend their roles as sheer decorative objects— inducing an appreciation not only of the craft and arts of India but also a respect for the cultural history which is woven into the secular and deeply diverse fabric of South Asia.