Leheriya

Leheriya takes its name from the Sanskrit 'lahara', wave, and is a resist-dyeing technique from Rajasthan, above all Jaipur and Jodhpur, that produces diagonal wave stripes rather than bandhani's dots. It is closely tied to the monsoon and to the festival of Teej, worn as the rains finally arrive in the desert; the Jodhpur dyer Mohammed Tayeb Khan was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 for his mastery of the shaded, multi-layer version of the technique.

Region: Jaipur, Jodhpur and the desert towns of Rajasthan

1. 01The fabric is rolled diagonally into a tight tube rather than pinched into dots as in bandhani.
2. 02The rolled fabric is tied off with cotton thread at precise intervals along its length.
3. 03The tied roll is dipped into a dye bath; the tied sections resist the colour, and unrolling reveals diagonal stripes where dye did and did not reach.
4. 04Multiple rounds of re-rolling, tying at new intervals and re-dyeing in a new colour build up the layered, multi-coloured wave effect that experienced dyers are known for.

• The stripe edges should look slightly soft and irregular where the resist line sat, not perfectly ruled; a printed imitation has hard, mechanically even stripes.
• Leheriya is traditionally worked on thin, lightweight fabric: cotton, silk or a sheer fabric like chiffon or georgette. A leheriya pattern on a heavy or stiff fabric is unusual for the technique.
• Ask whether it is hand tied and dyed or printed to resemble leheriya, since printed versions are common and much cheaper.

WEIGHT

Light, since it is traditionally worked on thin fabric.

WARMTH

Follows the base fabric, usually on the cooler end since thin cotton, silk or chiffon are the traditional choices.

BREATHABILITY

Good, for the same reason.

DRAPE

Soft and fluid, follows the base fabric's own drape.

WRINKLING

Follows the base fabric; thin cotton and silk both crease readily but shake out easily.

Best season: Monsoon, the season it is most associated with. Summer more broadly, given the lightweight base fabric

WASHING

Soak briefly in cold salted water before the first wash to help set colour, then follow the base fabric's rule: gentle hand wash for cotton or synthetic chiffon, dry clean for silk.

IRONING

Low heat, since leheriya is usually worked on thin, delicate fabric.

STORAGE

Fold loosely in muslin or cotton; avoid tight folding that could press a hard crease into the soft diagonal stripes.

STAINS

Treat according to the base fabric, promptly and gently, since thin fabrics show marks quickly.

PERFUME AND DEODORANT

Scent skin rather than a silk leheriya piece directly; cotton is more forgiving.

Leheriya's diagonal stripes look their best with minimal, even pleating that does not chop up the wave pattern; it is traditionally worn as an odhni or dupatta as often as a full saree.