Although many sari lovers know Odisha’s Bomkai by name, often it gets overshadowed by the more popular Sambalpuri sari," said Dr Anita Sabat. Sabat is a heritage enthusiast and cultural researcher, who works for Odisha handloom promotion and advocated for its Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

In 2012, the GI Registry, Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Government of India awarded the GI tag to the Bomkai sari and fabrics, which has helped the handloom to find a niche of its own. The sari takes its name from the village of Bomkai in the Ganjam district of Odisha.

"Although little is known about its origin, the sari woven in the past was of coarse cotton. The weavers used the clever method of introducing an extra weft design using the jalla technique," said Sabat.

Usually, the extra weft is used in the anchal or pallu. The extra weft may be of a different coloured yarn, which heightens the attraction of the pattern. According to a note on the government’s GI website, the uniqueness of the Bomkai sari lies in the fact that “There is no fixed layout for the anchal panels brought out by extra wefts’ colours.”

This is what makes Bomkai unique, that each sari has a unique pattern. Although a few weavers are still weaving the eponymous sari in the village of Bomkai, over the past few decades, the bulk of weaving is being done in Subarnapur (Sonepur) district and select blocks of a few other districts of Odisha, which have been duly classified under the GI tag.

Thus, Bomkai saris are also being called "Sonepuri" now. While cotton yarn was used to make Ganjam Bomkai, silk is also being used in Sonepur over the past few decades. This has increased the popularity of the handloom among buyers, according to many sellers. Some of the best handlooms are woven by the Bhulia community of Sonepur.

Usually, the sari is woven on fly shuttle pit looms but the use of frame looms may also be found. In the past, weavers used natural colours to dye the yarn. But this limited the range of colours to blue, black, maroon, yellow, orange, etc. The introduction of chemical dyes broadened the colour palette, allowing the weavers to introduce contrasting shades and patterns into the design. Popular motifs include a variety of flowers, animals (especially fish and peacocks) and geometric patterns. One of the popularly seen motifs on borders is the kumbha or the pot seen on temple spires.

However, like most handloom products, Bomkai weaving is also on the wane. The children of present weavers are not very keen to carry on the family profession as handloom weaving is a time-consuming job which does not pay enough. The making of a Bomkai sari involves several processes, including preparing the yarn, sizing, preparing the warp and weft, and weaving. Depending on the intricacy of the design, it may take a few days to a few months to weave a sari.

While the government is trying to boost the sale of Bomkai and other handlooms of Odisha by enabling weavers to showcase their products at national and international fairs and festivals, it is also necessary for the citizens to come forward, said Sabat. According to her, the Bomkai sari, with its gorgeous colour pattern and motifs, makes for excellent wedding and festive wear, which can also boost the sale of this special handloom sari.

Designers have also been experimenting with the motifs and patterns of the Bomkai. Although, the traditional ikat (or bandha kala as the tie and dye technique is known as in Odisha) was not seen on Bomkai saris of yesteryears, one may find it on the sari borders now, especially those with temple designs. To cater to a wide range of buyers, weavers in Sonepur have also been producing fabrics for dupattas and dress materials. So if you are travelling to Odisha, and looking for something unique, a Bomkai sari would be a good choice.