ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Odisha Ikat

Okay kiddo, do you know what weaving is? It's like making a really cool design by tying different threads together. Odisha Ikat is a very special kind of weaving that comes from the state of Odisha in India.

First, the people who make Odisha Ikat decide on a design they want to make. They draw the design on a big piece of paper and then they tie small pieces of thread around certain parts of the paper. These threads represent different colors in the final design.

Next, they take those same threads and tie them onto a long, vertical frame. This frame is called a loom. The threads are tied onto the loom so that they go up and down in a pattern.

Finally, the weavers use their hands to pass more threads in between the tied threads on the loom. This takes a lot of skill and patience because they have to make sure the new threads go over and under the tied threads in the right way. This is what makes the design appear.

Once the weaving is finished, the threads are cut and the final product is revealed. It could be a piece of cloth for clothing or a beautiful tapestry to hang on the wall.

Odisha Ikat is really special because it has been around for a very long time - some say even thousands of years! And each design is unique because it is made by hand, with lots of love and care.