Wangkhei Phee is fine cotton and see through fabric used by women as a special item for special occasions in Manipur. The fabric is very delicate one in fine white cotton yarn and the interlacement of weft and warp in the series are woven far apart from each other, and as such, the cloth is fully transparent.
This delicate fabric is known as “Wangkhei Phee” because it was first developed by skilled weavers in the Wangkhei area within the Imphal East District of Manipur, for the royal family. It is a fine variety and close-knitted texture woven by female weavers. The designs are used in various items like Inaphee (chaddar), Phanek (sarong/women's lungies), Dhoti, Sarees, Girls’ skirts and for school uniforms.
Patches of a uniform design are woven on the cloth at wide intervals throughout the body of the cloth. Originally, this piece of muslin cloth was uniformly made in white. This muslin cloth survives noticeably in developed form. Till date, in a variety of designs both on the body of the cloth and at the borders in various colours are used.
Image Credit: gojilove.com
The Manipur weavers had been weaving this kind of cloth by using the extra weft technique designs of Kheiroithek, Thangjing Tangkhai, Kabok Chaiba and many others with Moirang Pheejin Design in the border. This kind of cloth is very popularly adorned by the Manipuri women and girls on the occasions of marriage ceremony, in a wide scale in Manipur.
The cloth has its peculiar designs with different motifs, viz; Namthang Khuthat weave, inumit chura (sunrise head gear), khoi (hook), thambal (lotus), thangjing tangkhai (half euryle ferox), atargulap (rose), khongup melei (a kind of orchid), Angom Ningthou (Royal symbol), Jubakusum (floral), leaves, raining night, angoor charong (grapes bunch) etc.
The fibre used for making the yarn is derived from "Lashing" (Cotton ball) and "Kabrang" (Mulberry cocoon). It is also extracted from the bark of the tree species locally known as "Santhak" (Urtica sp.). The local fibre is spun into threads and then dyed using the extracts of plants, bark, leaves, and flowers. The dyed yarn is subject to sizing through the application of a rice-based starch, following by stretching with the help of a bamboo stick, and then wound onto the bobbins and pirns.
Wangkhei Phee is produced either by throw shuttle loom or fly shuttle loom. On fly shuttle loom, the Wangkhei Phee is woven in a single piece as a complete fabric. However, it is woven in two pieces on throw shuttle loom which will be stitched together after they are woven so as to make it a complete. In order to produce a Wangkhei Phee, three shuttles are used, one is conventional shuttle used for body weft thread and two smaller shuttles for extra weft.
Two weavers are involved when the fabric is woven with three shuttles on fly shuttle loom. Only one weaver can be woven if the fabric is woven on throw shuttle loom as the width of the fabric is smaller size for stitching together after the fabrics are woven to make it a complete end product.
GI Tag Registration Date : 31 March 2014
GI Tag Number : 372
Certificate Number : 212
Geographical Area : Manipur
Special Cover Release Date : 12 November 2021
Cancellation : Imphal 795 001
Type : GI Tag Cover
Cover Identification Number : NE/28/2021-2022
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Enlarged View of Cancellation
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