khes

{{short description|Simple loose clothing item to wrap around in the Punjab region}}

File:Khes.jpg, it is a handoom damask cloth) used in bedding in Pakistan and northwest India.]]

Khes ({{langx|pa|Shahmukhi:کھیس, Gurmukhi:ਖੇਸ੍}}) ({{IPA|pa|kʰeːsː}}) is a thick cotton blanket cloth in the Indian subcontinent; it is a damask cloth used for blankets and winter wraps.{{Cite book|last1=Tortora|first1=Phyllis G.|title=The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles|last2=Johnson|first2=Ingrid|date=2013-09-17|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-60901-535-0|pages=327, 357, 361}}{{Cite book|last=Mukharji|first=T. N.|url=https://archive.org/details/artmanufactureso00mukhuoft|title=Art-manufactures of India|date=1888|publisher=Calcutta|others=Gerstein - University of Toronto|pages=323}} Khes is generally hand-woven with coarse cotton yarns. Khes as a garment is a simple clothing item to wear loosely to cover the upper body by men in Pakistan and northwest India. Khes is an important cloth in the Sindh{{Cite web |last=IVS |first=Textile Resource Centre |date=2020-12-28 |title=CRAFTS OF SINDH |url=https://medium.com/textile-resource-centre-department-of-textile/crafts-of-sindh-338e30986710 |access-date=2024-03-03 |website=Agha Hasan Abedi Textile Resource Centre, Department of Textile Design, Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2010-12-31 |title=Traditional weaving: Rain hampers last day of exhibition |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/97205/traditional-weaving-rain-hampers-last-day-of-exhibition |access-date=2024-03-03 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}} and Punjab,{{Cite web|title=The Lost Tartan Khes of India – Global InCH- International Journal of Intangible Cultural Heritage|url=https://globalinch.org/article/the-lost-tartan-khes-of-india/|access-date=2020-11-30}} regions which are famous for its production and historically has been known for not only the production of Khes but also many other coarse cotton textiles, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries.{{Cite book|last=Parshad|first=Gopal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H_nsAAAAMAAJ|title=Industrial Development in Northern India: A Study of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, 1858-1918|date=2007|publisher=National Book Organisation|isbn=978-81-87521-20-4}}{{Cite book|last=Punjab (India)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZzZuAAAAMAAJ|title=Punjab State Gazetteer|date=2000|publisher=Revenue and Rehabilitation Department, Punjab|pages=299, 566|language=en}} Khes is a comfort object used in bedding, and is also usable as a cover.{{Cite book|last=A. BISWAS|url=https://archive.org/details/INDIANCOSTUMES|title=Indian Costumes}}{{Cite book|last=Baden-Powell|first=Baden Henry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gg_JAAAAMAAJ&q=Khes+in+punjab&pg=PA22|title=Hand-book of the Manufactures & Arts of the Punjab: With a Combined Glossary & Index of Vernacular Trades & Technical Terms ... Forming Vol. Ii to the "Hand-book of the Economic Products of the Punjab" Prepared Under the Orders of Government|date=1872|publisher=Punjab printing Company|pages=6, 16, 22}}{{Cite book|last=Rutnagur|first=Sorabji M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-sROAAAAYAAJ&q=khes+in+punjab|title=The Indian Textile Journal|date=1984|publisher=Business Press|pages=139}}{{Cite book|last1=Industries|first1=Pakistan Ministry of|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ldQAAAAMAAJ&q=khes+in+punjab|title=Threadlines Pakistan|last2=Yacopino|first2=Feliccia|date=1977|publisher=Ministry of Industries, Government of Pakistan}}{{Cite book |last1=Askari |first1=Nasreen |author-link=Nasreen Askari |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wQJKAQAAIAAJ&q=punjabi+Khes |title=Colours of the Indus: Costume and Textiles of Pakistan |last2=Crill |first2=Rosemary |last3=Museum |first3=Victoria and Albert |date=1997 |publisher=M. Holberton |isbn=978-1-85894-044-1 |pages=12, 88, 142}}{{cite EB1911|wstitle=India |volume= 14 | pages = 375 to 421 |short=x}}

Khes weaving

= Weave =

Khes is a thick woven cloth made on a handloom. Khes weaving was a traditional textile art associated with rural Punjab. The craft of khes-weaving had cultural significance in rural areas.{{Cite journal|last=Gupta|first=Suchitra|date=1973|title=THE BRITISH IMPACT ON THE INDIGENOUS COTTON TEXTILE INDUSTRY OF THE PUNJAB 1875 to 1885|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44138701|journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress|volume=34|pages=122–128|jstor=44138701|issn=2249-1937}}{{Cite web|title=The Khes of Punjab|url=https://gaatha.com/the-khes-of-punjab/|access-date=2020-12-05|language=en-US}} Women in villages used to weave khes.{{Cite book |last1=Askari |first1=Nasreen |author-link=Nasreen Askari |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jWRQAAAAMAAJ&q=in+the+villages+of+Punjab+have+woven+the+khes |title=Colours of the Indus: Costume and Textiles of Pakistan |last2=Crill |first2=Rosemary |date=1997 |publisher=M. Holberton |isbn=978-1-85894-045-8 |pages=88}} Women in the villages of Punjab have been weaving khes as part of their wedding trousseau for years.{{Cite web |title=The Khes of Punjab |url=https://gaatha.com/the-khes-of-punjab/ |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=gaatha.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-30 |title=Sangrur {{!}} How this entrepreneur is helping empower rural women through handicraft |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/sangrur-how-this-entrepreneur-is-helping-empower-rural-women-through-handicraft-101664483802512.html |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}

Spans of khes were traditionally woven in pairs and then stitched together.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2oHWAAAAMAAJ&q=in+the+villages+of+Punjab+have+woven+the+khes|title=Arts and Crafts of Pakistan|date=1994|publisher=Export Promotion Bureau, Government of Pakistan|pages=47}} Khes pieces from the town of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, were larger and available in sizes of up to 6 by 9 feet (2.75 by 1.8 m).{{Cite book|last=Pradesh (India)|first=Uttar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GzNuAAAAMAAJ&q=RAMPUR+KHES|title=Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Allahabad|date=1959|publisher=Government of Uttar Pradesh|pages=133}}

Khesi {{Cite web|date=2015-05-03|title=Punjabi Dressing {{!}} Coloursofpunjab|url=http://www.coloursofpunjab.com/punjabipedia/punjabi-culture/punjabi-dressing|access-date=2020-12-08|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503141448/http://www.coloursofpunjab.com/punjabipedia/punjabi-culture/punjabi-dressing|archive-date=2015-05-03}} is a wider variant of khes, for use in making sheets.

= Patterns =

Most khes were made of cotton, but there were also some varieties of cotton and silk.{{Cite book |last=Askari |first=Nasreen |author-link=Nasreen Askari |url=https://archive.org/details/uncutcloth0000aska |title=Uncut cloth |date=1999 |publisher=London : Merrell Holberton |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-1-85894-083-0 |pages=84, 90}}{{Cite book|last1=Watt|first1=George Sir|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.granth.99909|title=Indian Art at Delhi, 1903; being the Official Catalogue of the Delhi Exhibition, 1902-1903|last2=Brown|first2=Percy (Illus )|date=1903|publisher=Superintendent of Government Printing (Calcutta)|pages=528}} Khes varieties were distinguished by different weave patterns and origins. Primarily, Khes were plain or with geometrical designs, including check pattern (charkhana, chequered) and diamond patterns. The frequency of the checkered style has led to khes sometimes being referred to as a type of tartan cloth (a term more often reserved for Scottish textiles). Dabba khes is a pattern with squares formed using dyed yarns.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-Y2AQAAMAAJ&q=Khes+manufacturing+punjab|title=Punjab District and State Gazetteers: Part A].|date=1916|publisher=Compiled and published under the authority of the Punjab government|pages=196}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zwpDAAAAYAAJ&q=history+of+Khes+use+in+Punjab|title=Proceedings - Punjab History Conference|date=2003|isbn=978-81-7380-885-2|pages=103}} Khes from Rampur State was famous for its superior-quality cotton and unique, interwoven patterns, often with gold thread and borders in various coloured yarns.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=25U3AQAAMAAJ&q=rampur+khes|title=Gazetteer of the Rampur State|date=1911|publisher=W.C. Abel, Government Press, United Provinces|pages=34}}{{Cite book|last=Mukhopādhyāẏa|first=Trailokyanātha|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C3QTAAAAQAAJ&q=RAMPUR+KHES&pg=PA321|title=Art-manufactures of India: Specially Compiled for the Glasgow International Exhibition, 1888|date=1888|publisher=Superintendent of Government Printing|pages=321}} Khes patpatti had white and red check patterns, while khes tukridaar was the name for white and blue checks. Khesbaf weaving was the term for forming diagonal patterns.{{Cite book|last=Baden-Powell|first=Baden Henry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gg_JAAAAMAAJ&q=%E2%80%9C+gh%C3%A1ti+;+%E2%80%9D+from+jhind&pg=PA16|title=Hand-book of the Manufactures & Arts of the Punjab: With a Combined Glossary & Index of Vernacular Trades & Technical Terms ... Forming Vol. Ii to the "Hand-book of the Economic Products of the Punjab" Prepared Under the Orders of Government|date=1872|publisher=Punjab printing Company|pages=16}}

Production

= India =

Production in India takes place in the Malwa region and the southern Indian Punjab.{{Cite book|last=Harris|first=Jennifer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lJb0DwAAQBAJ&q=khes+weaving+areas&pg=PA176|title=A Companion to Textile Culture|date=2020-09-16|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-76890-7|pages=176}} Other places in India include Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.

= Pakistan =

Production in Pakistan takes place in South Pakistani Punjab (in the city of Bahawalpur, Multan, and in the villages of the Cholistan Desert){{Cite book|last1=Claus|first1=Peter J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ienxrTPHzzwC&q=Cholistan+Desert++khes+weaving&pg=PA394|title=South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka|last2=Diamond|first2=Sarah|last3=Mills|first3=Margaret Ann|date=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93919-5|pages=394}} and Sindh (in the city of Naserpur, Sehwan Sharif, and Thatta){{Cite book|last1=Industries|first1=Pakistan Ministry of|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ldQAAAAMAAJ&q=naserpur+khes+weaving|title=Threadlines Pakistan|last2=Yacopino|first2=Feliccia|date=1977|publisher=Ministry of Industries, Government of Pakistan|pages=60, 63}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2oHWAAAAMAAJ&q=Sehwan+khes+weaving|title=Arts and Crafts of Pakistan|date=1994|publisher=Export Promotion Bureau, Government of Pakistan|pages=40}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZettAAAAMAAJ&q=Sehwan+khes+weaving|title=Sind Quarterly|date=1994|publisher=Shah Abdul Latif Cultural Society}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yyvJDwAAQBAJ&dq=Thatta+khes+weaving&pg=PT248|title=Insight Guides Pakistan|date=2020|publisher=Apa Publications|isbn=9781839052583|editor-last=Fanthorpe|editor-first=Helen|edition=eBook|at="Textiles" section|access-date=4 December 2020|via=Google Books}}