It’s Time To Resuscitate Indian Weaves And Handlooms
India has a rich history of handlooms and weaves. These weaves are as varied as the motifs on them and they are well known around the world for their craftsmanship. The work of the handlooms ranges from simple tribal motifs to intricately designed modern ones. On National Handloom Day let’s celebrate this beautiful cultural heritage and encourage our artisans.
It is every girl’s dream to drape in her mother’s sarees. She waits eagerly for school and college functions and cultural ceremonies so that she can don the saree and look her best. A saree is every girl’s first love.
Digital technology is now the norm in the face of the COVID 19 pandemic. It instils hope for the revival of the economy by successfully leveraging its remote capabilities. It is time that India takes the lead to promote its age-old knowledge and practice of using natural, handspun fabric woven from natural fibres.
From herbs to handloom, India has always been a pioneer in promoting natural goodness. Our natural treasure attracted people from every part of the world. While scholars came to India in search of history, looters came in search of silk and spices.
August 7 is celebrated as National Handloom Day in India and it is the need of the hour that we realize the importance of handloom for a sustainable future. Having a pit loom in every house was not a rare sight in Indian villages a few decades back. In the north-eastern states like Manipur and Mizoram, weaving skill of a bride is considered more important than physical beauty and gifting a loom to the newlywed bride as part of dowry is still prevalent amongst many tribes.
Weaving was part of every village community in India. The modern concept of ‘shopping’ didn’t exist a few decades ago. Like different dialects, cuisines and cultures, every Indian state has its own handloom style and technique. Every state has various handloom clusters and every cluster produces its unique weave.
The weave of every cluster is a reflection of the life of its people, rituals and beliefs. In the clusters of Chattisgarh, the tribal weave often depicts village life and rituals, whereas the Dongria tribes of Odisha’s Koraput region weave geometric patterns and temple borders. These are traditionally dyed in various natural colours.
The famous Baluchari weave of Bengal originated in a small village called ‘Baluchar’ in Bangladesh. The village submerged under the river Bhagirathi and the weavers migrated to Bishnupur in West Bengal and the city soon became famous for its spectacular silk sarees woven with mythological motifs, musical instruments and life of the ‘nawab’s who ruled the region at that time.
KimKhab is a Persian weaving style that flourished in Benaras under the Mughals. Tughlaq popularized another Persian weave called Himroo in the Aurangabad region. Like colour, design and texture, a handwoven fabric is also said to carry the mood of the weaver. The fabric would be tight if the weaver is in an angry mood while it would be loose when he is sad, thus making each product unique and special.
There are more than four million weavers across India. If adequate training can be imparted, the weaving industry in rural areas will generate enormous ‘Handloom Entrepreneurship’ opportunities.
The time has come when the young generation needs to come forward and shoulder the responsibility to understand the importance of our indigenous handloom fabric and make them a part of regular life.
Handspun fabric other than our traditional apparel also plays a significant role in home décor. Jute, cotton, linen are widely made into beautiful and eco-friendly curtains, carpets, bedspreads, kitchen towels and other decorative and utility items. They are important for trade and ‘export too.
Like painting, pottery or music, handloom is an art and it needs continuous encouragement and opportunities in order to flourish. Negligence towards hand-made and sustainable products and excessive reliance on factory-made products will kill this beautiful craft.