What is Himroo?

Himroo is a handwoven textile with a rather intriguing history. Let’s begin with the word ‘himroo’ that originated from the Persian word 'hum-ruh' which means 'similar'. It is a replication of ‘Kum-khwab’, which was woven with pure gold and silver threads and was meant only for the royal families. Similarly, even the Himroo textile was flaunted by royal court men and their families. Himroo was the epitome of grace as well as elegance and the collection at The Handicraft studio will remind you why.

But first, let’s start with the history

Migration of Himroo

During the reign of Mohammed Bin Tughlaq, the art of weaving Himroo was practiced by remarkably skilled artisans. When Tughlaq shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, which was near Aurangabad at the time, this generation of Himroo craftsmen migrated with their ruler. However, after the capital was reversed back to Delhi, some artisans decided to stay back and continued weaving in that part of the kingdom. Making use of their prized skill, they produced and sold products such as Himroo shawls and other linens to the royal households, which made ‘Himroo’ widely popular in Aurangabad as it is till date.

Himroo Legacies

The renowned Marco Polo was given a Himroo Shawl upon his arrival in India. He writes in one of his memoirs about the Himroo, "It is as fine as a spider's web and Kings and Queens of any country will take pride in wearing it."

Himroo was endorsed by the Mughal and Nizam nobility. Till the mid-twentieth century, the Nizam’s court in Hyderabad sought a steady supply of Himroo. The Nizam wore exquisite sherwanis made of the fabric and soon the Himroo became statement attire among the nawabs of Deccan. With the backlash of the Second World War and later as the Nizam’s court faded away from political power, there was a drastic decline in the demand for himroo.

Bringing the Himroo back in vogue

The current nurturing ground of this technique lies in Aurangabad. Credit goes to a certain Qureshi family that inherited this technique from their forefathers and carried it forward to the demand of today. Ajaz Ahmed Qureshi, who represents the 13th generation of famous Qureshi family, currently runs the Aurangabad Himroo Industry, a Government of India undertaking.

Awareness about sustainable fashion and a drive to keep the craft alive is bringing the Himroo back in popular ethnic wear. The designs of every Himroo shawl and dupatta carry with them some historical relics and remnants that must be preserved.

Nothing would do justice to the beautiful history of Himroo handloom dupattas than the vigour and excitement carried by the friends and sisters of a bride. Colors ranging from turquoise blue, rose pink, lime green, maroon and more are available in our Himroo collection at The Handicraft Studio. Gorgeous and breezy at the same time, it’ll make a perfect dress code for Team Bride.

Take a look at our collection of beautiful Himroo dupattas and drape yourself in the historic legacy it inherits.