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Jaipuri Razai (quilt) is the name associated with the Pink city since long. Unlike other
quilts, Jaipuri quilts are incredibly soft and light. The Jaipuri quilts are very warm and
has been a standard for warmness even after being so light that it could be wrapped
around like blanket.
The inhospitable desert terrain, the bitter winter and the Rajasthani nomad culture,
gave birth to this little magic at Rajasthan only. The Jaipuri razai is something to keep
the chill out without adding significantly to the luggage. Though quilts were common
all over the world, but Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, has taken the pride to be
home town of this mini marvel.
The idea or logic lies in the carding of cotton. No special stuff is used in these quilts,
but the same quality of cotton from fresh crops is used. It is the carding away all the
dross, that makes the same cotton very warm and very light. Carding helps to get at
the finest fibres. After the hard labour of carding a whole week, the kilo cotton
reduces to the weight of just 100 gms. One may find still more lighter quilts, surprisingly
weighing just 50 gms. The lighter a quilt, the more evenly filled, the warmer and more
comfortable it will be.
Nowadays, variety of cloth as fine textured cotton and georgette are used to make
these razais, but as a tradition, only gossamer light or famous ' Dhake ki malmal' was
used in old times. Usually, a soft quality voile is used now. Quilting is the last step
towards completion of the quilt. The threads are usually sewn in a definite pattern
which could be gol (concentric circles), flowers, the betel leaf shape or vertical stripes
in zigzag manner. It takes time according to the complexity of the design.
The good part of this quilt is that it could be washed at home. It comes in very
attractive colors and with ethnic Rajasthan prints. Sanganer prints and bandhani
prints are very common covers of these quilts. Beside, a highly demand is velvet
covers, which come in bright combinations as red and black, red and yellow, etc.
They are popularly known as 'shahneel ki razai' and hold a big chunk of exports of
Jaipuri quilts.
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