Kolkata Metiabruz Jamdani Muslin Weaving Heritage

Metiabruz in south Kolkata is home to a community of Dhakai Muslim weavers who migrated from Dhaka (now Bangladesh) during Partition, bringing the jamdani muslin weaving tradition that UNESCO recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. Metiabruz weavers produce jamdani saris with the characteristic self-patterned supplementary weft motifs — buti (small), jalar (repeat), and tercha (diagonal) patterns — on sheer fine-count cotton muslin warps that require two weavers working side-by-side to lay in pattern threads. The Dhakai Muslim weaver community in Metiabruz has maintained the Dhaka jamdani tradition outside Bangladesh, weaving fabric sold at premium prices in Kolkata's New Market and Hatibagan sari shops.