Continuous purple silk piece-goods with repeated tie-dyed ('bandhana') pattern in red and white. The fabric is designed to be cut into individual bandanna handkerchief. BENGAL HANDKERCHIEFS Traders exported handkerchiefs made in Bengal to Europe and North America. Printed silk choppas (from Hindi chhapna: 'to print') were hugely popular, as were tie-dyed silk bandannoes (from Hindi bandhana: 'to tie'), the origin of the modern bandanna handkerchief. Fine Bengali cottons were also used for handkerchiefs, sometimes with mottos or names woven into their borders. Length of bandannoe handkerchiefs Tie-dyed silk Berhampur, West Bengal, 1830-80 V&A: IS.678-1883 Choppa handkerchief Printed silk Kasimbazar, West Bengal, 1820-50 V&A: IS.17-2008 Personalised handkerchief Cotton with silk borders, woven with the name and titles of Colonel T.H. Hendley Santipur, West Bengal, 1898-1903 Given by Mrs G.M. Hendley V&A: IS.218-1992 [03/10/2015-10/01/2016]