Sohagpur Handloom Weaving and Bagheli Textile Tradition of Rewa

Rewa has a tradition of cotton and silk weaving concentrated in Sohagpur and Sirmaur tehsils where Koli and Banskar weaver communities have worked for generations. The distinctive Bagheli sari has a broad red or maroon border with geometric warp-stripe body in white or cream cotton. Wedding saris traditionally incorporate gold zari borders even in modest household budgets. Men weave on pit looms set into the ground for better tension control on heavy cotton warps. Women handle yarn preparation including soaking, starching, and winding. The weaving community maintains a cooperative depot in Rewa city that sells directly at government melas and exhibitions, bypassing trader intermediaries who historically extracted high commissions. The Bagheli design vocabulary draws on Vindhya rock art motifs: spirals, animal forms, and stylised trees.