PREFACE You haven‘t puzzled out Any of the Weaver‘s secret: It took Him A mere moment To stretch out the whole universe On His loom. He fashioned His loom
Out of the Earth and sky He plied the sun and moon simultaneously As His twin shuttle ……Kabir says, I have smashed my loom: Only the Weaver can mesh threads with threads.... As Shabad 36 in Raga Asa says about the weavers and their devotion for weaving and the weavers we met with were from Begampur, West Bengal. The journey and experience of the cluster was unexpectedly remarkable and fruitful. The area was nature friendly. The locality was enriched with craft, tradition and craftsmanship. It was so influential that we easily
got involved in the environment. A four day excursion and primary and secondary data is compiled in this documentation. We worked there as a group of six members to gather information and observed the weaving process.
Starting from the cluster area, history, climate, study about weaving, about weavers, local people, their living standard, culture, environment etc. is observed and mentioned in detail. During these days we learnt the entire process of weaving, starting from the raw materials to end product. Apart from all these we also learnt the consequences, terms and conditions, problems they face and design developments, interventions etc. The weavers were so polite and down to earth that it touched our heart. Their living standard was very simple and they weren‘t much concerned about it. They were devoted to their work
and they do it genuinely, this behaviour of weavers inspired us and that is why we actually got to know the every aspect of their lifestyle and somewhere we found ourselves emotionally attached to them in a short span of time. We learnt the value of living, devotion for work and duty towards our respective field. The cluster journey gave us a lifetime moment. Apart from these experiences, the knowledge we gained about weaving will help us to revive the craft in
present as well as future.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We the batch of 2013-2017 Textile Design students of NIFT,KOLKATA were taken to Begampur Handloom Cluster of West Bengal on 1st June 2015 to 10th June 2015 to do a diagnostic study of the working conditions of the handloom weavers as well as to know more about the craft sector and the resources and environment. The weaving zone covered by us was Begampur, Hooghly, West Bengal. In the cluster, we interacted with several weavers, belonging to different weaving nests, each having their own set of problems and grievances regarding handloom weaving,
working conditions and so on. While taking the interview, we got to know each and every details about the weavers their culture, livelihood how they work. We would like to make a start of our documentation by some thanks giving words to our respective faculties because without their help we could not have been able to do this task. First of all we would like to thank our respected Director Ma‘am, Mrs. Binwant Kaur and our CIC Dr. Sandeep Mukherjee, without whose initiatives we would have never got a chance to visit this place.
In the four day visit in Begampur, our faculty member Mr. Sandip Kumar Samanta and Mrs. Supriya Basu visited the cluster area along with us. With their help and support we completed our journey of cluster. We would like to thank our faculty and also our mentor, Mr. Ashish Debnath for his suggestion and help. Our faculty members provided us with sufficient information. We are extremely thankful to our sponsor WSC (Weavers Service Centre). The opportunity to study about handloom sarees so far away from home was provided by them. Apart from all the faculty members, we would also like show our gratitude to cluster development executive, Mr. K. Palaniyandi, Senior Supervisor of Begampur cluster Mr. Shailo Kumar Kundu, Secretary Vikas Das and all the weavers for their valuable time, patience and very kind approach. They were very cooperative and helped us in every possible way. This made us understand the weaving in a very detailed manner. All the weavers were very nice to us and made us feel like home during the visit of Begampur cluster. Last but not the least we would thank all the people of Begampur whom we met during cluster. With the help and support of above mentioned people we visited the place and got the chance to enhance our knowledge.
CONTENT 1) PREFACE 2) ACKNOWLEGEMENT 3) INTRODUCTION 1 - HANDLOOMS 2-9 - CLUSTERS 10 - HANDLOOM PRODUCTS OF INDIA 11-12 - HANDLOOM PRODUCTS OF WEST BENGAL 13-14 4) BEGAMPUR 15-18 - LOCATION 19 - DEMOGRAPHICS 19 - ECONOMICS 20 - TRANSPORT 20 - MAP 21 - ENVIRONMENT 22-26 5) BEGAMPUR HANDLOOM CLUSTER 27-28 - HISTORICAL EVIDENCE 29-30 - BEGAMPUR HANDLOOM PRODUCTS 30 6) TECHNIQUES & METHODS 31-35 - PRE-LOOM PROCESSES 36-44 - LOOM 45-46 - POST-LOOM PROCESSES 47 7) DESIGN DIRECTORY 48-53 8) MARKET - MARKET STRUCTURE 54 - MARKET LINKAGES 55 9) ARTISAN PROFILE 56-68 10) MARKET SURVEY 69-71 11) ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN DEVELOPMENT OF BEGAMPUR CLUSTER 72-75 12) SWOT ANALYSIS 76-77
13) DESIGN DEVELOPMENT - SUGGESTIONS 14) CONCLUSION 15) ANNEXURE - REFERENCE (BIBLIOGRAPHY, WEBSITES VISITED) - LOCAL TERMINOLOGY - QUESTIONNAIRE FORMAT - PROFILE OF INSTITUTION/ORGANISATION/NGOs
78-82 83 84 85 86 87-94 95-96
INTRODUCTION Even as machines take over more and more aspects of our lives, there are parts of India which continue to stay rooted to tradition and engage in crafts that form an indispensible part of the very essence of the country. The crafts of India started centuries ago as a form of expression of cultural and religious beliefs and are unparalleled in beauty, richness and diversity. They all started due to some
sort of necessity and the onus of creating them was handed down from one generation to the next. The following are some of the popular kinds of crafts in India like pottery, paper handicraft, wood handicrafts etc. Weaving or Embroidery Handicrafts-Weaving mainly refers to the process of cloth production by two thread sets known as weft and warp crossed with each
other. This traditional form of handicraft is mostly found in the states of West Bengal, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Today, the crafts have been mostly limited to rural communities. Some of them have undergone huge transformations by means of modern design inputs and help extended by the government who has declared many of these communities as clusters, NGOs and sometimes designers who use these techniques in their collections, helping in their growth and recognition. However, as people turn more and more to Western designs and clothing, some of these crafts have taken a hit. People who have been involved in them for years are starting to switch to other professions because of financial constraints.
1
HANDLOOMS The handloom industry has been one of the oldest industries of India. Although the industry
was reduced to ashes during the colonial rule but it
got
tremendous
boost
up
after
the
independence during the planning era. The industry today provides employment to about 10 million people and contributes over 23 percent of the total cloth production of the century. The production of handloom has increased from 5,085 million square meters in 1990-91 to 10,381 million square meters in 1997-98, exhibiting more than two-times increase during the last seven years. The number of handlooms is estimated to be about 38 lakhs. The handloom industry is widely distributed in the country, mostly concentrated in small towns and rural areas. The handloom sector plays a very important role in the country‘s economy. It is one of the largest economic activities providing direct employment to over 65 lakh persons engaged in weaving and allied activities FIGURE: 3.1- A HANDLOOM 2
As a result of effective government intervention through financial assistance and implementation of various development and welfare schemes, this sector has been able to withstand competition from the power loom and mill sectors.
This sector contributes nearly 90 percent of the total cloth produced in the country and also adds substantially to export earnings. Handloom is unparalleled permitting
in
its
flexibility
experimentation
and
and
versatility,
encouraging
innovations. The strength of handloom lies in the introducing innovative designs, which cannot be replicated by the power loom sector.
Thus, handloom forms a part of the heritage of India and exemplifies the richness and diversity of our country and the artistry of the weavers. FIGURE: 3.2- A WEAVER
Indian hand woven fabrics have been known since time immemorial. Poets of the Mughal durbar likened our muslin to Baft Hawa (woven air), Abe rawan (running water) and Shabnam (morning dew). A tale runs that emperor Aurangzeb had a fit of rage when he one day saw his daughter princess Zeb-un-Nissa clad in almost nothing. On being severely rebuked, the princess explained that she had not one but seven jamahs (dresses) on her
body. Such was the fineness of the hand woven fabrics. 3
FIGURE: 3.3- MAHATMA GANDHI STARTED MAKING CLOTHES ON CHARKHA IN THE TIME OF BRITISH.
4
Historical Evidence Though India was famous even in ancient times as an exporter of textile to most parts of the civilized world, few actual fabrics of the early dyed or printed cotton have survived. This is explained due to a hot, moist climate
and the existence of the monsoons in India. It is not surprising therefore, that Egypt which has an exceptionally dry climate would provide evidence which India lacks. The earliest Indian fragment of cloth (before the Christian era) with a hansa (swan) design was excavated from a site near Cairo where the hot dry sand of the desert acted a preservative.
Later, the very first fragment of Indian handloom was excavated from the parts of Egypt. After that, the finely woven and madder-dyed cotton fabrics and shuttles were found at some of the excavated sites of Mohenjo-Daro (Indus valley civilization). There were more excavations that speak of the golden history of Indian handloom. In fact, traditional handloom style has
been one of the oldest forms. Even, the Vedic literature also has mention of Indian weaving styles. Apart from this, few examples are also seen in Buddhist era scripts about the woollen carpets. Indian floral prints, dating back to the 18th century A.D. were discovered by Sir Aural Stein in the icy waters of the Central Asia. The evidence shows that of all the arts and crafts of the India, traditional handloom textiles are probably the oldest.
5
FIGURE: 3.4- A CHARKHA
FIGURE: 3.5- BOBBINS 6
Prior to imperialism and colonization, all the natural fabrics (silk, cotton and jute) were hand-woven. And Khadi was among the prevalent materials at that point of time. Later on, the mechanical system created ways for the
faster completion of spinning and weaving. After the introduction of machinery, the technicalities were given due care and the fineness came in a better way. This also helped the weavers, embroiders and hand-printers to create new designs. At the time of British, the export business of cotton and silk also started. This enabled the Indians to showcase the talent of their
expertise in other countries also. Indian handloom created a special place for itself in India and abroad too. With so many varieties of handloom from different states, India has collected a precious wealth of innovation. After all, this has led to the emergence of India as the most richly cultured country.
Handlooms the largest cottage industry Handlooms are an important craft product and comprise the largest cottage industry of the country. Millions of looms across the country are engaged in weaving cotton, silk and other natural fibres. There is hardly a village where weavers do not exist, each weaving out the traditional beauty of India‘s own precious heritage.
7
The Indian heritage In the world of handlooms, there are Madras checks from Tamil Nadu, ikats from Andhra and Orissa, tie and dye from Gujarat and Rajasthan, brocades from Banaras, jacquards from Uttar Pradesh. Daccai from West Bengal and Phulkari from Punjab.
Yet, despite this regional distinction there has been a great deal of technical and stylistic exchange. The handlooms segments in India are highly fragmented and unorganized. At the same time the sector gives India its distinct cultural identity and contributes considerably to economic activities in India. Dominant in the rural areas of the country Handloom sectors are labour-intensive as the products are usually
handmade with or using simple handheld tools. The demand for handlooms in India comes from three major segments - household sector, non-household sector (institutional, industrial and technical) and export sector, and all the three segments are growing. With more than 1.2 billion people living in over 330 million households, as per census 201, the demand for Handlooms and handicraft products in India is very large and growing at a tandem with the increase in disposable income of the people. A very high proportion of young and working population is a favourable factor in influencing the domestic craft.
8
Key highlights of Indian handloom sector: Handloom sector contributes nearly 11 per cent of the total cloth produced in the country and substantially contributes to the export income of the country. India is the biggest producer of jute in the world (1.67 million tons), second in silk production (23679 MT), second in cotton production (5.7 million tons) while fifth in synthetic fibre production 2012-13. India is the biggest exporter of yarn in the international market and has a share of 25 per cent in the world yarn export market; along with a share of 12 per cent in yarn and textile fibre production in the world. India has the highest capacity of loom with a share of 61 per cent in the world loom age. The average cotton spinning cost in India is lower than all countries, including china. India is the powerhouse of the silk production; only china produces more silk annually, than India. Handloom industry occupies a prominent place in decentralized industrial sector of India. Handloom is the largest unorganized economic activity in India, next to agriculture. It is scattered over the entire length and breadth of the vast country, mainly in rural and semi-urban and partly in urban environments, providing employment.
9
CLUSTER
A cluster is generally identified by the product (or product range) and the place where it is located. OBJECTIVES OF THE CRAFT CLUSTER PRIMARY OBJECTIVE To understand the various crafts in the craft cluster of west Bengal. Make suitable changes to it, to appeal the consumer mind set and value perception. Newer markets and lifestyles on a sustainable basis by developing value added solutions for the artisans that help them exploit market opportunities and survive stiff competition in the world‘s handicraft market. SECONDARY OBJECTIVE Understanding the problems especially related to craft being faced by the artisans. Finding out the extent to which NIFT intervention has helped the artisan. Exploring new opportunities and finding newer ways by which NIFT can extend. Thus, to be able to identify required interventions in the areas of design, technology and capabilities for inclusive and sustainable growth.
10
HANDLOOM PRODUCTS OF INDIA
Bringing out the traditional ways of product production, handloom is a simple machine used for weaving. Having installed the advanced
looming
production
unit
machines
that
at
ensures
their
smooth
production of Handloom Products, there is a galore
of
manufacturers,
suppliers,
wholesalers, exporters and traders enlisted with us providing a vast range in the market.
The
offered
extent
of
their
produce
comprises Hand Loom Scarves, Hand Loom Shawls, Hand Loom Stoles, Handicraft, Textile
Handicraft,
Hand
Knitted
Silk
Sweater, Hand Knitting Silk Yarn, Hand-Spun
Silk Yarn, Silk Menswear, Silk Noil Yarn, Wool Silk Blended Yarn, etc. Each product is skilfully designed and crafted by experienced artisans, These
using
optimum-grade
Handloom
Products
are
material. widely
appreciated for their attractive features like durability, wear resistance and economic FIGURE: 3.6- HANDLOOM SAREES
prices. 11
Some
of
exclusive
the product
ranges include: Silk Sarees
from
Varanasi, scarf from Barabanki,
home
furnishing
from
Bijnore, shawls from Kullu, ikat sari from Sonepur
and
Bargarh,
cotton
saree
from
Chanderi.
FIGURE: 3.7- HANDLOOM SAREES 12
HANDLOOM PRODUCTS OF WEST BENGAL DISTRICTS Nadia
ITEMS OF PRODUCTION Tangail, Jamdani, Santipuri Sarees, Dress materials, Lungi, Exportable Fabrics (Scarf, Stole), Coarser Sarees, Gamcha
Hooghly
Dhaniakhali, Begampuri Sarees, Fine Cotton Dhuty, Sarees, Coarser Sarees
24-Parganas (N)
Gauze, Bandage, Gamcha, Lungi, Coarser Sarees
24-Parganas (S)
Fine Cotton Sarees, Coarser Sarees, Gamcha
Burdwan
Tangail, Jamdani Sarees, Exportable Fabrics (Scarf, Stole, Home furnishing, Coarser Sarees, Gamcha, Lungi, Cotton Khadi Shirting, Debipur Dhuti
Purba Midapore
Coarser Sarees, Shirting, Furnishing Gamcha
TABLE: 3.1- HANDLOOM PRODUCTS OF WEST BENGAL 13
Paschim
Fine & Coarser Saree, Tassar Than, Cotton Shirting
Midnapore Bankura
Baluchari Sarees, Silk Than, Shirting, Tassar Scarf
Purulia
Tassar Than, Silk Shirting, Coarser Cotton Sarees, Gamcha
Birbhum
Tassar Than, Shirting
Murshidabad
Silk Than, Silk shirting, Korial Saree, Coarser Cotton Saree
Uttar Dinajpur
Gamcha, Coarser Saree, Jute furnishing
Dakshin Dinajpur
Tangail Saree, Fine Cotton Sarees
Cooch Behar
Tangail Saree, Fine Cotton Sarees, Coarser Saree
Jalpaiguri
Coarser Saree, Gamcha
Darjeeling
Woollen Shawls, Coarser Saree
TABLE: 3.2- HANDLOOM PRODUCTS OF WEST BENGAL
14
FIGURE: 4.1 LOCAL AREA OF BEGAMPUR 15
ABOUT BEGUMPUR Begampur is a town in the Hooghly district of West Bengal. It is located at a distance of 23 kilometres from Howrah on the Howrah-Bardhaman chord line and a train from Howrah will get one there in around thirty minutes. It can also be reached by car. The place is quaint and even though is quite near to the bustling city of Kolkata, feels as if it is a part of a different world altogether. The climate is similar to Kolkata‘s, so daily visits in early July would entail both torrential rainfall and blinding sunlight, sometimes often in the same day. Lush greenery dominates the landscape. Very few people can be seen out on the streets, apart from the market-area. The population of ten thousand that makes up the town is a mixture of Hindus and Muslims, and there are quite a few worship houses here and there in the
area. Most of the houses are made of clay and bamboo and similar material. There is a school, where toddlers start their day by singing the national anthem. Apart from that, the only sound breaking the silence is the rhythmic hum of handlooms and flat knitting machines. The name Begampur was given to the place by the Ministry of Textiles. Here, weaving started many years ago
around the time of Independence of the country. The traditional weaving product is the ―Matha par‖ saree. The sarees are in a single colour with thick borders.
16
FIGURE: 4.2- OLD TEMPLE OF BEGAMPUR
17
Begampur,
including
Dhaniakhali
and Farasdanga are the main cotton weaving centres in west Bengal which are involved in the weaving of fine-textured saris and dhotis. The saris of Begampur have deep and bright
colours.
produces
the
Begampur beautiful
Jamdani
saris. FIGURE: 4.3 (ABOVE), 4.4 (BELOW)
Begampur is a Village in Chanditala-ii Block in Hooghly District of West Bengal State, India. It belongs to Burdwan Division. It is located 31 KM towards South from District headquarters Hugli-chuchura. 19 KM from State capital Kolkata Begampur Pin code is 712306 and postal head office is Begampur (Hooghly). Begampur is surrounded by Chanditala-I Block towards west, Domjur Block towards South, Sirampur-Uttarpara Block towards East, and Konnagar
Block
towards
East.
Monoharpur,
Bally,
Konnagar, Howrah are the nearby Cities to Begampur. This Place is in the border of the Hooghly District and Howrah District. Howrah District Domjur is South towards this place. People mostly use Bengali language for communication. 18
also
Geography
Begampur is located at 22.74°N 88.24°E. It has an average elevation of 15 metres (49 feet). Demographics As of 2001 India census. Begampur had a population of 9545. males constitute 51% of the population and
females 49%. Begampur has an average literacy rate of 75%. Higher than the national average of 59.5%, with 53% of the literates being male and 47% being female. 97% of the population is under 6 years of age. FIGURE: 4.5- WEATHER
19
Economics Shantipur, Dhaniakhali, Begampur, and Farasdanga are the main cotton weaving centres in West Bengal which are involved in the weaving of fine-textured saris and dhotis. The saris of Begampur have deep and bright colours. Begampur also produces the gorgeous Jamdani saris.
Transport Begampur is 23 kilometres (14 mi) from Howrah on the Howrah-Bardhaman chord line and is part of the Kolkata Suburban Railway system.
20
FIGURE: 4.6- MAP OF BEGAMPUR
21
Environment Begampur is a calm and soothing place. The outer environment is the specialty of this area. The town is not so well developed but people there live with their own comfort zone. Apart from township, the village is located in greenery and is eco-friendly. Begampur village is enriched
with
greenery,
natural
properties, including small forests, ponds and various types of fields. One can go there for a break from this stressed life. The chirping birds, the green side of this area, is not less than doing meditation. Once you go there then you will feel like living in that village area because of the power, it attracts the tourists
and
Begampur. FIGURE: 4.7- (ABOVE), 4.8 (MIDDLE), 4.9 (BELOW) 22
people
who
visit
Begampur is full of culture, tradition, religion and various customs. The old temples of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Goddess Durga is fascinating and give an ambiance of calmness and ―Bhakti‖ (selfless devotion) for god. The interior and exterior design of every temples, situated in Begampur is really nice. The intricate detailing and carving inside or outside of the temples, done by artisans is immensely beautiful. They are fascinating and is a good example of art. Some temples are new and some of them are old in construction. People are religious and devoted. The environment of the village is very pleasing and people, who come to visit, tend to like the area.
FIGURE: 4.10- CULTURE
23
If we talk about the people of Begampur specially the weavers, they are so nice to everyone who come to visit. Their behaviour towards externals is calm, helpful and appreciable. They are very cooperative and ready to help, whether it‘s about information or some general issues. If we go and ask that, how they do weaving and its process, they explain it so beautifully and it actually helps to gain knowledge. It is the area where, the local people are involved in weaving. It‘s the tradition of that place that all the weavers who work in weavers service centre also do the weaving at their home for their personal use or other purpose. People of Begampur, including their family are all involved in weaving. It‘s like a tradition of the families of Begampur. Almost every house has its own loom so that the people can do the weaving apart from their own jobs. Even the children of growing age start weaving with the help of their parents. They are hard working in whatever the work they do. They are lacking with so many facilities but they rarely complain about it. They just do the duty and earn for their family. There is ―Mahajan‖ tradition too. Mahajans are the master weavers of the locality. They do the weaving on their own. They are the specialist of weaving saris and their work is actually beautiful with all the detailing and designs.
24
FIGURE: 4.11, 4.12, 4.13 & 4.14- (ALL ABOVE) 25
Overall the ambiance of the locality is really nice. People out there are friendly even when they don‘t know the outsiders. They are so down to earth and tend to talk to people who come from other places. They give food to eat, give a warm welcome, and talk very nicely. Whatever they have, they aren‘t shy or selfish to share. Their behaviour is kind and selfless and we can observe it very clearly. People of Begampur including children, adults and women all of them are frank and friendly.
Begampur is one of those places where we can gain so much and can feel like home because the environment they make is very comfortable. One should go and pay a visit to this place for an experience once in a lifetime.
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BEGUMPUR HANDLOOM CLUSTER Hooghly (West Bengal)
No of handlooms:500 (covered by cluster)
No of weavers:400 (covered by cluster)
Area Covered: Madhyampara, Dakshinpara, Sitalatala and Shashtitala in Kharsarai village, Begampur gram panchayat Chanditala Block II, Hooghly District.
Products: Cotton mathapar sarees,Jacquared and Dobby border Cotton Sarees, cotton and Silk dress material
Turn over: 2 crore
Begampur, a village in Hooghly district located at a Distance of 25 km from Kolkata holds its place in handloom map of West Bengal for its traditional handloom sarees for a long time. Weavers are permanent inhabitants of this village and are experts in weaving ‗mathapar‘ saris which are plain woven with coloured borders using 60s and 80s cotton yarn and also plain cotton sarees with dobby border designs. The product is traditionally known as ‗Begampuri‘ saree and used as one of the regular domestic items in Bengal and other parts of the country. Begampur Handloom Cluster came in to existence ,obviously to infuse interest and to boost the moral among the weavers.
27
FIGURE: 5.1, 5.2 & 5.3BEGAMPURI SARRES
28
It is also aimed to increase their income by engaging them in this tradition and transform their Skill in to producing diversified items using Jacquard and Dobby devices and multi treadle technique etc. for making new and intricate designs in demand. By this way new marketing avenues for their products will be explored. • It was strongly felt that a need has come to complement the traditional practices and methodologies with contemporary knowledge so that the cluster is well equipped to play a pivotal role in economic development of that area. • Begampur Handloom sarees are famous because
of its cheap and loyal
quality and are very well known for its variety. • Begampuri, Matha Par sarees aren‘t have any ornamentation. It is preferred for everyday use. Pure cotton and ranges between Rs:200-300.Mata par saree consists of plain or check designs. Earlier the Cost of Matha Par saree was Rs.16.In Durga puja this saree is draped around Goddess Durga. • Previously the used to work on traditional designs but now they work on the designs which are provided by the client through Weavers Service Centre. • As par which means fish scales is an vital motif of Begampuri sarees. • In Begampur workshops are held By WSC in which 80-80 count ,60-60 counts saree are made. Jacquard -100 heald
29
• Easy designs are made and extra warp technique is used. • For the cluster Colour Forecast ;(design diary.nic.in) National Centre for Textile Design (NCTD) is involved.
Products of BEGAMPUR Cluster • Cotton Mathapar sarees, Jacquard and Dobby border Cotton Sarees. • Cotton and Silk dress material, Scarves.
FIGURE: 5.4- MATHA PAR SAREE, DHANERSHISH
30
TECHNIQUES AND METHODS WEAVING Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft. The way the warp and weft threads interlace with each other is called
the weave. The majority of woven products are created with one of three basic weaves: plain weave, satin weave, or twill. Woven cloth can be plain (in one colour or a simple pattern), or can be woven in decorative or artistic designs.
LOOM A loom is a device used to weave cloth. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but the basic function is the same.
FIGURE: 6.1- WEAVING 31
Types of looms: There are different types of loom such as• Handloom • Dobby loom • Jacquard loom • Power loom etc.
FIGURE: 6.2- POWER LOOM
FIGURE: 6.3- JACQUARD LOOM
FIGURE: 6.4- DOBBY HANDLOOM 32
Handloom A handloom is a simple machine used for weaving. In a wooden vertical-shaft looms, the heddles are fixed in place in the shaft. The warp threads pass alternately through a heddle, and through a space between the heddles (the shed), so that raising the shaft raises half the threads (those passing through
the heddles), and lowering the shaft lowers the same threads—the threads passing through the spaces between the heddles remain in place.
Dobby looms Dobby is a woven fabric produced on dobby loom, characterised by small geometric patterns and extra texture in cloth. The wrap and weft threads may be the colour or different. A Dobby Loom is a type of floor loom that controls the whole warp threads using a dobby head. A dobby loom is an alternative to a treadle loom, where multiple heddles (shafts) were controlled by foot treadlesone for each heddle. The Jacquard loom, which was invented earlier applies the same idea in a different way.
Kind of loom used in dobby Air jet loom -Dobby loom, jacquard loom, hatter sley loom, Lancashire loom, Northrop loom, power loom, rapier loom, Roberts loom. Tapestry loom – wrap weighted loom Water jetted loom. These are some kind of loom used in dobby.
33
Jacquard looms The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard that simplifies the process of manufacturing textiles with complex patterns such as brocade, damask and matelassé. The loom is controlled by punched cards with punched holes, each row of which corresponds to one row of the design.
Multiple rows of holes are punched on each card and the many cards that compose the design of the textile are strung together in order. A Jacquard head could be attached to a power loom or a hand loom, the head controlled which warp thread was raised during shedding. Multiple shuttles could be used to control the colour of the weft during picking.
DIFFERENT PARTS OF A LOOM Pick-up Stick: The pick-up stick is used to lift up the warp threads, the yarn attached to the loom, so that the shuttle with the weft yarn can be woven through.
Heddles: A heddle is a set of parallel cords or wires in a loom that are used to separate and guide the warp threads and make a path for the shuttle. Reed: This tool is used to keep the warp even and to push the weft, the woven yarn,
down to tighten the weaving. They are rectangular frames with narrow metal strips called dents.
34
Combs and Beaters: Made of wood or metal or both, weaving combs and beaters push
the weft down toward the beginning of the weaving. This process tightens the weaving. The teeth of these tools are just wide enough to fit in between the strands of the warp. Shuttle: It is easier and faster to use shuttles made for working with different kinds of yarns. Ski and rag shuttles are made to handle thicker yarns, which are wrapped lengthwise around the shuttles. Boat shuttles work more quickly owing to the presence of a bobbin in the bobbin's center. The bobbin holds yarns of medium and fine
thickness. Spool Rack: Spool racks allow you to keep your fibers organized while you are weaving. They also prevent unwanted knots as they keep each
thread of fiber separated from any other threads while being fed into the loom.
35
PRE LOOM PROCESSES
YARN DEPOT At Begampur earlier weavers‘ groups had to
pay
the
National
Handloom
Development Agency (NHDA) in advance for the purchase of yarn. After the implementation
of
the
IHDS,
the
Government paid three lakh rupees to the NHDA in order to ensure seamless supply of yarn to the weavers at the yarn depot in the cluster, which was also built by them.
DYEING PROCESS
FIGURE: 6.5- RAW YARNS
Dyeing is a process of imparting colour to fibers, yarns, fabric or garments. This is done by exposure to dyes, which are coloured substances with affinity towards the substrate that is to be dyed. In Begampur, usually yarn dyeing is carried out. Yarns are received in hank form. To achieve proper
white colour, they are
bleached. Yarns are also bleached if they are to be dyed in a light colour. For darker shades, bleaching is not required.
FIGURE: 6.6- DYED YARNS 36
For dyeing, usually direct dyes are used. They are cheap and do not affect health adversely. The water used to be soft water, because hard water has impurities that hinder the dyeing process. Sometimes, rain water is reused for dyeing as they form an ideal environment for the dyes to work. The dyer uses two wooden sticks to handle the hanks during dyeing process. They use it to put the yarns into boiling water bath, to take it out, squeeze the coloured water from it and then to dip it again into the same bath. When the dyed batch of yarns matches the shade of the approved sample, it is taken out of the dye bath. For dyeing yarns black, sulphide is used. And if same hank is to be coloured with two colours to give ombre or striped effect, hank is either half covered with plastic or tied tightly with some different yarn
FIGURE: 6.7- WASHING OF RAW YARNS
respectively. A hundred grams of dye is required for dyeing one kilogram of yarns. After dyeing, the hanks are dipped in cold water. Then it is washed with a glycerine soap called ‗Monopoly‘, to remove all kinds of oil or stain.t since they cannot achieve too many colours from only this type of dye, sometimes vat and napthol dyes are used too. However, vat dye is quite expensive, so yarns dyed with them are more expensive too.
37
FIGURE: 6.8- DYE MAKING PROCESS
The water bath for each type of dye is different. For direct dye, the bath contains hot or cold water, with salt and caustic soda. For reactive dye, it‘s salt and soda in water at room temperature. For vat dye, there is caustic soda in hot water, and for napthol dye, it‘s salt in cold water. The yarns are immersed in the proper
bath
and
undergo
the
actual process of dyeing. It is done according to the approved samples dyeing recipe. Yarn is immersed in water bath for two hours for proper dyeing to occur. It is important after dyeing, excess water from the hanks are removed and then they are kept to dry under the sun. During
sun-drying,
oxidation
occurs on the surface of the fabric, which may lead to slight change of colour. Once dried, the coloured yarn undergoes the pre-processes
FIGURE: 6.9- DYEING OF YARNS
of weaving. 38
FIGURE: 6.10- DYEING PROCESS OF YARNS FROM VAT DYE
39
FIGURE: 6.11- YARNS AFTER DYEING
FIGURE: 6.12- DRYING PROCESS OF DYED YARNS
40
SIZING The first process is called sizing. Sizing is a process of applying an adhesive size paste to yarns to facilitate weaving. This is often called the ‗heart of weaving‘. Its main functions are to improve the weave ability of the warp yarn, increase the elasticity of yarn, increase it tensile strength, to smoothen yarn surface and thus reduce electrostatic charge formation. At first, the size is prepared. who wake up early,
FIGURE: 6.13- SIZE MIXTURE
complete their household chores and then get to work with sizing. The most popular way of making size is with starch or ‗maar‘, but in FIGURE: 6.14BLUE VITRIOL
Begampur, most people make size with ‗saabu‘ and blue vitriol. The two ingredients are boiled together in a container and are stirred
continuously.
Once
the
size
is
prepared, it is rubbed continuously to the ball of yarn for a long time, so that all areas are covered properly. Then the yarn is passed first through a charkha and then a charkha for winding onto bobbin. The charkha may be manual or automatic. Then comes warping. FIGURE: 6.15- BOBBINS WARPED WITH YARNS 41
WARPING This comprises winding parts of the warp yarns, normally from bobbins, on
a
warping
beam,
whereby
sequential parts are wound next to each other until the full weaving width is covered. The warping beam is then normally in a next step of warp preparation used for beaming. BEAMING
FIGURE: 6.16WARPING
Beaming comprises winding the full width of the warp yarns in a single winding operation on the weaving beam (i.e. the beam which is to be placed on the loom). The warp yarns can be wound from a creel or a warping beam. The next step is leasing.
FIGURE: 6.17- BOBBINS 42
LEASING This comprises inserting lease cords between the warp yarns to separate groups of warp yarns. A lease is needed to be able to separate the individual threads in a warp sheet from one another, or to precisely define the
thread
sequence.
This
process
establishes the warp ends in the required sequence.
DENTING
FIGURE: 6.18- LEASING
The warp threads pass through the dents after going through the heddles and before becoming woven cloth. This is called denting. The number of dents per inch determines the fineness of the cloth. One or more warp threads go through each dent. The number of warp threads that go through each dent depends on the warp, and it is possible that the number of threads in each dent is not constant for a whole warp. FIGURE: 6.19- DENTING
Then the weaver‘s beam is mounted and
weaving is started. 43
PROCESS FLOW CHART FOR WEAVING Size Cooking ↓ Creeling ↓ Yarn Feeding ↓ Sizing
↓ Drying ↓ Leasing ↓ Denting ↓ Empty Beam Feeding & M/C Running ↓ Looming ↓ Weaving 44
LOOM PROCESSES Weaving can be summarized as a repetition of these three actions, also called the primary motion of the loom.
• SHEDDING The ends are separated by raising or lowering heald frames (heddle) to form a clear space where the pick can pass.
• PICKING The weft or pick is propelled across the loom bye a shuttle. The weft is pushed
up against the fell of the cloth by the reed.
BEATING-UP The warp is divided into two overlapping groups, or lines (most often adjacent threads belonging to the opposite group) that run in two planes, one above another, so the shuttle can be passed between them in a straight motion. Then, the upper group is lowered by the loom mechanism, and the lower group is raised (shedding), allowing to pass the shuttle in the opposite direction, also in a straight motion. Repeating these actions form a fabric mesh but without beatingup, the final distance between the adjacent wefts would be irregular and far too large.
45
The secondary motion of the loom are the: LET OFF MOTION The let-off motion delivers the warp to the weaving area at the required rate and at constant tension by unwinding it from the weaver‘s beam.
The
secondary
motions
are
carried
out
simultaneously.
TAKE UP MOTION The take-up motion withdraws the cloth from the weaving area at a constant rate so as to give the required pick-spacing (in picks/inch or picks/cm) and
then
wind
it
on
a
cloth
roller.
FIGURE: 6.20- WEAVING PROCESS OF SAREE 46
POST LOOM PROCESSES FOLDING Then once the saree is made beam is removed and kept in sunlight for a while to stiffen
the starch and gum. Once dried, the saree is folded in a set pattern. It takes two people to do this task it is usually the husband and wife who do this and tie it. The sarees are then stacked and covered with fabric, ready to be taken to the involved organisation (WSC).
FIGURE: 6.21- AFTER WEAVING, SAREES ARE FOLDED 47
DESIGN DIRECTORY The traditional sarees of Begampur are generally called ‗Matha par‘ sarees. The
word comes from the Bengali ‗Matha par‘ which translates to ‗thick border‘. They are also called ‗Begampuri sarees‘. These sarees have plain coloured fields with plain broad borders of a different
solid colour. The ‗pallu‘ may have some amount of design, created by making sheds with the help of bamboo rods and passing the weft through them. Jacquard or dobby is not required for making
these sarees. Earlier, these sarees were five metres long. However, nowadays the weavers have increased it to five and a half metres. The width while weaving
is
fifty
inches,
but
once
dismounted from the loom, it shrinks to forty eight inches. The yarns may range in count from 40 S to 100 S. The colours are traditionally dark and rich, like red, maroon, orange, dark greens and blues, etc.
FIGURE: 7.1- MOTIFS TO BE WEAVED ON SARRES 48
The borders are in a contrasting shade. These sarees are usually worn by womenfolk at home. Begampuri sarees generally use more expensive yarns than Shantipur sarees. Also, here, two yarns are passed
through
a
single
reed,
unlike
in
Shantipur. Yarns are continuous, that is, each yarn is five and a half metres long. Thus Begampuri sarees have longer lives than their Shantipuri counterparts. Presently, weavers are engaged in making sarees with the help of jacquard and dobby equipped handlooms as well. For dobby, the designs are simple while with a jacquard, one can achieve more adventurous
designs.
Most
of
the
designs consist of simple shapes and their juxtaposition. They appear more geometric than organic. FIGURE: 7.2- VARIOUS MOTIFS
49
FIGURE: 7.3- DESIGNS TO BE DONE BY THE WEAVING PROCESS ON A SAREE 50
FIGURE: 7.4- REPETITION OF MOTIFS 51
FIGURE: 7.5- DESIGNS FOR WEAVING A SAREE, DESIGNS TO BE WEAVED ON THE ‗PAR‘
52
FIGURE: 7.5- PAR DESIGNS 53
Marketing
Market Structure The government also aids in marketing of products and also facilitates additional sales by giving the artisans allowance to showcase their products at fairs all over the country. From September to October, two representatives of the cluster travel to places like Medinipore, Behrampore, Kanthi, Siuri, Asansol, Chuchura,
Kolkata Milan Mela and even New Delhi to display their wares. They are given some amount of money from the Government as stipend. They set up stalls and stay inside them. The fairs go on for five days. Urban Haats have been set up in places like Delhi, Mumbai, Jaisalmair, Jaipur, Kanyakumari and one is upcoming in Kolkata. Urban Haat is an ever-permanent fair for Crafts, Food and Cultural Activities. The craftsmen from various areas and the cultural happenings provide a panoramic view of richness and diversity of handicrafts and artefacts. The project is a part of Government of India‘s policy to set up permanent marketing infrastructure at prime locations in the country to eliminate middle agencies.
Urban
Haat
project
confirms
the
prescribed
policy
details.
Development Commissioner (Handlooms) and Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) are the coordinators and Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) is the nodal agency for implementation. This project is funded directly by Government of India, Ministry of Textiles to the tune of 70% of the estimated cost. Remaining 30% or the actual expenditure has to be borne by the implementing agency, that is, in this case, the Weavers‘ Service Centre.
54
Market Linkages
Kamla (ICCR)- (Craft Council of India Outlet)
Utsav Fashion
Jay Pore (New Delhi)
Lakshmi
Indi Deltes (Mumbai)
Lourren (Hawaii, America)
Shilpi (Chennai)
Red Sandress
Byloom Agency (Bappaditya Biswas)
Palash Firm
Lakshmi (Tamil Nadu, Kerala)
Vishwa Bangla Outlet(W.B)
55
Artisan’s Profile Artisan no. 1
Name
- Shamal Sil
Age -
37
Gender
- Male
Religion - Hindu Address
- Kharsarai, Madhyampara
Type of house -
semi-pucca house with electricity
Education - Till 5th standard Status -
married 56
Family members Husband Wife
5
- daily paid weaver
- engaged in weaving
Children
- 1 girl
Monthly income -
6000 – 7000/- Rs. per month
Source of income
- husband
BPL card
daily paid worker
- BPL card holder, issued in the
name of her husband Saving A/c - Bank account in Allahabad bank Job - Weaving Training
- Training by Weavers service centre
Design process - Traditional designs provided by Weavers‘ service centre Raw material - yarns and dyes are provided by WSC Work experience Payment
- 30 years
- daily basis (Rs. 300 – 600)
Working hours
-
8-10 hours daily
Percentage of population involved in craft - 90% School, Health centre, Electricity available in the village - available
57
Artisan no. 2
Name
- Ranjan Das
Contact no. -9007957602 Age Gender
45 - Male
Religion - Hindu Address
- Kharsarai, Madhyampara, Begampur, Dist. - Hooghly
Type of house -
semi-pucca house with electricity
Education - Till 5th standard Status -
Married 58
Family members Husband Wife
4
- Daily paid weaver
- engaged in weaving
Children
- 1 girl, 1 boy
Monthly income -
4000 – 5000/- Rs per month
Source of income
- husband daily paid worker
Saving A/c - Bank account in Allahabad bank Job - Weaving Training
- Training by Weavers service centre
Design process - Traditional designs provided by Weavers‘ service centre Raw material - yarns and dyes are provided by WSC Work experience Payment
- 25 years
- daily basis (Rs. 200 – 500)
Working hours
-
8-10 hours daily
Percentage of population involved in craft - 90% School, Health centre, Electricity available in the village - available
59
Artisan no. 3
Name
- Sandip Ray
Contact no - 9679542072 Age Gender
32 - Male
Religion - Hindu Address
- Kharsarai, Madhyampara, Begampur, Dist. - Hooghly
Type of house -
semi-pucca house with electricity
Education - Till 5th standard Status -
Married 60
Family members Husband Wife
4
- Daily paid weaver
- engaged in weaving
Children
- 1 girl
Monthly income -
4000 – 5000/- Rs per month
Source of income
- husband daily paid worker
Saving A/c - Bank account in Allahabad bank Job - Weaving Training
- Training by Weavers service centre
Design process - Traditional designs provided by Weavers‘ service centre
Raw material - yarns and dyes are provided by WSC Work experience Payment
- 25 years
- daily basis (Rs. 300 – 600)
Working hours
-
8-10 hours daily
Percentage of population involved in craft - 90% School, Health centre, Electricity available in the village - available
61
Artisan no. 4
Name
- Jayanta Sil
Age -
36
Gender
- Male
Religion - Hindu Address
- Kharsarai, Madhyampara, Begampur, Dist. - Hooghly
Type of house -
semi-pucca house with electricity
Education - Till 5th standard 62
Status -
Married
Family members Husband
Wife
4
- Daily paid weaver
- engaged in weaving
Children
- 2 boy
Monthly income -
4000 – 5000/- Rs per month
Source of income
- husband daily paid worker
Saving A/c - Bank account in Allahabad bank Job - Weaving Training
- Training by Weavers service centre
Design process - Traditional designs provided by Weavers‘ service centre Raw material - yarns and dyes are provided by WSC Work experience Payment
- 30 years
- daily basis (Rs. 300 – 600)
Working hours
-
8-10 hours daily
Percentage of population involved in craft - 90% School, Health centre, Electricity available in the village - available
63
Artisan no. 5
Name
- Sukumar Dey
Contact no - 9051337031 Age Gender
42 years - Male
Religion - Hindu Language – Bengali, French Address
- Kharsarai, Madhyampara, Begampur, Dist. - Hooghly
Type of house -
semi-pucca house with electricity 64
Education - Till 8th standard Status -
Married
Family members Husband Wife
4
- Daily paid weaver
- engaged in weaving
Children
- 2 boy
Monthly income -
6000 – 7000/- Rs per month
Source of income
- husband daily paid worker
Saving A/c - Bank account in Allahabad bank Job - Weaving Training
- Training by Weavers service centre
Design process - Traditional designs provided by Weavers‘ service centre Raw material - yarns and dyes are provided by WSC Work experience
Payment
- 33 years
- daily basis (Rs. 300 – 600)
Working hours
-
8-10 hours daily
Percentage of population involved in craft - 90% School, Health centre, Electricity available in the village - available
65
Artisan no. 6
Name
- Sheik Dhunai
Age -
59 years
Gender
- Male
Religion - Hindu Language – Bengali Address
- Samabay Samiti, Kharsarai, Madhyampara, Begampur, Dist. -
Hooghly Type of house - pucca house with electricity 66
Education - Primary Status -
Married
Family members Husband Wife
6
- Daily paid dyer (200 Rs. Per day)
- housewife
Children
- 2 boy
Monthly income -
6000 Rs. per month
Source of income
- husband daily paid worker
Saving A/c - Bank account in Allahabad bank Job - Dyeing Training
- Training by Weavers service centre Traditional designs provided by Weavers‘ service
Design process centre
Raw material - yarns and dyes are provided by WSC Work experience Payment
- 33 years
- daily basis (Rs. 300 – 600)
Working hours
-
8-10 hours daily
Percentage of population involved in craft - 90% School, Health centre, Electricity available in the village - available 67
68
MARKET SURVEY Survey 1 Place: Artisana, Centre for Crafts and Textiles, The Craft Council of West Bengal Location: 13, Chowrangee Terrace (1st floor) (Off Gokhale Road), Kolkata, West Bengal- 700020 Business Hours: Tuesday to Saturday- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday- 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Sunday closed) Phone no.: (033) 222-39422/65155185 E-mail: artisana_cct@yahoo.co.in Website: www.artisanaccwb.org
Cluster product: Begampuri saree (available) Products available: Khadi, Shantipur, Phulia saree, Muslin
Jamdani,
Kantha,
Phulkari,
Dhaniakhali,
Dupattas, Pottery, Lampshades, Bamboo basket, Orissa tribal paintings, Dokhra art etc. Price range: 700-800 to 35000 Rs. 3000, Begampuri sarees- 1000 to 2000 Rs. 69
FIGURE: 10.1- ARTISANA
Survey 2 Place: Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Ltd. (A Govt. of India Undertaking, Ministry of Textiles)
Central Cottage Industries Emporium Location: 7, Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, Chowrangee, Kolkata- 700013 Phone no.: 91-33-22283205, 22265128
E-mail: mancj@cottageemporium.in Cluster product: Begampuri saree (not available) Products
available:
Tangail
saree,
Tant
saree,
Dhaniakhali, Silk, Baluchari, Dokhra craft, leather work, etc. FIGURE: 10.2- CCIC
Price range: 700 to 3000 Rs. Up to 6000 Rs.
Survey 3 Place: Manjusha Bhawan, House of genuine Bengal handicraft
-
handloom,
West
Bengal
Handicrafts
Development Corporation Ltd. Location: Karu-Angan 1B-181, Sector-3, Salt Lake, Kolkata- 700106 FIGURE: 10.3- MANJUSHA BHAWAN
Phone no.: 2335-6322/1220 70
Survey 4 Place: Biswa Bangla Marketing Corporation Limited Location: Karu-Angan Building, 5th Floor, Block- IB- 181, Sectir-3, Salt Lake City, Kolkata- 700106
Survey 5 Place: Priya Gopal, Fridpur Bastralaya (all kind of Banarasi Sarees) Location: 82/1, Bidhan Sarani, Hati Bagan (Opp. Uttara Cinema) Kolkata- 700004 Phone no.: 2555-2133 Place: Silk House (Sellers of varieties of Banarasi, South Indian, Fancy Sarees, Tant, Silk etc.) Location: 82/1, Bidhan Sarani, Kolkata- 700004 Branch- 1A, Guru Charan Lane, Kolkata- 4 Phone no.: 2530-9785 Place: DB Dhakeshwari Bastralaya Location: 82/2A, Bidhan Sarani, Hati Bagan, Kolkata700004 Phone no.: 25554051 Products available: Begampuri saree, Matha par saree Price Range: Rs. 300 - 550 71
ORGANIZATION INVOLVED Recently,
the
Ministry
of
Textiles,
Government of India, has come up with an Integrated Handlooms Development Scheme, better known as IHDS in order to
improve
conditions
the and
lifestyles, thus
working
products
of
handloom weavers across the country. . It
works
towards
the
direction
of
clubbing together traditional techniques and
practices
with
contemporary
knowledge of design and marketing so that the cluster is well-equipped to play an important role in the economic development of the area. The primary
objectives of this scheme is to focus on formation of handloom weavers‘ groups as a visible production group in a selected area, to assist the handloom weavers‘ groups for becoming self-
sustainable and to upgrade the skills of the artisans
to produce diversified
products with improved quality to meet
FIGURE: 10.4- WEAVERS‘ SERVICE CENTRE
market requirements. 72
The handloom cluster may be defined as a place where there is a large concentration of handlooms, producing handloom fabrics that would be in tune with the market demands. The cluster development approach focuses on formation of weavers‘ groups as a visible entity so that the groups become self-sustainable. At present, there are twenty main handloom clusters in India, comprising approximately five thousand looms each. In addition to these, there are numerous mini-clusters, covering around four to five hundred looms each. Officials from the Ministry check out these places and if they find that whatever work is being done there is promising and would shine with some help, it is declared a cluster. Every cluster is sanctioned some amount of money, approximately fifty to sixty lacs. This payment is done in instalments, the first one comprising money for production, which amounts to approximately ten lacs. Begampur was declared a cluster in 2011, the implementing agency being the Weavers‘ Service Centre, and Mr. K. Palaniyandi was appointed its cluster development executive. He is the one responsible for implementation of the scheme
in the concerned area. At first, the implementing agency formed self-help groups and linked those groups with a bank for availing the credits. Then a consortium was formed. The consortium comprises stake holders from the self-help groups, cooperative societies, etc., who form the bridge between the weavers in the cluster and the connected organizations like banks, etc.
73
Help has been extended to the weavers of Begampur in multiple ways. . The basic improvement that the consortium aims for are-Skill development –by putting up workshops time to time related to the weaving sectors it can be how
to make a design ,how to run a loom etc. Process development-in this the main aim is for the artisans to understand the new techniques running in the market like jacquard, new techniques of dyeing, and the new looms like power loom. The State Government submits a report to the Ministry of Textiles, enlisting potential clusters under their jurisdiction. Infrastructure developmentto provide basic amenities for maximum productivity and to get maximum production like provide a work shed, tools for running a loom, electricity etc. Promotion ,marketing and distribution-to make their work known to the market they do marketing of the products created by them by having tie up with designers and by showing it to the consumers to get their feed back and other required planning for the welfare of the artisan. Weavers have received extensive training– from weaving with jacquard and dobby to dyeing yarns. Assembled Development Skills have been taught to some weavers, which includes the skills of using a computer for making complicated designs. However, most of the designs that are to be translated into woven products are done by Mr. Samanta, a textile designer who works from Paridhan, a textile industry in Kolkata, which is the site from where all the cluster-related activity of Begampur is regulated.
74
FIGURE: 10.5- CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE, MR. K. PALANIYANDI
A Common Facility Centre (CFC) has been built which has looms and a dyeing house and is open for use by any of the trained weavers. This building, earlier called the ―Tantabay Samabay Samity Ltd.‖, is now named the ―Begampur Handloom Weaving
Cluster
Development Society‖ and is occupied by weavers during all working hours. Tools and looms have been provided for poverty-riddled weavers who cannot afford them. A total of five jacquard looms, ten dobby looms and fifty assorted accessories have been distributed in Begampur, in addition to the eight work sheds that have been built. Earlier, weavers‘ groups had to pay the National Handloom Development Agency (NHDA) in advance for the purchase of yarn. After the implementation of the IHDS, the Government paid three lakh rupees to the NHDA in order to ensure seamless supply of yarn to the weavers at the yarn depot in the cluster, which was also built by them. 75
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS •
The strength of the artisans are few but noticeable.
•
The artisans were skilled and very laborious.
•
They work extensively even in extreme conditions.
•
They are really happy with what they do.
•
Apart from weaving, they are skilled in many other fields.
•
WSC is now, a great strength to these people.
WEAKNESS •
The artisans are uneducated, due to which they lack in exposure to the outer world and are not well informed about the incentives provided by the government.
•
Also they do not get to know about the benefits and promotions offered by the
NGO‘S. •
Unawareness about international requirements and market.
•
They work of the same and old designs with few or no innovations.
•
They are suppressed and do not get the rightful pay for the work.
•
Weakness of the craft: Limited designs, lack of experimentation, only appeal to a particular niche of people 76
OPPORTUNITIES •
Rising demand of handloom products.
•
Product range can be increased.
•
Exhibitions organized by Weavers‘ Service Centre, is one way the weavers or artisans are able to showcase their creativity and talent.
THREATS •
‗MAHAJANS‘ i.e. the middlemen are a threat to the weavers as all the profits and benefits hardly reach the worker.
•
Another threat is the low income they receive. Most of them are underpaid.
•
Due to this, they are exploited because of which some of them are unwilling to train their children, in the same profession
•
Thus, degrading work conditions and income status, may lead to a gradual extinction of craft in future.
•
Balance between high demand and supply.
•
Competition in domestic market, Increased and better technological support and random facility in competing to other products or handicrafts.
•
New generation is not interested in continuing with the family handloom
weaving.
77
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
INSPIRATION: OLD BEGAMPUR ARCHITECTURE SPECIFICATIONS: AANCHAL DOBBY DESIGN POINTED DRAFT 30 COUNT
DESIGN 1 78
INSPIRATION: OLD BEGAMPUR ARCHITECTURE SPECIFICATIONS: PAR DESIGN DOBBY DESIGN POINTED DRAFT 60 COUNT
DESIGN-2 79
INSPIRATION: ENVIRONMENT (FISH) SPECIFICATIONS: AANCHAL DOBBY DESIGN STRAIGHT DRAFT 30 COUNT
DESIGN-3 80
INSPIRATION: ENVIRONMENT SPECIFICATIONS AANCHAL
DOBBY DESIGN POINTED DRAFT 30 COUNT
DESIGN-4 81
INSPIRATION: TEMPLE SPECIFICATIONS: AANCHAL DOBBY DESIGN
POINTED DRAFT 30 COUNT
DESIGN 5
82
SUGGESTIONS • Work conditions need to be improved. • Bank support for capital investment is required. • Training for female members of the house. • Cost price of raw materials should be reduced, so that they earn more profit. • Skill development required to create innovative designs. • Product diversification as per the latest market trend. • Frequent buyer seller meet for new customers and bulk purchasers should be organized. • Different benefit schemes for benefit of weavers should be created by the government. • Explore new raw materials other than traditional on The government officials should keep a check on the co-operatives, and remove the corruption, if any. • Frequent exhibitions, Haats, etc. should be held in the city of joy because of its huge market and population diversity ,targeting a bigger market and attracting more customers. • Government should give incentives to the weavers and provide occupation alternatives to support their families.
83
CONCLUSION The experience of visiting Begampur Indeed a fruitful one. The cluster development program indeed has taught us many things. It has given us exposure to learn about Begampuri sarees. We gained the knowledge of adopting the Begampuri weaving in a contemporary way. We gained the knowledge about different dyeing process of the Napthol, Vat, Direct and Reactive dyes. We even got the opportunity to create sustainable designs for the seasonal market according to the trend forecast for the Begampuri saris. The workout altogether enabled us to learn costing, sourcing and marketing of the Products. Though the Begampuri sarees look beautiful aesthetically it intakes a lot of labored hard work accompanied by the colour combination sense to develop and make a simple motif enhance its beauty through weaving. The motifs of the saris are not similar and are finely woven. Since they are very time taking as compared to the power loom sarees they are bit costly and are also in demand in domestic as well as the overseas market.
84
ANNEXURE
BIBLIOGRAPHY www.handloomsindia.org http://www.artisanaccwb.org/ www.india-crafts.com/textile/indian-handlooms
www.tantuvi.com www.indianhandloomscluster-dchl.net http://m.tradeindia.com http://tantuja.com http://kasavupudava.com http://www.westbengalhandloom.org/htm/products.html www.utsavfashion.in http://www.tantuvi.com/history.htm http://www.india-crafts.com/textile/indian_handlooms/ http://textilescommittee.nic.in/india-handloom http://www.tradeindia.com/Seller/Textiles-Fabrics/Handloom-Products/ http://www.indianhandloomscluster-dchl.net/introduction.asp
85
LOCAL TERMINOLOGY LOCAL NAMES
MEANING
Tarer Bow
Metal heald eye
Sutar Bow
Yarn heald eye
Male Dangi
Long shaft extra
Hathful
Puller
Mera
Pully
Dhokti
Slay
Sana
Reed
Shuttle
Maku
Nolikati (Pore)
Bobbin
Guti
Cloth fell
Pati
Warp beam
Noli
Bobbin
Kol
Dobby
Pata
Seating
Talchapa
Peddel
Pakhi/ Nachuni
Heald uplift
Par
Border of a saree
Bow
Shaft
Aansh paar
Fish scale border
Ambia
Mango motif
Baansher Shana
Bamboo reed 86
TABLE: 13.1- LOCAL TERMINOLOGY
QUESTIONNAIRE FORMAT
GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Artisan‘s Name: 2. Contact Number: 3. Artisan‘s Address:
4. Artisan‘s Age: 5. Artisan‘s Sex: 6. Educational level of artisan: 7. Languages known- Comprehend 8. Size of the family unit- Male (
), Female (
), Children(below 13 years) (
9. What craft are you associated with? 10. For how many years the craft has been practiced by family? 11. Family members participating in craft- Male (
), Female (
)
12. Average number of hours devoted to the craft per week- Male (
) Female ( )
13. No. of months for which artisan is involved in craft related activity: 1) 3-6 months ( )
2) 6-9 months ( )
87
3) Throughout the year ( )
)
14. Are you engaged in any other activity apart from the handicrafts? 1)Yes (
)
2) No (
)
If yes, specify original: 15. Any month/months in the year that is high in demand for craft: 16. Has there been a change in the location or area of the craft? If yes, specify original: 17. Are you a member of any of the following organization? 1)SHGs ( )
2) Cooperative ( )
4)Any other ( )
3) Society ( )
5) None ( )
18. Are you planning to train your children in your traditional craft practices? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
Give reasons for your choice:
INCOME RELATED QUESTIONS 19. Current monthly income of the artisan:
1) Rs. 2500-5000 ( 3) Rs. 7500-10,000 (
)
2) Rs. 5000-7500 (
)
) 4) More than Rs. 10,000 (
From other source:
88
)
20. Do you have a saving account in the: 1) Bank (
)
2) Post Office (
3) Any Other (
)
4) No (
)
)
ASSETS 21. Dwelling 1) Own House (
)
2) Rented House (
)
22. Type of House 1) Kachha (
)
2) Pucca (
)
3) Semi- Pucca (
)
23. If own house, did you 1) Purchased (
)
2) Constructed (
) 3) Inherited (
)
24. If rented house, what is the monthly rent: 25. In the last two years, have you purchased/changed or added any of the following: 1) Land (
)
2) Cattle (
)
3) Two- wheeler (
)
4) Four- wheeler (
)
5) Electronics (TV/ Radio/Mixer/Grinder/Music System/etc.) ( 6) Mobile (
)
7) Gas Connection ( 8) Computer (
)
9) Any other item ( 10) None (
)
)
) 89
)
MEDICAL FACILITY 26. Are there any occupational health hazard/diseases, linked with your craft practice? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
If yes, please specify: 27. Do you have health/life insurance policy? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY 28. Are you working on? a) Traditional Design (
)
c) Market Demand Design (
b) Latest Design (
)
)
29. Who gives the design? 1) Own (
)
4) Designer (
2) Trader/Agent (
)
3) Old Patterns (
)
)
30. Has there been an adoption of new techniques in development of craft because of any change of location? If yes, specify:
90
31. Have you developed any new products in last two years? a)
b)
c)
32. Have you explored new raw materials other than traditional? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
If yes, specify reason 1) Better pricing ( )
2) Non availability ( ) 3) Creative persuasion ( )
4) Market Demand ( )
5) Any other (
)
33. If yes, are the new products more profitable than the old products? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
34. Identify the skill level of the artisans (as per the artisan‘s perception), with respect to the handicraft only: 1) Unskilled (
)
2) Semi-skilled (
)
3) Skilled (
)
4) Master craftsmen ( ) 35. Are you self-employed -
Yes (
)
No (
)
If no, specify place: 36. Which are would you like to strengthen for your growth: 1) Production ( 4) Marketing (
) )
2) Design (
)
5) Any other (
91
3) Packaging ( )
)
TRAINING 37. Have you received any training recently for upgrading your skills? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
If yes, specify the kind: 38. Are these kind of training good for your work opportunities? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
39. Do you need further training? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
40. In which of the following areas would you want to be trained? 1) Skill Development ( ) 4) Better Quality ( )
2) Capacity Building ( ) 5) Marketing ( )
3) Design Innovation ( ) 6) Any other ( )
41. Do you know how to use Computer? 1) Yes ( )
2) No ( )
42. Do you use Internet? 1) Yes ( )
2) No ( )
If yes, what do you use it for?
a) Personal ( )
b) Business Purpose ( )
92
c) Both ( )
43. Have you benefited in any way by the use of Internet? 1) Yes ( )
2) No ( )
If yes, specify:
PRICING 44. Who or what decides the pricing of your products? 1) Self (
)
2) Trader/Agent (
)
3) Raw Materials (
) 4) Local Market Demand ( ) 5) Labour Cost (
)
6) Any other (
)
45. Are you satisfied with the present system of pricing? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
If no, then give suggestion: 46. Where do you procure raw material from? 1) Local Market (
)
2) Agent (
)
3) Nearby Markets (
) 4) Far away markets (
)
47. Do you have any problem in buying of raw materials? Yes ( If yes then specify- 1) Often (
) 2) Sometimes (
)
)
No ( 3) Rarely (
48. How can this problem be eliminated? (Give suggestions)
49. Do you get any subsidy from Govt. while procuring raw materials? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
If yes, specify:
93
)
) )
MARKETING 50. How do you sell your products? 1) Directly to customers (
)
3) Dealers/Agent Network ( 4) Exports (
7) Any other (
)
2) Melas & Festivals (
)
)
5) Local Markets (
)
6) Trade fairs (
)
)
51. Are you facing any difficulty in marketing your products? 1) Yes (
)
2) No (
)
52. If yes, what are the main reasons? 1) Distance from your unit to market ( 3) Middlemen/Agent ( 5) Any other (
) 2) Transportation (
)
)
4) Lack of domestic/local market (
)
94
)
PROFILE OF INSTITUTION/ORGANISATION/NGO INVOLVED WEAVERS‘ SERVICE CENTRE Organisational philosophy of Weavers Service Centre: •
WSC: - For guidance to the weavers/artisans for their economical upliftment and Partner in progress through skill and technological up gradation and product development.
• Motto of WSC: - Excellence, Facilitation and Pour vision. Promote and facilitate the continuous growth of the handloom industry to complete in the global market. •
MISSION: To support the Handloom Sector at large in upgrading-skill, development/diversification of handloom products, technical advice etc.
•
VALUES: Recognize the technical needs of handloom weavers.
• MANDATE of WSC: Serve and strengthen the second largest sector of Indian Economy in terms of employment generation with dedication, devotion and vision. Transfer R&D and technological advances in the handloom sector from lab
to
field. Strive for value addition and higher productivity. Cater to the poor multitude as well as to get it weaved for the niche market.
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OBJECTIVES • Product development to evolve more marketable products by interaction
between expertise available in the field of weaving, designing and processing. • In improving weaving techniques and accessories and appliances used in weaving.
•
In improving techniques of processing.
• In training weavers by disseminating improved techniques and new designs by
undertaking training programme within the precincts of the Centre and in the field. • In providing market support by arranging interface between designers, producers and buyers which includes execution of sample orders • In solving problems arising in pre-loom, loom and post-loom processes and
technologies. • In arranging exhibitions, seminars, workshops focusing on new and improved designs, equipments and processing techniques. • Monitoring of projects under various central schemes.
RESOURCES . Full commitment and support of the Government of India to make the service centre a vibrant focal point of development and growth of the handloom sector. . Qualified technical personnel in the discipline of design, dyeing, and processing, weaving and necessary support staff.
96
• Need-based looms, accessories, allied equipments and other teaching aids. • Need-based design development, design adoption, design dissemination, technical inputs in the form of research in looms, dyes, dyeing techniques and innovations in appliances and accessories used by the weavers. • An excellent collection of paper design and fabrics samples to choose from for
commercial production. • An excellent Dyeing Laboratory, Design Section, Weaving Section, Printing Section, Photography Section, Library and Documentation Section and Computer Aided Textile Design Section for sample development, training, expert guidance and for extension services.
97
