Chendamangalam Handloom- Craft Cluster Documentation by aditi.a

OUR FADING LOOMS

CHENDAMANGALAM HANDLOOM

Copyright ©National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kannur- Year 2019 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form by means of electronic mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission from National Institute of Fashion Technology except by a resewer/reader who wishes to quote a brief passage in connection with paper reviow/essay written for inclusion in a periodical newspaper or broadcast 2

A diagnostic study on

Chendamangalam weaver’s society

Under the Supervision of *Jaydeep Sir and Nishant Sir

By Students of Knitwear Design, Semester 5, Batch 2017 - 2021 Aashka Shah Archana Krishnaprasad Aditi Ajgaonkar Jhanvi Parekh R Harini Shree Muskan Ambra Suzaan Joseph T. Malavika Singh

side note*write the names of mentors font size 14, Ageo regular, line space 15 pt, text box size 2.5 also don’t forget to delete this box.

August,2019

AKNOWLEDGEMENT We are especially indebted to our professors of the subject Craft Cluster Research Documentation, Jaydeep Sir and Nishant Sir, for being supportive of our goals and working actively to provide us with the academic time to pursue these goals. As our teachers and mentors, their contribution in imparting important skills and providing guidance is much more than the credit we could ever give them here.

We are thankful to the obliging members of Paravur HL weaver’s society for spending time and sharing all the required information crucial for our project. We would like to thank our college for providing us with this learning opportunity.

INDEX TITLE

PAGE NO.

TITLE

PAGE NO.

1. Aknowledgment

2. Index

11. Design, Motifs and Materials-

3. Preface

12. The Makers

4. Research Methodology

13. The Game Plan

87 105

5. All about Kaithari

14. Dolls From The Ruins

6. A Peak into God’s Own Country

15. Our Diagnosis

109

16. References

117

7. The Village of Weavers

17. Annexure

118

8. Birth Of Weavers Union

18. Our Team 35

120

9. Weaving traditions at 47 weavers’ village 10. The Making

PREFACE where they get an opportunity to interact with the craft experts, upgrade their product and design knowledge and understand consumers in the urban markets. Our documentation includes study of the place, journey of the society, the process of how the craft is carried, designs and motifs implemented, Dolls produced from the ruin, artisans’ story, diagnosis mainly the problems faced by the society and weavers.

As Craft research and documentation being the part of our curriculum, we were asked to work closely with the artisans and weavers in clusters of India and undertake activities like diagnostic study, design intervention and prototype development. The artisans and weavers are also invited to NIFT campuses for exposure workshops, demonstration workshops, exhibitions and craft bazaars

and design intervention, innovative designs and linkages with new markets.The Craft Cluster initiative at NIFT is designed with the objectives to sensitize NIFT students to the realities of the craft sector and give insight into regional sensibilities and diversities, resources and environment. Through this initiative, NIFT has been successful in creating a widespread awareness and sensitivity in assimilating crafts into fashion and vice-versa. The Craft Cluster Initiative program is envisaged to provide the students of NIFT systematic, continuous and regular exposure every year to the diversely rich and unique handlooms and handicrafts of India.

NIFT with the active support from the Ministry of Textiles, Office of Development Commissioner (Handlooms) and Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) has developed and implemented a new Craft Cluster Initiative Program which aims to provide the students with continuous exposure to the handloom and handicraft clusters, thus providing an opportunity for creative innovation and experimentation. Through this initiative, NIFT aims to reach out to the artisans and craftsmen at the grass root level. The artisans and craftsmen involved in the initiative will benefit through knowledge dissemination and exposure to urban markets

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This is a Diagnostic Analysis of Paravur HL weaver’s society. The scope of this study is that it may help in understanding the current situation of artisan’s working in Paravur handlooms. And in understanding current trend and forecasting future trends in the handloom products made in Paravur handloom weaver’s society. The objectives of this study is to analyse the current situation of Paravur hl weaver’s society, to analyse the supply chain management of the handloom weaver’s society before and after the floods, to understand the struggles faced by the artisans, to study the schemes implemented by the government for the betterment of the handloom weaver’s society and to analyse the current trend in colours, motifs and yarns used. Limitation of this study were that there was a language barrier faced, the market is too big as compared to the sample size and the study may not hold good at all times depending on the demographic changes and government policies.

Research involves systematic, controlled, valid and rigorous exploration and description of what is not known and establishment of associations and causation that permit the accurate prediction of outcomes under a given set of conditions. It also involves identifying gaps in knowledge, verification of what is already known and identification of past errors and limitations. The strength of what you find largely rests on how it was found. This is a descriptive study. As both qualitative and quantitative approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, and advantages and disadvantages, ‘neither one is markedly superior to the other in all respects’. In many studies you need to combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches. And in this research, we have combined both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The population of this study is 600 workers and the sample size is 70 weaver’s. Questionnaire design is both structured and unstructured approach.

ALL ABOUT

KAITHARI

Our Country, Our Handloom, Our Tradition. Weaving is one of the ancient indian practices. An ancient formula of making a thread turn into a cloth. Acknowledged as one of the oldest surviving crafts in the world. The tradition of weaving traces back to neolithic times.

Handloom Industry forms an integral part of the economy of ourcountry. This sector has been part of the rich cultural heritage the country possesss, as handloom has been associated with our culture since Mughal Period. Handloom manufacturing is a low technology driven sector and ecofriendly too. Being labor intensive it is responsible for providing employment for about 43 lakh weavers. The intricacies achieved by handloom weaving is unmatched which has helped it in making a mark at global level which is evident from the fact 95% of the world’s handwoven fabric/material comes from India.

Handloom weaving is present mostly in rural areas and is primarily a household activity. However, it does not imply that weavers are independent producers. Some weavers work in cooperative societies where they are shareholders. When these societies fail to provide work, weavers approach local master weavers, who are engaged in the production and trading of handlooms. The cooperative society or the master weaver generally supplies yarn and dyes to the weavers. Access to market is in the hands of either the cooperative society or the master weaver.

A PEAK INTO

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY

NH 66

HOW TO REACH

God's own country As the name suggests,"Kerala" 'the land of spices','the kingdom of coconuts',with natures beauty vesting in itself is a state resting on the Western coast of India. With Malayalam as its mother tongue and literacy as its strength it is always bound to its tradition.

The coast of Kerala is the narrow strip which is located in the south west of the Indian subcontinent. Being the most prominent state in India, Kerala is well known as God’s own country as the state is filled with natural beauty. Because of the land's nearness to the sea and the presence of the fort like Western Ghats on the east, Kerala receives copious rain each year and is blessed with the pleasant and equable climate throughout the year. The Highlands of Kerala, which is an area of major tourist attraction, enjoys a cool and invigorating climate the year-round. Kerala, famous for spices especially Black Pepper, is known as the “Spice Garden of India” and also as “Land of coconut tree” due to presence of large number of coconut trees.

It has the highest literacy rate in the entire nation and the cleanest state of India. Owing to its diversity in geographical features, the climatic condition in Kerala is diverse. The temperature in Kerala normally ranges from 28° to 32° C on the plains but drops to about 20° C in the highlands.Kathakali and Mohini Aatam are the traditional dances of Kerala. Kerala is well known for its martial art forms such as kalarippayattu, Paricha kali, Velakanni, Valeru, Kunderu and Njaninmelkali. Theyyam is a famous ritual art form Kerala which brings life to the great stories of the state. Indian Elephant is the official animal of the state.

Festivals

Onam is the traditional festival celebrated by all Keralites every year. It is believed that the Great King Mahabali visits everyone’s home on this day. People put Pookolams in front of their houses on this day to welcome Mahabali.

People The natives of Kerala are known as “Keralites” and speak Malayalam.. The people of Kerala are very protective about their religion and ancient practices, rituals and traditions, not just protective they are very proud of their culture and will go to any lengths to preserve them. The people give more importance to the education and make sure that the younger generation knows the religious teachings of their culture. The Keralites also are very progressive in terms of cleanliness, healthcare and physical quality of life. Most people are conversant in English and make it a point that their kids receive education at least till the primary level. The lifestyle of Keralites is very simple and they seem happy with the simple pleasures of life. They are content with the quality of life they lead.

Regarding the food, they are very concerned about their health and so they are conscious about sticking to a balanced diet. They prefer mental satisfaction over materialistic pleasures. The people of Kerala do not believe in showing off and so they dress very ordinarily. The women is mainly seen in the traditional unique attire called Set Mundu, which requires draping two pieces of long cloth on body, it’s similar to a sari which is worn over a blouse. The men mostly wear white mundu (dhoti) with a shirt or a cotton lungi. The men in cities wear pants and shirts and the women wear saris. The younger generation follows fashion and they wear anything from jeans to salwar kameez.

THE VILLAGE OF

WEAVERS

In a country full of myriad patterns and bold colours, Kerala’s traditional kasavu sari stands out for its elegance and visual restraint. But beneath its simple appearance lies a cultural legacy and unique aesthetic. Worn by the Malayali community to temples, wedding and funerals alike, today this age-old woven craft is in need of a design intervention

Chendamangalam the name may have evolved from Jayanthamangalam or Choornimangalam - is a rare geographical combination of rivers, seven islets, a hillock, and an expanse of green plains. The region is surrounded by rivers on three sides and has the confluence of the Periyar and the Chalakkudiyar off its eastern boundary. .

In Kerala, traditional attire like saris, mundus (which are sarongs worn by men) and set mundus (a two-piece sarong sari) are generally called Kaithari (translating to handloom). Kerala handloom products have roots in specific locals. Each such center of weaving has its signature characteristics that give each of them a stamp of uniqueness

Kerala has three clusters that have been given a Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Indian government, and all of them make what are widely known as Kasavu saris, as well as the white Kerala saris that swap the Kasavu border with a colored iteration called kara.

Chendamangalam - a small town in North Paravur that hosts the handloom weaving is known for their excellent quality, every product stands testament to the dexterity of the Chendamangalam weavers from Ernakulam. Situated just 40km away from the commotion of Kochi city, this village of weavers is an enclave of unadulterated, near pristine beauty and quietude, dense with the remnants of a rich heritage that dates back almost to the beginnings of Kerala’s history. Chendamangalam the name may have evolved from Jayanthamangalam or Choornimangalam is a rare geographical combination of rivers, seven islets, a hillock, and an expanse of green plains. The region is surrounded by rivers on three sides and has the confluence of the Periyar and the Chalakkudiyar off its eastern boundary.

POPULATION 31,503 26 wards. 8,095 houses FEMALE : 16,443 MALE : 15,060 Population of Children with age of 0-6: 2558 . Literacy rate of Paravur city : 96.75 % female literacy rate : 95.80 %.

Paravur is located at 10.14°N 76.7°E. The town is situated at north end of Ernakulam district and bordering with Thrissur district. The towns in Thrissur district like Kodungallore, Mala, Chalakudy and the towns Kalamassery, Aluva, Angamaly, Vypin island are located near to this town. The Paravur Taluk lies in the flat delta region of the Periyar river and cut by several canals, which have resulted in the formation of many islands. The Kodungalloor Kayal (backwaters) and Varappuzha vKayal (backwaters) are in this taluk.

Chendamangalam is an example of religious tolerance and harmonious co-existence, which can be felt by the presence of temple, mosque and church located close to synagogue. Kerala is one place in India, where the Jewish community made its presence felt in a strong manner. Their presence can be still felt in the port city of Kochi, where they are still involved in a variety of business activities. Among the prominent landmarks of the Jewish community in the region is their place of worship called synagogue Besides the popular synagogue at Mattanchery in Kochi, the one at the village of Chendamangalam or Chendamangalam in North Paravur is one of the biggest, which was built some 175 years ago. The synagogue was recently restored to its original glory thanks to the hard work and effort of the Kerala State Archaeology Department with financial support from Kerala Tourism. It is a protected monument under the state department of archaeology. The synagogue at Chendamangalam reflects traditional Kerala architecture and has utilized western construction technology. Some of the visual attractions of this synagogue are undoubtedly the majestic altar, which stands out for its intricate artwork.

The synagogue has a high roof, which at first sight would itself convince one about the difficulties that the craftsmen might have encountered while fixing it. The ceiling of the roof has a brightly colored chequered pattern, with huge wooden beams giving additional support to the roof. A wooden balcony with beautifully carved balusters and railings is another attraction of this synagogue. There is another balcony, meant exclusively for women. A marvelous craftsmanship in wood, a spiral wooden staircase leads to this balcony. Established by the apostle, the St. Thomas Church in Kodungalloor,10km away from Chendamangalam, is one of the oldest churches of Kerala with eyecatching architecture. This church follows the model of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and is believed to be built in 52 AD. It is considered as the first church in the state. This is one of the seven-and-a-half churches established by St. Thomas, an apostle of Jesus Christ. It is believed that he had visited the place in association with his proselytizing work around this period. This pilgrim center houses holy relics from the olden days. Situated on the lovely banks of River Periyar, this holy site is a historic and prominent pilgrim center for the Christians in India.

BIRTH OF

WEAVERS UNION

Chendamangalam's handloom industry has a long history behind its origin. The industry has been associated with the feudal family of Paliam. In its early days, the handloom clothes were only meant for members of the Paliam family. The origin of Chendamangalam hand loom can be traced back to the rein of King Jayanth who ruled over Chendamangalam which was then known as Jayanth Mangalam. Raja was impressed by the finesse and grandeur of northern counterpart of the country and longed for the same in his region. Known for their skills in weaving, the weavers from Devangar community were invited from Karnataka and they settled in Chitoor, Chendamangalam and Kutampullly districts.

This led to improvement in the quality of handloom in Chendamangalam. All the elite demanded for the handloom worn by the Royals. Meanwhile as the demand had increased drastically, another weaving community Chaliyan from Tamil Nadu were summoned from Tamil Nadu to cater to the demand for handloom. Meanwhile the locals of the region were engaged in toddy making and other crafts like coir making. However, the earnings of the toddy makers were meagre. Many locals started approaching the weavers of Chaliyan community to learn weaving before these weavers went back to their homeland. At this point the trend of weaving reached its peak and the culture of weaving was developed in Chendamangalam. The quality of handloom produced in Chendamangalam attracted many other royal families of Kerala and the demand for

handloom increased as they were being bought in large numbers. However, the weavers were unable to meet the demand for handloom. Govinda Menon, a local leader stood up for the weavers and established a factory for the weavers so that they could work as a unit and meet the demands. However, the demands weren’t met. The master weavers started taking advantage of the situation and dominated the business. They started exploiting the workers. Once they realized that they were being exploited, workers started protesting their exploitation. In 1966 under the leadership of a local man A I Jaleel the workers formed a union to solve their issues. This led to formation of many societies in Chendamangalam. One society amongst them was Paravur Handloom Weavers Society 3428.

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

SPATIAL MAPS

WEAVING TRADITION AT WEAVERS’ VILLAGE

Kaithari is the Ancient formula of turnng a thread into a fully woven cloth. Kerala’s traditional kasavu sari stands out for its elegance and visual restraint. But beneath its simple appearance lies a cultural legacy and unique aesthetic. It involves step by step procedures, of making this craft. Measures have been taken to modernise the craft but it never fails to get unrooted from its Rich heritage.

1. PRODUCT SPECIFICATION The North Paravur Handloom Cluster is exclusivel known for its Chendamangalam Dhoties and Saris.These are the two products in highlight, they have got massive recognition from the people and are quite popular. They also vend products like Set Mundu’s, Shirtings, Kaavi Mundu, Double Mundu, Towels & Mats. The Chendamangalam Handloom has got a Geographical Indication (GI) for its Chendamangalam Dhoties, certified with GI on 6th January 2012 and registered by the Directorate of Handlooms and

Textiles, Government of Kerala, Thiruvanathapuram. The GI has been given for its unique feature of warp preparation by the method of ‘Street Sizing’. After Street Sizing, the Dhoti gets a clear surface without any protruding fibres. The Chendamangalam Handloom got the Handloom Mark in 2008. The mark was given in order to present the quality and uniquenessof Chendamangalam products to the consumers.

2. PROCESS INSTIGATION The Chendamangalam products are have a very eccentric process. The entire metamorphosis of warp and weft into a Chendamangalam Product is described in this section. This section briefs us about the main agency involved in procurement of various raw materials i.e National Handloom Development Corporation Limited (NHDC).

The various steps taken in order to produce the handlooms i.e. Dyeing, Preparation of warp and weft, setting up of loom etc are going to be discussed further. It also gives an insight on the Inspection, Packaging, Delivery, Storing, Damaged Products and Wastage of the products

THE

MAKING

Boiling:

The yarn bundles are dipped in a solution of water and nemol oil. (wetting agent) for 48 hours. Its taken out and then the stamping is done. Stamping removes impurities present in the yarn. On the third day the yarns are boiled for 8 hours in Kier and the chemicals used for boiling are caustic soda, soda ash and nemol oil

Bleaching:

Post boiling the yarn bundles are washed and squeezed. Later, The Bleaching powder is added to water and the yarn bundles are dipped inside the solution for 30 minutes , then the bundles are turned over. The total time consumed for process is 1 hour.. Unbleached yarns have more possibilities of uneven dyeing than bleached yarn. In the society unbleached yarn is used in order to attain darker shades while dyeing.

Dyeing :

The dyeing unit of Chendamangalam H.W.C.S is situated in the yarn bank, Kizhakampuram. Dyeing machinery has been installed by NHDC, but due to lack of training the workers have little knowledge of using the machines and carry out the process manually. Capacity of a dyebath is 350 liters of water. Only 2 yarn bundles can be dyed at a time(80 hanks). After bleaching the yarn is put on rods and lowered into the dye liquor. The dye liquor contains Vat dye,caustic soda and hydrose. Dyeing takes 1.5 hours. Temperature is maintained at boil. For heating the dyebath, coconut shells and wood are used on a weekly basis. 5 bundles get dyed in a day. Since the process done is manual, The workers are supposed to wear gloves while dyeing.

PREPARATION OF

WARP AND WEFT

WINDING

PIRN WINDING

Winding is a process of transferring yarn from hank to bobbin. The yarns for the warp and for the weft are separately taken up for winding. Weavers receive yarn in hank form. Recently the manual process of winding has been replaced by a motorized winding machine. Post winding the yarn in the bobbin form is taken up for further processes. Motorized hank to bobbin winding machine- This machine is very user friendly and simple to maintain. It consumes lower and offers performance & is very useful to the society since it reduces human effort. The winding capacity of the machine is 10 bobbins at a time.

The yarn in the weft does not require any further processing and hence it is wound with the aid of a small, hand-driven charkha termed as Pirn winding. Pirn winding is the process of transferring the yarns from the hanks into bobbin or pirn in the shuttle utilised in the weft while weaving. The yarn is wound in the form of pirn or the zari which is utilized in the weft while weaving.

WARPING

SIZING

The vertical sectional warping process is carried out on a wooden drum from a wooden peg creel. A suitable frame called bobbin creel to hold the required number of bobbins in such a way that the yarns from them can be drawn separately without touching each other. The creel capacity in the society is 120. The bobbins are put on the creel and the required number of yarn is then drawn through a comb to the wooden drum.

Street sizing’, Sizing is a process where starch called paav (Boiled Rice or All purpose flour) is coated on the warp yarns for enhancing the strength, building abrasion resistance to withstand the stress and strains exerted during weaving process. In Chendamangalam, the traditional method of ‘street sizing’ is executed. The warped beam is brought to the street sizing area. The sizing is normally done in the streets. Natural materials such as rice starch, coconut oil and all purpose flour (maida) form the important ingredients for sizing. A paste is made of low consistency with 1.5kgs of all purpose flour. Paste made of maida and kerosene is applied on the cotton yarn by the help of a sizing brush. A traditional long lasting sizing brush is made of coir. The process of sizing reduces the yarn breakage and improves quality and efficiency of weaving.

DRAWING Drafting is the process of passing the warp yarn through the heald of the loom as per the design. The heald wires are made up of nylon. This assists in keeping the warp yarn parallel to the width of the loom and in helps locating a broken yarn during the process of weaving.

DENTING

In the case of denting the warp yarns are passed through the reeds and the healds. The warp threads are then joined with the old warp threads with a local method of twisting by hands using Bhasma. Traditionally water was used along with Bhasma, which is now replaced by fevicol as it improvises the efficiency.

The warp beam in the society has a diameter of 13 inches. Also temple or ‘Veshaku’ in local language, is used on the cloth to maintain the width of the fabric. Looms meant for weaving uniforms are comparatively heavy and it has a high beat-up power since coarser yarns are used to weave them. There are total 60 Handlooms, and 3 Jaquard looms in the present day at chendamangalam society. Jacquard loom: Jaquard is a shedding device attached to the top of the frame loom which controls a large number of warp threads. It can produce a variety of sheds and can create diverse designs and on fabrics. Jaquard is used in order to weave intricate designs along with designs with big repeat size. In this device, number of cards decide the number of picks per repeat and number of hooks decide ends per repeat. The capacity of jacquard in the society in 120 hooks. The society has a manual card punching machine for punching holes in card according to the design.

WEAVING Weaving is the process of interlacing warp and weft yarns for making a fabric. The weaves mainly used to make products in Chendamangalam society is plain weave, rib weave. Looms used in the society for weaving are frame looms. The shedding of frame looms takes place with the help of treadles and heald shafts. The weaver presses treadles according to the lifting order of weave and accordingly the heald shafts are raised. Warp threads which are passed from heald shafts are also raised and the warp sheet is divided into two layers for pick insersion. Framelooms in the society have central closed shed. After a pick is inserted, it is beaten up to the fell of the cloth and this same procedure is repeated for weaving a fabric. The woven fabric then gets wounded on the cloth beam. As the cloth is woven, negative take-up and let-off is done simultaneously and cloth gets wound on the warp beam.

PACKAGING, STORAGE AND DELIVERY stored in another Godown. While selling, products are provided to the customers in a cloth bag. The products that have to be delivered to depot are first tied in a bundle and then encased in polythene.

The society doesn’t possess a particular packaging system. The finished products i.e. -sarees, dhoties, setmundu and uniforms are folVded and exhibited in a Godown situated on the ground floor of the society. The yarns brought from NHDC are also

INSPECTION The society has appointed an experienced staff who takes care of the inspection of the woven products in the society. The individual inspects status of raw material and finished products.

The society accepts products only if it meets the quality parameters of the procuct. If a product does’nt meet the parameters it is declared as a damaged product and sold separately in the depots.

DESIGNS, MOTIFS

AND MATERIAL

Initially the Chendamangalam products were introduced to the market without motifs and only with a plain zari border or colored borders. Later on, simple designs like ‘Butas and Buti’ were incorporated on the sarees. Later when Jacquard looms were set up, emphasis was laid on creating intricate patterns and designs. These intricate designs incorporate motifs which draw inspiration from botanical elements like leaves, tendrils, paisley and flowers. Designs were also drawn from nearby temples, heritage and traditional art forms like Kathakali, Elephants, Peacocks, flute with peacock feather. Presently used designs in the sari borders can be related to that of the motifs seen in the architectural aspects of the ‘Paliyam palace’, which has incorporated an exotic combination of the Kerala and Portugal style of Architecture. In present day scenario, stylized versions of old & new traditional motifs are input.

COLORS Earlier, natural dyes were predominantly used & only the primary colors like blue, yellow and red were used for the sari border and body. Today, vat vdyes of different colors its shades and tones are being incorporated to beautify the garment.

MATERIALS Their products are ususally made up of cotton, silk, kasavu(zari) & Linen. Silk was used earlier, but they stopped as the customers complained about the tearing of the materials. For Fine Weaving they use a combination of cotton warp and silk weft yarns which adds to quality of product and makes it less expensive too.

PRODUCT RANGE This cluster mainly concentrate on the production of traditional items such as setmundu, thorthu, kavani, set sarees, dhotis, and so on. The distinction of these fabrics is in its structure in the plain structure, they have producing a special effect in weft direction. The materials used for their weaving are cotton and Kasavu (or Zari). Kasavu is the Malayalam name of “Zari”; a silk thread twisted with a thin silver wire and dipped in pure gold. The cotton required for the manufacture of these items is procured from local markets and Tamilnadu and the Kasavu from Surat, a textile cluster reputed for making Kasavu in the Gujarat state.

The 2/40s yarn are used for making the Kaavi Mundu. Apart from cotton yarns they also use Silk, golden, silver and linen. The silk costs about Rs 1000 per hank, Zari costs Rs 90 per reel and silver costs Rs 130 per reel (1reel= 300m).

The chendamangalam products are usually made up of 20s, 40s, 60s, 80s, 100s, 120s, 2/40s , 2/60s and 2/80s counts. The products made up of 80s and 100s count are the softest and it is mostly used for Double mundu and set saris. The yarns made up of 2/80s are stronger and are used for making Single mundu.

Three different shades of zaris are used of one type primarily yellow, golden and antique gold .The cost of Yellow zari is Rs 140 per reel. Readymade warp beams are used for making few products; one warp beam of 100s count approximately costs around Rs 9000, 80s count costs Rs 860 and 60s costs about Rs 6800.

Currently there are 16 Saree looms, 4 Jacquard looms, 25 Uniform looms and 5 Shirting looms. Each Loom costs around Rs. 50,000/.

THE

MAKERS

MOHAN

Mohan is 67 years old. He is selftaught artist. Mohan has studied till 5th grade. He has 50 years of experience in the craft of weaving. He is the “Master Weaver” of this society. Mohan mainly works on jacquard saree and also if any loom or loom parts are damaged, he is the one who repairs it. He has two daughters and one son. He earns 6000/- per month. Weaving is his only source of income. Mohan’s house is 1.5 km away from the weaver’s society.

LATHA P P

M S BINDU

Latha is 44 years old. She started practicing weaving at the age of 19. She has completed her primary level of education. Latha is married. She stays with her husband who is 58 years and with a son and a daughter. Her son is 20 years old; daughter is 14 years old and another daughter who is married. Latha works 8 hours a day and takes a day off on Sundays. Her only occupation is weaving. Latha earns 3000/- per month. She has taken a loan too. Health issues faced by her at workplace are body pains.

Bindu is 47 years old. She has studied till the secondary level of education. She can read and write Malayalam. She stays with her husband and 2 children (boy and girl). She has 20 years of experience in this craft. Bindu is the only one in the family who practices weaving. She works from 9am to 5pm and takes Sunday off. Bindu works throughout the year also she is a member of a cooperative organization. Her monthly salary is 3000/- per month. Weaving is the only source of her income. And gladly Bindu does not face any health issues at her workplace.

GOPI K R

SUDARSHAN

Gopi is 72 years old. He is the eldest artisan in the society. Gopi has completed his 5th grade. He stays with his wife, son, daughter in law and 2 grandchildren. Gopi’s brother taught weaving to him at home. And now he has 50-56 years of experience in weaving. He has been working in the Paravoor handloom weaver society since it was started. He earns 3000/- per month. Gopi suffers from Throat infection.

Sudarshan is 62 years old with 30 years of experience in the craft of weaving. He has done his studies up till 5th grade. His wife is a homemaker and his son is a painter. Sudarshan’s working hours are from 9 am till 5pm and he works from Monday to Saturday. Sudarshan earns 6000/- per month and has no other earnings apart from weaving. He has taken a loan. Sudarshan resides nearby Paravoor which is within walking distance. He has body pains and sugar. We even enquired regarding whether his son was interested in weaving, the answer was no.

RADHA

LINI

Radha is 67 years old. She hails from a weaver’s family. Radha has 45 years of experience. She started doing it before her marriage and after marriage she stopped for a while, then continued again. As she is aged now she does spinning only as it is easier for her. She stays with her husband. Radha has 3 daughter and all 3 are married. She suffers from leg pain regularly

Lini is 40 years old. She comes from a family of weavers. Her home town is Charaye. She has started working in this society after the floods as the loom at her house had been destroyed due to the Kerala floods. She lives with her parents and has two sons. Lini has an experience of 12 years in the craft of weaving. In this society she only weaves uniform fabric.

SUMA T N

RAMANI

Suma is a 45-year-old from Kochanadu. She had learnt weaving her and had worked in this society for 10 to 15 years and then took a break. She rejoined this society three years ago. Suma lives with her husband, mother-in-law and daughter. She suffers from diabetes and body pains.

Ramani is 63 years old. She stays nearby the society itself. She stays with her husband who is coolie, son, daughter in law, one grandson and one granddaughter. Ramani is been doing spinning since she started working at handloom society. She does only spinning. She has Asthma.

SUNANDA PRASAD

The Artisan is 51 years old. The education level of Sunanda was up to secondary level. It was slightly easier for us to communicate with her as she could converse in English a little. She stays with her husband who is painter and a son. Sunanda has 2 children, son who is in 11th grade and a 23-year-old married daughter. Sunanda has 31 years of experience in the craft and has no other occupation apart from weaving. She works for 7 hours per day and works all week except Sunday. Sunanda works throughout the year. The monthly income of her is 3000/per month. Sunanda has taken a loan for State bank of India. Health issues faced by her at workplace are body pains.

PRIYA

ANITA

Priya is 39 years old lady. Her full name is Priya KV. She stays with her mom, husband and her son. Priya’s son is currently studying in 10th grade. Her husband is a coolie. Priya has been working in this handloom weaving society since 3 years. Before her marriage she used to do weaving. She earns ₹6000 per month. ₹3000 from government and ₹3000 from society. Priya weaves uniforms. She weaves 5 meter per day. She knows tailoring as well, but weaving is the only source of income she has.

Anita hails from a place known Pallipuram. Besides being 53 years old, her love for handloom is undying. Anita has studied till 8th grade. She has 3 children’s, of which one is daughter and two sons. Her daughter is B A graduate, her one son is still persuading 12th grade and one more son is Bcom graduate. Anita’s husband does furniture polishing for the living. Anita has 30 years of experience in the crafts. Earlier she used to do weaving, as she is aged now she does only spinning. Anita earns ₹120 per day. Health issues faced by Anita is leg and shoulder pain

THE GAME

PLAN

To promote the sales the cluster follows very few marketing strategies as they usually concentrate in minor regions of Ernakulam. Presently the cluster earns 30% of the marginal profits out of which 20% is subsidy and the remaining 10% is given by the government. Due to this system, the customers can buy the products at reduced rates allowing the cluster to receive profits as well. Previously they had a contract based designer for a three-year project because of which there was emergence of new ideas and perspectives. But recently the designer left and they have been producing the same designs, but if needed they contact the designer for the help. HANTEX and HANVEEV are two state level agencies dealing with marketing of handloom fabric .Out of the total produce of the society usually 80% is marketed through HANTEX and the rest through their own retail shops. The HANVEEV is another agency which acts as a direct link between the weavers and consumers to eliminate the middlemen. The society owns two retail shops which is situated nearby for the local customers and buyers.

EFFECTS OF THE FLOOD Ever since the floods took place in august 2018, the society faced a lot of problems because the looms of the active weavers who work from home were heavily damaged. The society did not face any major loss in their production and the quality of the products.

The sales report of the society before and after the floods.

From the sales report we can conclude that the society reached its highest profits because of the name and fame received after the floods that took place.

ADVERTISING AND DEMAND Exhibitions are usually conducted to promote the Chendamangalam products and it is through these exhibitions the customers preferences and market demand is understood. These exhibitions are usually held during Onam and Vishu which is when their profits are at the highest peak. During these exhibitions they make poster, brochures, banners and media advertisements to promote their products. These advertisements were done in collaboration with the well-known Mollywood celebrity Mohanlal. They also have a Facebook page by the name Chendamangalam Kaithari, Paravur through which they update news and events related to the society.After the floods there has been a lot of demand of Chendamangalam Kaithari products.

WAGES The wages provided to the weavers in the society depends upon the length of the fabric woven by them. According to the guidelines every weaver is expected to weave 5 to 6 meters per day. The pay band ranges from 3000 to 5000 per month. The weaver who weaves more intricate and jacquard designs would be earning more compared to those who weave simple designs.

The workers who are involved in spinning process earns depending upon the number of bobbins and pirns wound per day. According to 2016 annual report 8.33% of the bonus, 13.67% gretia is provided to the weavers. The society gives bonus to the weavers during festivals like Onam and Vishu.

100

GODOWN AND THE CHECKING OF THE PRODUCTS The go down is the area where all the finished products are stored after quality check and is situated in the premises of the society. The quality checking is done by Mrs. Deepa who authorizes every finished product with an official stamp of the society and also checks for any visible damage of the fabric. After the quality check, the prices are fixed and the products are distributed to the depots. The go down also contains old and damaged stocks which are later remodified during the next festive season and sold on discount.

101

HANDLOOM INDUSTRY SCHEMES AWARENESS PROGRAMMES In order to spread awareness among the weavers about the government schemes , weavers credit cards, yarn passbook and other handloom schemes, awareness programmes are conducted once in every three years by the cluster development project.

TRAINING AND SKILL UPGRADATION PROGRAMME The implementing agency (IA) releases funds for training in technical areas like weaving and dyeing. Training in weaving the batch size in each programme is 20 trainees for a duration of 45 days .Training in dyeing /printing in each programme is 20 trainees for a duration of 15 days. Apart from this the Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched a new scheme called ‘Upgrading The Skills And Training In

102

Traditional Arts/Crafts For Development’ (USTTAD) which aims to preserve traditional crafts and update the traditional skills of master craftsperson. Under this NIFT has entrusted a project with the objective of training and upgrading the skills of the craftsperson belonging to the minority communities.

SCHEMES AND FINANCIAL ASSITANCE BY GOVERNMENT

These are the following guidelines specified under National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) and Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS). This society functions and runs according to this set of guidelines.

•DISTSRICT INDUSTRY CENTRE (DIC)

The DIC is a district office located in each of the district of the state, Government of Kerala . this office acts as a main link between the handloom societies and directorate of handlooms. This mission of the DIC is industrial promotion on small scale industrial sectors and artisans i

103

nvolved in traditional sectors such as handlooms, handicrafts etc.

•WEAVER’S SERVICE CENTRE (WSC)

The WSC comes under the Development Commissioner of Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India situated in Kannur, Kerala. The basic role of WSC is to support the Handloom Industry and implementation of Central schemes and training programmes.

•NATIONAL HANDLOOM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (NHDC)

The NHDC is a public sector organisation which supplies basic raw materials like yarn and dyes to the handloom industry, Besides the supply of raw materials training and workshop related schemes is also organized by NHDC. Government of India has

been implementing Handloom Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS) for Handloom Weavers with the following components:

104

•MAHATAMA GANDHI BUNKAR BIMA YOJANA(MGBBY) The basic objective of Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana is to provide insurance cover to handloom weavers in case of natural death (Rs. 60,000/-), accidental death (Rs. 1,50,000/-), total disability (Rs. 1,50,000/-) and partial disability (Rs. 75,000/-). In addition to above, a scholarship of Rs. 300/- per quarter per child is available to students studying in standards IX to XII, for a maximum period of four years or till they complete XII standard, whichever event occurs earlier. The benefit is restricted to two children of the member covered.

•EMPLOYEES STATE INSURANCE (ESI) ESI is a health insurance scheme which covers free treatment in Patalam government hospital.

105

•HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME (HIS) In 12th Five Year Plan, the Government approved implementation of Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) on the pattern of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) of Ministry of Labor & Employment (MoLE). RSBY has been transferred to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) w.e.f. 1st April 2015. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued detailed instructions on 29th March, 2016, for coverage of handloom weavers in RSBY for 2016-17, in the existing pattern of RSBY, i.e. Indoor Patient (I.P.) benefits of Rs. 30,000/-.

•RETIREMENT BENEFIT After the weavers retire from the service that is 20 years and after attaining the age of 58 years the weavers are entitled to get an amount of 1000 from the fund.

106

DOLLS FROM THE

RUINS

“Chekutty is a mascot of the emerging Keralam, being rebuilt through our solidarity, resilience and beauty of hearts despite some of the stains and scars that will remain in our lives. Chekkutty has scars. Chekkutty has stains. But Chekutty represent each one of us who survived the floods.

107

108

Derive from two Malayalam words ‘cheru’ which means dirt and ‘kutty’ means child, the fabric doll is the story of those who overcame the dirt left behind by the flood. The 2018 Kerala floods left the state paralyzed and took away around 500 lives. Even after the destructive waters died down, people found it almost impossible to get back to their routine lives due to the immense property loss. But just like a phoenix, Kerala rebuilt itself out of the ashes it was left in. Remarkable symbols of this are the Chekutty dolls of the Chendamangalam handloom which have amassed worldwide popularity over a span of few months.The floods crippled the age-old handloom village Chendamangalam in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. For the weaver’s handloom is their main source of income. Their life and livelihood became a question when flood water entered the factory and receded only after 8 days, spoiling the machinery and weaving materials. The worst part was the stock produced aiming the Onam market got drenched and stained, and the hard work went in vain. When the flood water receded, the stained cloths cannot be used even after washing. This condition gave birth to the concept of Chekutty. The concept was born in the thoughts of Social Activist and Fashion Designer Lakshmi Menon and her friend Gopinath Parayil. In order to help the weavers of Chendamangalam, Lakshmi tried to clean the fabric by chlorinating the clothes but the stain and fungus were deep - set and the cleaning seems to be useless. So she thought of highlighting the stained fabric which survived the flood irrespective of loss of beauty and perfection.

Thus the concept of chekutty is survival and resilience, not beauty and perfection. It shows the inner strength and willpower. From one saree, 360 chekutty can be made and for one Chekutty the cost is Rs. 25. Usually, one handloom Saree costs Rs.1500 but a saree used for making Chekutty can fetch Rs.9000. Cost for a Chekutty should not be considered exorbitant because of the cause it stands for. The fund raised by selling Chekutty will be handed over to Handloom Society. Just like not two Chekuttys are identical, the dolls too are multipurpose and can be used for various purposes. "Chekutty can adorn your wall, your bag, your car, keychain, your dress, trousers, trolleys or be an installation at home. Chekutty is to tell the story of this flood, it's heroes, valour, and togetherness in which we overcame the flood and landslides Standing side by side with her is Bhoomika. Conceptualized by Sobha Viswanath of Weavers Village and designed by Deepak Shivarajan, Bhoomika is not just made of cloth from the Chendamangalam loom but from any “waste” fabric. Bhoomika is inspired from Tsunamika, cloth dolls that enabled tsunami-affected fisherwomen in Tamil Nadu to rebuild their lives.” The women had lost their family, boats, and nets. While Tsunamika’s primary aim was to help the women overcome the trauma by getting them involved in some handicraft to channelize their energy, Bhoomika, according to Deepak, is a symbol of support to the weavers of Chendamangalam.

109

110

OUR DIAGNOSIS

111

112

WEAKNESS

STRENGTH:

• Evolution of machinery and competition in the industry. • Out dated infrastructure. • Not able to meet the youngsters needs.

MARKETING • Flood 2018 made Chendamangalam handloom famous. • Profits because of design intervention. • Support from HANTEX. • Own depot nearby the society. • Regular customers from the local area.

OPPORTUNITY • Betterment in designs. • Bringing up designs according to the market demand. • Promotion of handloom through celebrities.

PRODUCTION • Skilled and experienced workers in the sector. • Availability of enough looms. • Good quality raw materials.

THREAT

FINANCE

• Handlooms are not able to meet the current trends since more technologies are coming up. • Lack of youngersters involvement in promotion of handloom.

• Health insurance. • Government schemes.

113

114

PROBLEMS • Money spent on production by the society is not repaid by the government so the society has to take loan from the district bank for its production purpose.

• Weaver’s work under dim light. • Variation in the raw materials costs. • Basic common health problems like back pain, leg pain, hand pain, dust allergy.

• Lack of government subsidies to manage technical and management problems.

• Government schemes are not attractive to bring youngsters involvement.

• The workspace is crowded and the weavers had to walk through the narrow spaces on their day to day duties.

• The wages provided to the highly experienced weaver’s is as same as the wages provided to the beginner.

• The air flow within the workspace is less causing improper ventilation. Leading to suffocation for most of the workers.

115

116

RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS The work space can be cleaned on every day basis to avoid fly, fluff and foreign matters that causes dust allergy. Cleaning the society every day and introducing brighter light will make the society a better place to work and visit. The damaged looms can be disposed and the workspace can be extended for better ventilation and walking space.

117

Weavers can be taught to use new technologies to interpret new designs. New designs will attract more customers and youngster’s involvement in handloom industry. Efforts and the contribution made by the weavers can be appreciated for better work. Appreciating the weaver’s by giving increment or awarding them every year will be an encouragement. Promotion through celebrities by creating a unique brand name and logo for this particular society helps in publicity.

118

REFERENCE - Parvur Municipality Sahasrabdha Smaranika, Pg No: 1-300. - Kerala Kaumudy Newspaper articles : - Swathanthra Samara Charithtathil Idam Nediya Kaithari Grammam, article by K. Rajesh, Pg no: 1. - Mathrubhumi Newspaper articles: - Kayal Kaithari Tourism, feature: ‘Nagaram’, article by T.C Premkumar, Pg no: 1 10th July 2010. - Kaithariude Karaviruthinu Karuthegan , Vidthyarthigal, article by T.C Premkumar Pg no:10 ,July 27th 2017, - Chendamangalam Keralthile Athaythe Kaithari Grammam,feature: ‘Nagaram’, article by TC Premkumar ,May 20th 2013, Pg 1. - Application for Registration of Chendamangalam Dhoties and Set Mundu of Kerala, Under The Geographical and Indications of Goods( Registration and Protection Act, 1999), Form GI-1A ,Pg No: 1-22 ,November 2010. - Performance and Prospects of Handloom Industry in Ernakulam District Written by Dr. P. Nayak and S. Krishnakumar, Apex Handloom Cooperatives of Kerala.

119

- Paravur Handloom Co-operative Society No:3428 62nd Annual Report (2016) 30th September 2016, Pg no: 1-19. - Paravur Town Handloom Weaver’s Co-operative Society No: E1 62nd Annual Report (2016) 30th September 2016 - Manual- Implementation of Block level cluster Projects under National Handloom Development Programme(NHDP) and Comprehensive Handloom Development Scheme (CHCDS) - Mega cluster, published by Office of Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textile, Government of India, Pg-1-72 - Revival , Reform and Restructuring Package for Handloom Sector , Published by the Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textile, Gov ernment of India , Pg no: 1-28. - Frequently Asked Question on Geographical Indication (GIs), published by the Tex tile Committee, Ministry of Textile, Government of India, Pgno: 1-16. - Mithavathi Masika , written by C Keshavan , Pg No:1-200, 1961.

120

ANNEXURE Page no/what it is

Tables and maps

48/ handloom mark 49/ outlet 52, 53/ boiling, bleaching, dyeing 56,57/ winding, prin winding,warping, sizing 58,59/ drawing, denting 62,63/ packaging, inspection 66,67/ motif 68,69/ colours, motifs and material 78,79/ Mohan, Sunanda 80/ Gopi, Sudarshan 81/ Latha, bindhu 82/ Radha, lini 83/ suma, Ramani 84/ Shashikala, Anita 85/ Priya, Radha 94,95/ advertisements 98,99/ yarns and product storages 104,105,106/ chekutty

18,19/ map 40,41/ organisation detail, structure 42,43,44,45/ spatial mapping 72/ fabric and yarn details 93/ year production, total sales

121

OUR TEAM Aashka Shah Archana Krishnaprasad Aditi Ajgaonkar Jhanvi Parekh

R. Harini Shree Muskan Ambra Suzaan Joseph T. Malavika Singh

CONTRIBUTION Content writing Aashka Shah Archana Krishnaprasad Aditi Ajgaonkar Jhanvi Parekh R Harini Shree Muskan Ambra Suzaan Joseph T. Malavika Singh Layout making/editing Aditi Ajgaonkar Jhanvi Parekh R Harini Shree Muskan Ambra Suzaan Joseph T. Malavika Singh

Translator Suzaan Joseph Content editing Aditi Ajgaonkar Aashka Shah Muskan Ambra T. Malavika Singh Photography Archana Krishnaprasad R Harini Shree Muskan Ambra Illustrations Archana Krishnaprasad Suzaan Joseph T. Malavika Singh

Map making Muskan Ambra T. Malavika Singh

122

123