This museum is proud of its textile fabric collection. On the western coast of India, Surat was a port of prime importance for Export- Import. In the ancient days flags of 84 countries were seen flying on their ships. It is said that the province surrounding Surat has acquired the name of "Choryasi Taluka" (84 Talukas) since then. This port was well connected by roads to many parts of India and thus had become a main trade centre.

Surat was one of the oldest centres of trade in cotton textile. This textile reached Surat from different parts of India as well as from some foreign countries. Silk used to come from China. Textile used to come from different trading centers and was exported back after processing.

Surat was also an important centre for export of all kinds of textiles. Textile was exported mainly to the countries in Persian Gulf and ports of Red Sea, East Africa and South East Asia. Textile of Surat was in great demand in European markets. In addition to cotton textile, other products exported were carpets with "butta" (ornamented with flowers), beautifully designed quilts filled with cotton etc. Such quilts were manufactured in Surat itself.

Indigo was another important item of export. Sarkhej near Ahmedabad was an important centre of its production. It was also produced in Jambusar. Indigo from Gujarat was in great demand in Arab countries and in Iran, during the sultanate period of Gujarat. When Humayun invaded Gujarat in 1535 A. D. Sultan Bahadurshah arranged to send his harem and treasure, along with Asaf Khan to Mecca and one hundred baskets of indigo were also sent along with.

Goods from North, South and East India were brought to Surat for trade and export purposes. This necessitated exchange of gold and silver currencies. Mints at Nanavat near the port area were working round-the-clock to provide exchange facilities.

Chinese Embroidary

Manufacture of cotton and silk fabric was the main industry in Surat, towards which in the beginning of the 17th century, the Dutch and the English were attracted. During the 16th Century, there was a vast market for textiles of Surat in South-East Asia, Gulf countries and East Africa. During the Mughal period, the products of Gujarat like 'paghdi' (headgear) of golden thread, cloth for sash and veil 'burkha', 'jamvar' (woven with'butta'), 'khasa' (very fine muslin-velvet) and velvet, were very well-known. As spinners and weavers, the communities of Salvis, Khatris and Parsees were engaged in trades related to textile in Surat.

Many ancillary industries connected with the textile industry have developed in Surat. Carding of cotton, spinning, dyeing, printing, painting, bleaching were some of the other allied occupations connected with textile-making. 'Chintz' was painted with brush over woven fabric. Long-cloth was also painted with brush. With the help of wooden blocks, beautiful designs and motifs were printed on cloth. Communities of 'Chhipas' and'Bhavsars' had mastered the printing of textiles. Because of its ideal location on the river bank, bleaching of cloth was developed as a specialized occupation. Even fabric was brought from outside to Surat for washing and bleaching.

' KINKHAB: It has been described in ancient literature as golden dress worn by the Vedic Gods. It impressed the Greek travellers in India. It symbolized the glory of the Mauryas by the semi-precious stones and jewels studded over golden fabric. What epitomized the refined taste and high level of indulgence of the Mughal emperors was called "Kinkhab" or a dream in miniature. It was a craze with the European nobility in the form of Brocade, and still is a pinnacle of the Indian craftsmanship and perseverance. 

Since ancient days, Brocade was produced in India at different well-known places. Many more later developed under the patronage of the ruling states. Benaras, Murshidabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, Aurangabad, Paithan, Burhanpur, Tanjore, Kanchipuram, Madurai and others were the foremost centres of Brocade manufacture. In addition to these, some more centres also developed during the Mughal period. 

The Brocade produced at the above centres has certain common character- istics to some extent in the matter of techniques of manufacture and decorative ornamentation. Yet, because of the variations in the local conditions and peculiarities of the individual craftmanship. Brocade of each of the centres had its own unique character.

'Brocade' is a fabric woven out of silver thread. It is very expensive because of the use of silver. The thread is drawn out of silver and then plated with gold. Therefore, all the expensive dresses made out of such cloth are worn only on special occasions of weddings or to attend royal courts or during religious ceremonies by the royal personalities, the noblemen, the courtiers or the religious leaders. 

Literal meaning of Kinkhab is less dream'. Because of its high contents of silver and gold threads, the texture becomes abrasive to the skin which makes a man almost sleepless and hence few or less dreams. May be, the word is derived from this.

The Brocade has a special texture, the fabric of which is woven keeping its reverse side on the loom. To ensure the correctness of design, a mirror is placed below it. With a large variety of colour combinations, designs and motifs, Brocade from Gujarat appears cool and balanced. Exciting colour schemes and attractive decorative patterns, distinguish them from others and are tempting to one and all.

Due to its exclusiveness, Brocades of Gujarat and articles made out of them, were well-known in India and also in other Asian countries and Africa, in the early centuries of the Christian Era. 

Surat and Ahmedabad are the main centres of Brocade-manufacturing in Gujarat. During the Mughal period, Ahmedabad reached the peak of its glory as an industrial and commercial city. According to 'Mirat-e-Ahmadi', after Ahme- dabad was founded, skilled craftsmen immigrated and settled down in different parts of the new city. Because of its favourable climatic conditions the fabric made here is of better quality than produced elsewhere. The contemporary travellers from Europe have made special mention of the textile industry in Gujarat in their travelogues. 

Ahmedabad could not achieve faster industrial growth, because of strategic trade practices adopted by Surat, which is situated conveniently near the Arabian Sea and because of the superior grip of British Empire over the Mughals. 

In the second half of the 17th centuray the European traveller Manucci (1653-1708) described Surat as the most industrially developed city of India. He saw many mercantile ships arriving from Europe, Iran, Arab countries, Mecca, Basra, Malabar, Coromandal, Machhalipattanam, Bengal, Siam, Kedah, Bata- via, Manila, China and from other parts of the world. Further Manucci described Surat as a very thickly populated City.2 It was inhabited by lakhs of people. 

In the beginning only the English and the Dutch had their factories in Surat. Offices of the Muslims, the English and the Dutch were more in number. However, the population of the city increased rapidly when, the French factories were established later on. 

In the second half of the 16th century, when the Brocade industry in Ahmedabad was on the decline, the city of Surat was making rapid progress. Brocade was being produced in Ahmedabad on only 600 handlooms, whereas in Surat almost 1000 handlooms were in operation. However, Brocade made in both the places did not have much difference in view of the technique of manufacture, decoration and colour schemes. In all probability, weavers working in both the cities belonged to the same tradition. Items like sarees, headdresses, turbans, skirts, bodices, blouses, shirts etc. were produced from Brocades made in these centers. For this purpose Brocade was woven in large rolls or pieces according to the need. Surat Brocade has its own special peculiarity in the matter of colour, design, decoration and the pattern of weaving etc. etc.

Besides Brocades, Surat was also famous for its 'Himru', 'Mashru', Tanchhoi' and such fabrics of silk-brocades, manufacturing process of which re- sembled that of 'Kinkhab' with the only difference that silk thread was used in place of silver thread. The fabric in which silver thread was used in combination with silk thread was known by the name 'Khirodak'. In this class of fabrics special 'butta' decoration was made prominent, whereas in 'Mashru' and 'Himru', silk thread was used for continuous weaving.

A Saree is tied with a thread dipped in wax. When the entire saree is so tied, it is dipped in the vessels filled with dyes. After the colour dries, the knots of the threads are opened, thereby exposing the previously tied portions which appear without colour. Thus, the intended compositions emerge when the process is complete.

Subsequently, where needed, retouching is done and, on the remaining uncoloured white dotted design, colours are applied. In this way, colour effects are created. Vegetable colours used for this work are chosen according to seasons, red colour in summer, black in rainy season. 'Bandhani' also bears different names: it was 'Shikari Bandhani' wherein animals and birds were represented, while that in which motifs of female figures and elephants were emphasized, was known as 'Nari-Kunjar Bandhani'.

The textile known as 'Patola' is the traditional dress of a Gujarati bride. It is well represented in the museum with several original and authentic specimens. The term 'Patola' is derived from the Sanskrit word PATTOL. Patan is famous for the manufacture of Patola. Its technique is also complicated. The weft and the warp are dyed separately, before weaving, according to the selected design.

Thereafter, as the weaving takes place, exact intended designs emerge. Because of its complicated manufacturing process, very few designs are available and the Patola are classified according to the designs like'Wadi Bhaf which has flowering creeper motif, or it is 'Nari-Kunjar' in which motifs of female and elephant appear. The colours used in Patola of Patan are very fast so much so that a Patola may get torn in use or get worn out but its design, however, would never fade. It takes a long time to manufacture a Patola and that makes it very expensive. Therefore, only very wealthy people can afford to buy it. The art of weaving Patola is now almost forgotten, and that is why interest is being shown by the foreigners in acquiring the available pieces.

Thus in past, Surat, a well-known centre for import-export was also a leading industrial centre for textile. Even today, it is a frontline city, famous for the manufacture of a large variety of 'man-made' textiles and modem machinery forits production.

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