"Shop where you stay, shop where you see smile, shop such so they sustain." ― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words
Have you ever wondered what makes fashionable women and well-dressed men fascinated about exquisite handloom saris and traditional dress material? They are bowled over by the off-beat texture, vibrant colour, regional flair and homely comfort of those.
Gem of the Indian Cottage Industry
Handloom is a noteworthy industry of India in employment generation, heritage and culture preservation of the country, and export. It has a glorious history of worldwide fascination and demand that ruled the International trade and commerce from time immemorial. Handloom is a tradition and a craft handed down from generation to generation. This industry is the most important cottage industry in India with a glorious past.
Historically, weaving, especially of cotton fabrics, has been an essential non-agricultural productive activity in the country. It was an artisan based activity that is not affected by industrialization. Handloom weaving is the most extensive activity in the traditional sector, next only to agriculture.
The western imperial Gazetteer of India described that India is famous in the world for its craftsmanship in cotton weaving and dyeing and is the oldest cotton-producing centre of the world. In the art of cloth printing, India had also earned a name for itself.
A Timeless Craft
Did you know, in 1921, during the excavation work at Harappa, the spindles and spindle whorls were found to indicate that spinning of cotton and wool was very common in Indus Valley Civilization. Spinning and weaving became highly advanced occupations in the Rig Vedic Period. The art of dying and embroidering was also started at that time. A woollen thread called "Varna Sutra" is mentioned in the later Samhitas and Brahmanas of that period.
The popularity of Indian Printed cotton fabrics had spread all over the world before the Christian era. Herodotus, the Greek historian, in his Thalia written in the fifth century of the Christian era mentions of Indian cotton in the highest terms." The Indians possess a kind of plant which, instead of fruit, produces wool of fine and better quality than that of sheep, of this the Indians make clothes." It is believed that this period marks the stabilization of costumes design in India.
In 711 A.D., when the Mohammedans arrived, they were surprised by the Indian painted and printed cotton fabrics. The famous ancient Indian materials include Mulmul Khas (King's Muslin), Jamdani (figured muslin), Banarasi brocade, Chand-tara, Dhup-chhaon, Mapchar, Morgala, Bulbul chashm, Doshala, Kasaba or Chaddar, Rumal, Kashmir Shawl, Kanikar, Jamawar, Amilkar, Kashida, Phulkar, Bagh, Makmal and other fabrics.
You would be amazed to know the Moghul poets have described the scintillating muslin and brocades by various names like Abe-Ravan (running water), Shabnum (morning dew) Sarbatt (Sweet as Sherbat), Bakt-Hawa (woven air) etc. In Arab nations, it was famous as 'Abe Hayat' and in Greece as 'Ganjetica'. Noted historians like Bernier, Tavernier, Voltaire and Daniel Defoe have appreciated the beauty, sensitivity and uses of Indian handlooms.
A Source of Opulence
Many stories mentioned that gold and silver were brought in loads to India from other countries owing to her textile industry. Indian muslins and chintz were the rages amongst fashionable women in Rome, Dacca, and Paithan. They were the noted centres respectively for muslin, chintz and pitambara.
In 200 B.C., Paithan was the capital of the Satavahana dynasty. They used to export cotton and silks to the great Roman Empire. During the 17th century, "Aurangzebi" designs were introduced by Aurangzeb by patronizing the weavers.
The Embargo
If you are aware of history, you already know how the British Empire ruined our national enterprises. Since 1813, Indian cotton and silk goods could be sold for a profit in the British market at a price 50-60% lower than the cost incurred to produce British goods. To dump the cloth produced by their Lancashire and mills in India and to prohibit Indian exports to England, British took resort to various restrictive and even brutal measures, including a heavy-duty of 70-80% ad valorem on Indian fabrics.
During 1813 to 1830 India was converted into an importer of cotton goods from England. As if this was not enough, the British rulers even resorted to the barbaric act of chopping off the hands of Indian artisans.
The Resilience
Nevertheless, this traditional craft of India is alive even today. You would be happy to learn the Indian artisans have stood the test of time and have kept this great craft alive despite various hardships they have had to face. It proves that this traditional craft possesses inherent vitality and great potential. The maintenance of our cultural heritage demands that this legendary art of our country should be preserved.
The other historians also consider that India is the birthplace of cotton manufacture, and it is as old as our human civilization. From that time the hand spun yarn and the handwoven cloth has been handed over from one generation to another.
The Pattern in the Industry
Handloom and handicrafts have played a crucial role in the state economy in providing employment and income generation. As with many other crafts in India, textile weaving and the associated crafts were handed down from generation to generation, the art remaining within the family of the craftsman.
There would be a lengthy apprenticeship with a master weaver, and devotion to duty was mandatory. The effort of the craftsman was a co-operative one. The ownership of the business was hereditary and passed from father to son. At the same time, some form of co-operative guilds protected the craft from the external competition which you would find to date.
The Challenge
Since the introduction of mills and import of power loom fabrics, in the early 20th century, by the British, the expanding mill and power loom sector in the country has compromised the handloom sector. Despite these restraints, the handlooms and handicrafts sector remains a vital sector in the rural economy. Careful nurturing and an improved expansion plan to face market competition is the immediate and necessary requirement.
The artisans /master craftsmen are creating a distinctive regional identity and characteristics unique to the specific region through their labour oriented methods producing beautiful articles. These methods, expertise and unmatched skills are handed down from one generation to the next one. Design is improved to a certain extent in technique and the use of contemporary fibres.
You will note individual weavers and artisans face difficulties in procuring finance, raw material and in marketing as the handloom and handicrafts sector is entirely decentralized. Due to paltry wages, the weavers are also not in a position to invest in learning new methods. They are reluctant to use modern technology and hesitant in product diversification considering the financial constraints. So lacking to earn the minimum wages to survive, they are shifting to other occupations. Only the weavers who produce specialized products, which do not face any threat from the power loom sector or those fabrics, which cannot be economically produced on power looms remained in business.
The Scope
This sector uses labour-intensive production techniques, with fewer capital requirements, and it is best suited for India and under-developed countries, where labour is abundant and surplus, and capital is scarce. There is no use of modern technology. The profession has the potential to generate massive employment and raise the standard of living of people living below the poverty line. The production is carried out from household premises or in the open as they belong to the cottage industries category.
Government Intervention - Post Independence Policy on Handlooms and Handicrafts
You would be happy to learn, multiple schemes of the central and state governments are making efforts to construct standard work sheds and common facility centres. A combination of land, labour, capital and entrepreneurial skills are required to manage the economic activity as a singular production unit.
In the post-independence era, despite the thrust on heavy and medium industries for the economic development of the country, due importance was also given to village and cottage industries because of the considerable employment potential. Handloom and Handicrafts sectors were the major sectors in terms of employing next only to agriculture.
Massive employment generation is best-suited under Indian conditions, where capital is scarce, and technology imports are not affordable by the nation. So the handloom and handicrafts sectors are also best suited to achieve planned objectives of "self-sufficiency" and "self-reliance." Exports are possible if the production cost is minimal and the price is competitive in terms of the market owing to geographical advantage.
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