Kota Doria Sarees & Suits by Weaver Tofik Raza from Kota, Rajasthan

Personal Details

Hi! I am Tofik Raza, a Kota Doria Sarees & Suits weaver/manufacturer. I was born in Kaithoon, Rajasthan. I have completed class XII from the government school in Kaithoon.

Kota Doria Sarees & Suits Weaving Skills

Kota Doria weaving is our ancestral art. We have been weaving Kota Doria fabric for many generations. I learned to weave Kota Doria from my father Mr. Mustak Ahmad. My father is also a weaver and an expert in weaving Kota Doria. I have also undergone training under CFC (Common Facility Centre) to improve my skills.

Kota Doria Sarees & Suits Weaving Process

Kota Doria is the finest and very lightweight fabric. It consists of very small squares, forming a check pattern known as khats. Kota Doria is traditionally woven on pit looms.

Locally, cotton and silk hanks (lachhi) are purchased. These hanks are then transformed into spools. After that the number of threads required for weaving the fabric is determined. Now the yarn is dyed with natural or artificial colors as per the requirement of the customer. The yarn is then dipped in a thin paste of rice (maandi) to provide strength and stiffness. The yarn is then spread and sizing is done with the help of special brushes made in Kashmir. The design is then made on graph paper and transferred onto a jala. Now the warp yarn is passed through the heald of a loom. The warp yarn is joined using the index finger and thumb using some ash. Weaving is done in pit looms using the throw shuttle technique. Real zari with silver and gold-coated wires are used for designing.

Experience in Kota Doria Sarees & Suits Weaving

I have 15 years of experience in the art of weaving Kota Doria.

Participation in Exhibitions

I have participated in many exhibitions in Rajasthan like India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF), Masala Mela, and Udaipur Cooperative Mela, etc.

Future Plans

Due to COVID-19, it has become very difficult to participate in exhibitions and sell products. So we have moved to digital platforms and want to sell our products all over India and abroad.