Dhake ke malmali: The forgotten story of a fabric so weightless, Khusrau compared it to water

Imagine a saree that can pass through a finger ring or fit into a box of matches. This is the story of the famed muslin of Dhaka (Dhaka-ke-Malmali), an exquisite fabric which originated from present-day Bangladesh and is made in the erstwhile province of Bengal. The artistry behind this remarkable textile is long gone, despite its fame and glory during its prime.

The words of the 14th-century poet, Amir Khusrau, echo the beauty of this fabric: “A hundred yards can pass through the eye of a needle, so fine is its texture…It is so transparent and light that it looks as if one is in no dress at all but has only smeared the body with pure water.”

Why Dhaka muslin was unlike any other fabric

The reason for such excellence in fabric lay in an extremely rare type of cotton bush known as Phuti karpas. It could be found exclusively on the shores of the Meghna River. It was very rich in fine-quality fibres that were hand-spun mostly in the mornings when moisture in the air prevented thread breakage.

Weaving the saree was no less difficult. Artisans skilled in their craft worked in oil lamps and solely by touch and their experience. The fabric was so thin that it would get spoiled even if there was a strong gust of wind. It used to take several months to complete one saree, sometimes even up to a year.

A fabric that was preferred by emperors and queens

The Dhaka Muslin became one of the most renowned luxury fabrics for the Mughal Empire. It became a status symbol for the emperors, royal family members, and the aristocrats.

There is an interesting anecdote about Aurangzeb, who rebuked his daughter Princess Zeb-un-Nissa for being inappropriately attired. Princess Zeb-un-Nissa replied that she was wearing seven layers of muslin, thus emphasising the amazing fineness of the fabric.

Its reputation began to transcend the borders of the Indian subcontinent. The British traders brought the fabric to Europe. It was adored for its unparalleled softness by the queens and other aristocrats of that time. The muslin cloth was labelled as 'woven moonlight.' During the 18th century, muslin became one of the most precious exports of India.

Colonial rule brought a remarkable craft to an end

The fate of muslin of Dhaka totally changed when the British East India Company gained control over the region. The fabrics produced by machines in Britain were not only faster but cheaper than the fabrics produced manually in the undivided Bengal.

With reduced demand, many skilled weavers became unemployed. The common narrative states that some of them had their thumbs amputated. But even today, historians are uncertain whether it really took place or not. What remains undoubted is that the industry folded, skills related to weaving started getting lost, and the rare Phuti karpas cotton ceased to exist.

By the beginning of the 20th century, genuine muslin was no longer available. There were only a few samples of it left in museums in London and Kolkata. After years of research, Bangladeshi researchers managed to recreate a fabric similar to the real one in 2020.

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