Durry is a flat woven pile-less area rug made in a variety of designs and colours. Durries and kilims are differentiated by the material used in their production. Typically, twisted cotton warp and weft are woven into unique designs. But sometimes other fibres such as wool, jute, coir, wool, camel hair, silk, sisal, plant fibre and recycled fabrics etc. are also used. Durries in India are produced in a wide range of complex geometrical, floral, figurative patterns as well as traditional designs, ethnic motifs combined with contemporary tastes and colours.
Indian durries and floor coverings are world famous for their unique designs. They are being produced in India for over 5,000 years. In recorded history, the weaving of durries and kilims dates back to the Fifth Century BC, depicting the most ancient ornamental designs in India.
India produces a wide range of handloom cotton floor coverings such as galichas, durries, kilims, druggets, prayer rugs, hooked rugs, gabbas and namdas. Among these handwoven articles, durry is the most common and is used not only as an ordinary floor covering but also for ceremonial occasions such as feasts and prayers.
With the rising demand for handwoven durries and rugs in recent years in the American and European markets, the production of handwoven durries and kilims is once again on the rise in India. Today, almost 80% of the handwoven durries sold in European and American markets are woven in India.
Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are noted for their production of picturesque cotton durries. Durry weaving is still a sizable cottage Industry in the handloom centers in Panipat, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Pathankot. Other centers for durry weaving are Bhavani in Tamil Nadu, Amroha, Agra, Farrukhabad, Mirzapur, Sitapur and Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, Bikaner in Rajasthan, Eluru, Adoni, Warangal and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.
