PANCHA: Solapur's Handloom Towels

PANCHA A

T A L E

O F

S O L A P U R ' S

H A N D L O O M

T O W E L S

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY This is to certify that below mentioned students of Semester V, Textile Design of National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai have successfully documented the craft of Solapur Handloom Towels, as a part of the Craft Research Documentation. Under the project, a document has been been prepared.

The study has been conducted under the guidance of Niteen Rangdal.

Ankita Buragohain Hari Kishan Kumar Pankti Patel Ritika Mandal Sanjana Verma Surbhi Saloni

Submitted to:

Niteen Rangdal

Dr.Reena AggrawalÂ

(Faculty Member)

(Course Coordinator-Textile Design)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the National Institute of Fashion Technology for having given us

this

opportunity

to

learn

and

work

with

an

indegenious craft of India.

We

are

thankful

for

the

mentorship

and

guidance

provided by Mr. Niteen Rangdal throughout the course of this project without which it’s successful completeion would not have been possible.

We would also like to thank the Textile Design faculty for their

assistance

having

arranged

and

encouragement.

guest

seminars

As

that

well

as

for

benefited

us

greatly in our research work.

Last but not the least, this document is dedicated to all the weavers, workers employed in Solapur’s handloom industry,

who

work

tirelessly,

relentlessly

weaving together a tale over 130 years old.

to

continue

CRAFT CLUSTER

NIFT with the active support from the Ministry of Textiles, has developed and implemented a new Craft Cluster Initiative Program which aims to provide the students with

continuous

handicraft

exposure

clusters,

thus

to

the

providing

handloom

an

and

opportunity

for

creative innovation and experimentation. The objective of

the

initiative

is

to

sensitize

NIFT

students

to

the

realities of the craft sector and give insight into regional sensibilities and diversities, resources and environment.

Through

this

creating

a

initiative,

widespread

NIFT

has

been

awareness

and

successful

in

sensitivity

in

assimilating crafts into fashion and vice-versa.

Solapur may seem like just another quaint town located along the Maharashtra- Karnataka border at first glance. But as one delves into this town, the cacophony of shuttles whizzing past, treadles clanking on the floor, punch cards jerking up and

PREFACE

down, will only grow louder. Known for its textile, as well as beedi industry, the mills here have attracted workers from rural areas

of

Maharashtra

as

well

as

Andhra

pradesh

and

Karnataka. The towel industry of Solapur, in particular, has seen quite a few choppy waves during its existence. With powerlooms

on

the

rise,

the

traditional

handloom

towel,

Pancha, is now seen less frequently in the markets. In order to explore this decline further and in an attempt to understand the

workings

of

the

handloom

industry,

our

group

of

six

students travelled to Solapur for a week long craft research excursion.

Garnering

data

from

the

weavers,

sellers

and

businessmen, we’ve tried to compile it all in the form of a document.

This

document

is

a

humble

attempt

at

acknowledging the efforts and hard work that the weavers pour into this craft and using our knowledge of their art to give them the exposure and identity they deserve.

1

TABLE OF CONTENT 01

PRIME PURPOSE

02

METHODOLOGY

04

THE CITY OF SOLAPUR

05

SOLAPUR'S ECONOMIC HISTORY

06

SOLAPUR'S TEXTILE HISTORY

07

SOLAPUR'S ROLE IN INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE

08

DEMOGRAPHICS

10

SOLAPUR'S INDUSTRIES

17

SOLAPUR TOWELS

20

RAW MATERIALS

21

PROCESS

24

COLOURS AND DESIGN

25

THEÂ MARKET

26

CLUSTERS

36

PEST ANALYSIS

42

SWOT ANALYSIS

48

REVIVAL

50

OUR EXPERIENCE

52

CONCLUSION

53

QUESTIONNAIRE

57

BIBLIOGRAPHY

58

BANK DETAILS OF ARTISANS

PRIME PURPOSE Through this document, out primary aim is: To understand the functioning of the textile industry as a whole, while concentrating on Solapur

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the various processes underlying the craft of towel making

To familiarise ourselves with the lives of its workers and their grievances thus enabling us to empathise with them

To understand the role that the government plays in providing official parameters to to ensure prosperity of the industry

To comprehend how the processes and the handling of the material has an impact on our ecology and try to fathom the sustainability of it

1

METHDOLOGY

In order to carry out this diagnostic study of Solapur and its handloom textiles the following research methods were used:

.

1. Questionnaires:

Questionnaires

were

prepared

prior

to

leaving for the field studies. The questions covered a wide range

of

topics

from

financial

situations

to

social

backgrounds.

2. Personal Interviews: Apart from asking the set questions from the aforementioned questionnaires we also had oneon-one interviews where we had conversations with the 'karigars'

abased

on

our

general

observations

about

Solapur 3. Group discussions: Post field work, members of our group would sit together and compare notes thus filling us up on any data missed out by one us 4. Photography and videography: We shot multiple videos and clicked several photos in order to retain the information about the working mechanism of the handlooms and towel making process better 5. Research Papers, Published Works, Reference Books and Websites: Several literature pieces were used to refer to in order

to

gain

a

better

understanding

of

Solapur

and

handlooms as well 2

3

SOLAPUR

THE CITY OF

Aadilpur, Ahmedpur, Chapaldev, Fatehpur, Jamdarwadi, Kalajapur, Khadarpur, Khandervkiwadi, Muhammadpur, Ranapur, Sandalpur, Shaikpur, Solapur, Sonalagi, Sonapur, Vaidakwadi. These sixteen villages, unite to makeup The Land of Sixteen Villages, better known as the city of Solapur.

Located in South Maharashtra, Solapur is a diverse city where Maharashtrian, Kannadiga, and Telugu cultures amalgamate seamlessly. It is also one of the most important districts in the state of Maharashtra owing to its industries, namely handloom, powerloom and ‘bidi’ making. Tourism is also an important industry in Solapur owing to the temples located in the city, the most famous of them being Siddheshwar Temple.

The city is located on the major road and rail routes between Mumbai and Hyderabad, with a branch line to Bijapur and Gadag in Karnataka. It is 456 km away from Mumbai and 264 km away from Pune by rail.

4

SOLAPUR'S ECONOMIC HISTORY The history of Solapur before the 10th century, has been shrouded in darkness. However, since then, Solapur has been ruled by various dynasties. The Hindu Chalukyas, the Devagiri Yadavas, the Andhrabhratyas, the Rashtrkutas, and the Bahamanis. After the Bahamani rule, the Bijapur kings went on to reign in Solapur. It was passed on by them to the Marathas.

When the Peshwa rule began to collapse in 1818, the British Government took over.

Since then, Solapur’s importance gradually grew. Its location right on the highway between Poona and Hyderabad increased the importance of the town, even more so after the opening of the South East branch of the peninsula railway in 1859. Solapur became the center for the collection and distribution of goods over a large extent in its part of the country. On account of the immunity from the risk of robbery resulting from the order established by the British government, Solapur became a resort of traders. Salt, seeds, grains, oil, sugar and other goods from Humnabad and Gulbarga came to the market of Solapur causing Solapur to became an important centre of exchange for other commercial centers like Gulbarga, Bijapur, Bagalkot and Latur. Raw cotton began to come to Solapur market in 1840 and it eventually became the main trade of the town.

5

SOLAPUR'S TEXTILE HISTORY It

was

during

Deccan 1772

that

A.D.)

the

Maratha

rule

the

cotton textile mills at Solapur. The year

(1761-

1860 marked the laying of a railway line

of

Peshwa

Madhavrao-I

invited

hereditary

weaver

which

facilitated

the

establishment

of

communities of Koshtis, Salis and Sangars

cotton textile mill at Solapur. While the

to

new

settle

in

Solapur,

on

the

promises

railway

line

provided

a

convenient

ofland-grants and State patronage. Soon

means oftrack port, the Ekruk Lake made

their

available

products

waistcloths, enjoying

like

robes

sheets,

and

immense

quilts,

turbans

began

popularity

in

the

sufficient

water

supply

to

cotton crop. It resulted in an increase in the

area

under

cotton

cultivation.The

Deccan States and the Nizam country. The

first organized industry to be started in

year 1860 marked the laying of a railway

the district was the cotton textile mill,

line which facilitated the establishment of

which Moraiji

was

established

Gokuldas.

in

The

1877.by

existence

Seth of

a

Thus, the powerloom textile industry was bom in Solapur. Later on, the competition

number of mills led to the development

increased

of

also;

Solapur

Between

into

a

very

big

1960-1980,

yam

market.

Solapur

city’s

industrialization

picked

momentum.In

meantime,

the

up

a

due

to

family

within

hence,

in

the

Chaddar

1964-65,

diversified

into

one the

segment

Kshirsagar production

new

ofterry towels on their four powerlooms.

the

Today, Solapur city is equally reputed for

lack of modernization, the pioneer Mill of

its terry towels.

Seth Gokuldas closed down in 1964.

6

SOLAPUR'S ROLE IN INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE In 1930, following Mahatma Gandhi’s arrest, large scale protests and rallies took place all over

India,

including

the

city

of

Solapur.

The

police,

under

the

British

government’s

command, opened fire at these proceedings. This made the irate mob attack the police stations

around

the

city.

Frightened,

all

police

fled

the

city.

During

this

period

the

responsibility of law, order, and security of citizens were on the shoulders of Congress party leaders. the citizens of Solapur thus got a taste of freedom during these three days from 9th to 11th May 1930 before India’s official independence in 1947.

Earlier in 1947, the Solapur Municipal Council became the first Municipal Council of India to host the National Flag on its Municipal Council building. This was the first of many such subsequent incidents that took place in the country. Enraged by this act, the British declared martial law in the city and arrested several leaders and innocent citizens on false charges.

Freedom fighters Shri. Mallappa Dhanshetti, Shri. Kurban Hussain, Shri. Jagannath Shinde and Shri. Kisan Sarda were hanged to death as a punishment on January 12th, 1931. As a mark of respect statues of these freedom fighters have been installed in the heart of the city and the location has been named as Hutatma Chowk.

rupalos kwohc amtatuh

DEMOGRAPHICS

8

9

DEMOGRAPHICS

INDUSTRIES

SOLAPUR'S solapur railway station

10

BIDI ROLLING

bidi making

Although

most

of

the

male

population

in

solapur

chase

employment in the textile manufacturing units, most women in solapur roll bidis for various factories for a living. Bidi factories were started in India around the 19th century and have had their presence in Solapur for the past 150 years.

Women in Solapur have been rolling bidis for over a century.

Most of them work from home and deliver the bidis to their respective

factories

at

the

end

of

the

day.

A

high

level

of

dexterity is required to roll bidis and the only tools that these women use are their hands. They flatten out the dried up ‘tendu’ or ‘kendo’ leaves, fill them with tobacco, roll them up gently, without tearing the leaf and tie the end up tightly with a string.

11

TOURISM

Solapur is a city that is replete with Hindu temples, and thus religious tourism is an important constituent of their revenue sources. Some of the

oldest

temples

include

Revansidheshwara,

Markandeya,

Sidheshwar and Malklikarjuna.

Perhaps the most iconic of all these is the Siddheshwara temple, that sits along the banks of a lake. The temple is highly revered by the devotees as it is said that this was the place where Shri Siddheshwar, who is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, attained Samadhi.

Besides the temples, there are several Mathas such as the Gavi Matha, Kisti Matha, Nandi Matha and Mhubharaya Swami Matha.

Solapur is also home to Hazrat Shah Zahur’s Dargah. Hazrat Shah was an Islamic saint who is said to have had miraculous healing powers.

12

CHADDAR

solapuri chaddar

Solapur’s most reputed textile product is its chaddar. In fact, Solapuri chadars were the first product in Maharashtra to obtain Geographical Indication (GI) status. Woven on Jacquard Looms, these

cotton

chaddars

are

often

referred

to

as

Jacquard

Chaddars. They are known not only for their durability but also for their design - either floral or geometric.Â

In

2006,

James

Ferreira,

a

Mumbai

based

fashion

designer

featured a fashion range based entirely on Solapur chaddars at Lakme Fashion Week.

13

SOLAPURI SAREE

solapuri saree

Solapur sarees are another one of Solapur’s popular handloom textiles. Narayanpeth sarees, Paithani and Ilkal sarees are made quite intensively in Solapur and are traditionally, nine yards long with motifs on the border. These sarees are woven using either cotton or silk threads with the most popular colours being red, pink, blue and green. Since the nature of weaving these sarees is intensive, the entire family involves itself in the process.

14

WALL HANGING

wall hanging in the making

Created using an exquisite technique of weaving, Solapur is also well known for its wall hangings. Lord Ganesha is commonly found in these wall hangings along with still life and portraits.

The tapestry technique used to weave these pieces adds a layer of beauty and realism to the wall hangings. However, there are very few artisans left to continue to practice this craft. Jindam Textiles, located in Solapur, is one of the few companies that is known for its wall hangings even today.

15

DHURRIE solapuri dhurries

A

traditional

hand-woven

textile,

Solapur

Dhurries

are

flat,

woven pileless rugs that have a variety of designs and colors.

Essentially thick cotton fabric, dhurries are not only used as a floor

covering

lightweight

but

and

also

foldable

as

bedding

makes

and

them

for

easily

packing.

Being

portable.

These

dhurries, often referred to as Satrangi, are classified as weft faced tabby weave and are woven on frame looms in several districts of Maharashtra with Solapur being a popular one.

16

17

TOWELS

SOLAPUR

TERRY TOWELS

solapuri terry towel

The

Solapuri

Terry

Towel

is

well

known

for

its

unique

colour

combinations and patterns. They are produced on a jacquard power loom using cotton yarns that are blended with a small amount of synthetic fibres. These towels have a dense looped surface, are soft to the touch and have good water absorbency.

Solapuri terry towels are sold in the market for an average of Rs 150 per towel.

The terry towel work has been protected under the Geographical indication (GI) of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. It is listed at item 9 as "Solapur Terry Towel" of the GI Act 1999 of the Government of India with registration confirmed by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks.

18

HANDLOOM TOWELS

solapuri pancha

Manually

woven

using

100%

pure

cotton,

Solapuri

handloom

towels are very thin, light weight, water absorbent and easy to dry. Most Solapuri handloom towels are plain in terms of pattern with occassional checks or stripes. They feature pastel colours and a rare appearance of a brighter colour. Solapuri handloom towels are sold at an average price of Rs. 60 a towel.

19

punchcards, yarn cones and a shuttle

RAW MATERIALS Considering that towels are woven goods, the main raw material used for production is yarn. Production units of both handloom and terry towels source their yarns from dealers in Tamil Nadu.

While 100% cotton 2 ply yarn is used to weave handloom towels, Terry towels use blended yarns that constitute of cotton and polyester. Some power loom units purchase the primary raw

material,

cotton,

in

bales

and

spin

them

with

synthetics

themselves,

while

others

purchase the yarn directly from a supplier.

The average cost of yarn for handloom towels is Rs 120 per kilogram leading to a monthly expenditure of Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000.

Another important tool required in the production of terry towels are punchcards. Since Jacquard looms are used to create complex patterns in terry towels, punchcards are vital.

The number of punch cards required to make a towel depends on the design and size of the towel.

20

handloom towel in the making

PROCESS Solapuri Towels are woven on handlooms and are made of cotton. A ‘handloom’ is a loom that is used to weave cloth without the use of any electricity. Hand weaving is done on pit looms or frame looms generally located in weavers’ homes or a workspace consisting of 6-8 handlooms where weavers work. Weaving is primarily the interlacing of two sets of yarn – the warp (length) and the weft (width).

21

pirn within a shuttle

1. SPINNING: -Hand Spinning: Fibers are drawn out and twisted to form yarn in hand spinning process. This is done by hand and is mostly done by the women of the households. Since this is a time taking process, this process is practised by very few and weavers are rapidly shifting towards mill spun yarns. Mill spun yarns are basically machine spun yarns.

-Mechanized Spinning: Yarn spun on machines is called mill spun yarn and fabric woven on the hand loom with mill spun yarn is referred to as “handloom fabric”. Today, most of the weavers are weaving handloom products with mill spun yarn. They prefer mill spun yarns as it saves time and reduces labour cost as well.

2. HANK YARN: Yarn, in the hank form, is used in handlooms.

A “hank” is

a specific length of yarn that is in a coiled form. A hank of cotton yarn is 840 yards long.

3. YARN DYEING: For handloom production, yarn is colored / dyed in the hank form. This process of dyeing is done by hand, in small lots.

VAT dyes are used for the dyeing of the yarns for Solapuri Towels. Vat dyes are water insoluble and need a special process to fix colour on the fibre. These dyes can be used effectively on natural plant material.

Brilliant colours which are light and colour fast can be obtained in vat dyes.

4. BOBBIN WINDING: Yarn in the hank form is wound on to bobbins in this process. This is the first step in transforming the yarn from the hank form to a linear form. Dyed hank yarn is wound on to bobbins with the help of charkhas. This process enables the laying out of yarn lengths for weaving. Bobbin winding is done by women in the weaver households.

22

5.

WARPING:

The

warp

is

a

set

of

threads

attached

to

the

loom

lengthwise before weaving begins. Warping is the process of creating the base yarn that runs along the length of fabric through which the “weft” yarns are filled in to make the fabric.

6. STREET SIZING: The warps are stretched out onto two beams and natural adhesives are applied to add strength to the yarn and lubricate it to withstand the rigors of weaving. Sizing is carried out by weavers in the village. Since this activity is done on the street, it is called “street sizing”.

7. Attaching the warp on the loom: Individual warp threads are drawn through heddles taken through a set of reeds and tied onto beams located on both ends of the loom. The heddles separate the warp into two sections which allows the weft threads to pass between them easily.

Checks and stripes are created by segmenting the warp and weft yarn.

(Heddles are made out of rods or cords, each with an eye through which the warp thread is drawn. Reed is a comb like frame that pushes the weft yarn firmly against the finished cloth after each insertion.)

8. WEFT WINDING: Hank yarn for weft is wound onto a pirn. The weft yarn is then inserted into a shuttle. Weft preparation is done on the charka, using

the

finger

tips

to

give

the

correct

tension

to

the

yarn.

This

operation is normally done by women.

Pirn is a small bobbin. Shuttle is a device used in weaving to carry the weft thread back and forth between the warp threads.

9. WEAVING: The process of weaving is the interlacing of two sets of yarn – the warp and the weft. towels per day.

hank yarns

A weaver roughly weaves around 10-12

COLOURS AND DESIGN

solapuri pancha

In terms of it's colour palette, Solapuri Pancha has always used soft pastel shades. They've always been very minimalistic in terms of their look. Only two types of patterns can be seen in these towels; checks and stripes. They also lengthwise colourful striped borders. and their ends have hand knotted tassels.

As for the terry towels, they come in a very wide variety of colours and designs. Floral and decorative motifs are the most common ones.

24

MARKET

solapuri pancha

The peak demand for these towels is during the summer season with comparatively lower demand during the monsoon. These towels are brought in great quantity during the wedding season as well.

The handloom towels are sold to several local retail stores and showrooms around the city. It's also exported to several other cities in Maharashtra. Telangana also has a great market for the Pancha

Although the handloom towel is mostly found in and around the state of Maharashtra, the terry towels are exported all over the country.

25

CLUSTERS closeup of a handloom unit

26

Mr Samraj S. Manthen,

CLUSTER 1 Located

in

Madhavnagar,

a

locality

in

Solapur

that

is

home

to

many

craftsmen, is a cluster that produces handloom towels. Currently owned by Samraj S. Manthen, the handlooms were passed on to him along with the family business.Â

Mr. Manthen’s family belongs to the Padmashali caste which is closely linked to weaving and practices related to textiles. He considers himself to have been working in the handloom sector since the age of 12 - when he started to help his father run the business. Mr. Manthen’s family has been working in the handloom sector for over fifty years. However, it seems that none of his family

members

are

interested

in

taking

it

forward.

His

son

works

as

an

accountant and his grandson is studying to become a chartered accountant.

27

When

the

family

workshop

business

produced

began,

sarees.

the

Mr. Manthen’s workshop is located right

However,

opposite his house. He pays a rent of Rs.

with time, the demand for towels grew in

5000/-

the market and the production cost for

handlooms, all of which are over 50 years

the same was less than that of a saree.

old

Hence, 5 years ago, in 2014, a shift was

workers

made

none

now

that

lead

producing

main

reason

Manthen

to

family

handloom

for

tells

the

the

in

mint

them

it

and

condition.

employed

of

for

under

are

He

houses

has

him,

8

eight

however,

permanently

hired.

towels.

The

Since the handloom industry is seasonal

though,

Mr.

and

shift

low

from

March

until

June,

this period. At all other times, when work

And as Mr. Manthen aged and became

is in full force, their work begins at 8 am

more occupied in his work, it got harder

and goes on till 6 pm every day of the

for him to commute to cities every month

week except on Wednesdays which is a

to sell sarees.

holiday.

As

for

the

sourced Tamil

by

longer

raw Mr.

Nadu.

work

in

materials,

Manthan’s

The

his

a

Solapur.

no

that

at

weavers often look for other jobs during

to

was

but

month

dealer

decided

us,

business

per

they

dealer

sourced

are from

yarns

are

Mr.

Manthen

related contacts

to of

does

not

sourcing multiple

face

since

any

he

dealers.

issues

has

the

However,

already dyed and ready to be used for

the implementation of GST has made raw

weaving.

about

materials expensive to purchase. Earlier,

Manthen’s

a kilogram of yarn was bought for Rs. 100

Rs.120

These

per

are

bought

kilogram.

expenditure

on

raw

for

Mr.

materials

ranges

but with the incoming of GST, they now

from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 30,000 per month,

buy

depending on the orders he receives.

can

the

same

further

quantity

change

for

Rs.

120.

depending

on

This the

type of yarn being purchased.

When

it

variation color. towels

comes in

Mr. of

these

to

towels

Manthen’s 8

design,

different

is

in

the

only

terms

of

cluster

produces

colors;

of

which

beige is the most popular in the market.

28

Mr. Devidas Vidap

CLUSTER 2 Sabita Industries, located adjacent to Mr. Manthen’s handloom cluster, is owned

by Mr. Devidas Vidap and has been running for over fifty years now. Mr. Devidas took over the business from his father thirty years ago and continues to run it even

today.

Mr.

Devidas

Vidap

was

inspired

by

his

father

and

learned

everything from him when it came to running the business.Â

For 25 years after being founded, Sabita Industries produced handloom sarees and then made a switch to powerloom chaddars. However, 5 years ago they made yet another shift and began to produce terry towels. The reason for this shift

was

the

depletion

of

the

Solapuri

chaddar

market

and

the

growing

demand for terry towels. In fact, Sabita was only one of the many workshops that made this switch.

29

Mr.

Vidap

under

has

him

who

ten

employers

start

work

at

working 8am

and

When

it

comes

works

with

to

local

design

and

paid a monthly wage of Rs. 8000/- per

colours

month.

Solapur,

and golden. Once the design is finalised,

Sabita

punch cards are made for the jacquard

Wednesdays

are

all

a

of

holiday

at

Industries too.

Sabita

Industries’

sourced

from

seem

looms. cards raw

Tamil

materials

Nadu

via

a

are

demand. to

Often come

be

times, from

on

to

break in the afternoon. The workers are

market

based

Vidap

towels

with

are

designers

Mr.

continue to work till 6pm, with a 2 hours

As

that

design,

The red,

most

trends

popular

yellow,

these

the

local

green

designs

companies

and that

place orders.

dealer

based in Solapur. The sourced yarns are cotton with 20% polyester and are predyed.

Priced

at

Rs.

130

per

kg,

Sabita

Industries spends at least Rs. 4 lakh per month on raw materials. a powerloom unit at Vidap textiles

Sabita Industry houses 8 powerlooms, all

The production rate of these machines is

of which were bought from Ahmedabad

15kgs

for

monthly

Rs.

1

consumes

lakh one

Industries’

each.

Each

horsepower

electricity

bill

powerloom

(1HP). totals

basis,

goes

government

and

Vidap’s

cities the

of

each

to

and

on

3000kg.

Solapur

state

of

month,

and

they

a

Mr.

over 3000 terry towels. Their market lies the

that

up

day

up

to

says

per

Vidap

in

Mr.

machine

Sabita

around Rs. 4000 per month. However, the provides

per

sell

Hyderabad

Telangana.

As

workshop with a 10% concession on the

mentioned by other clusters as well, peak

bill along with 24x7 electricity.

demand for towels is during the summer season with a low during the monsoons.

30

Mr. Srinivas Goli

CLUSTER 3 Amol Textiles, started 4 years ago by Srinivas Goli, is involved in Solapur’s handloom as well as power loom industry as a dealer. It looks over several handloom and power loom towel manufacturers in Solapur and unlike other dealers, deals with only the finished products.

Srinivas Goli acts as a middleman between the manufacturer and the seller of

Solapuri

product.

He

towels. does

As

not

mentioned

source

and

earlier, deal

raw

he

only

deals

materials

for

with

the

weavers

final

and/or

companies. Amol Textiles’ trading is done within the domestic market only and

is

currently

working

with

10

towel

manufacturers;

of

which

most

are

power loom.

31

As for the working hours at Amol Textiles,

Amol

work starts at 8 am and goes on till 5 in

manufacturers

the

Handloom towels are bought for Rs. 200

evening.

Like

with

every

business

in

Textiles

purchases at

a

per

towels

from

kilogram

rate.

Solapur, Wednesdays are a holiday.

per kg and Terry towels for Rs. 230 to Rs.

Amol Textiles does not have any female

400

employees.

‘quality’

per

kg,

depending

depends

material

on

(cotton,

on

two

quality.

factors-

polyester)

and

This yarn yarn

Unlike the other clusters we visited, Amol

count.Â

Textiles is quite familiar with technology.

These towels are then sold to sellers with

Srinivas

and

a

manage

all

another

the

employer

online

work

of

his

themselves.

markup

with

the

Amol Textiles also works with designers.

market

In

and

fact,

Srinivas

has

a

few

textile

of

5%.

Srinivas

mentions

implementation

has

become

therefore,

his

of

more

dealings,

that

GST,

the

transparent easier.

His

designers working under him who design

average profit is around Rs. 50,000 per

towels

month,

according

to

current

trends

and

and

he

business

be

and

are

these profits are seasonal. The demand

well.

for towels decreases during the monsoon

brought

back

into

old

the

designs

market

as

However, colors often remain the same.

season

and

so,

profitable.

to

very

needed,

and

his

demands. Designs do change constantly when

lucrative

finds

most

profits

However,

are

made

during the summer.

a powerloom unit at Amol textiles

32

a karigar at work

CLUSTER 4 The

fourth

and

last

cluster

we

visited

also

went

by

the

name

Vidap

Industries. Run by Venkatesh Jayram Vidap, Vidap Industries was started by his grandfather in 1950 as a family business. Having also acquired the skill of wearing

handloom

towels

from

his

grandfather,

Mr.

Vidap

has

been

practicing the craft for 50 years.

Vidap Industries is involved in the making of Solapuri handloom towels and chaddars.

Their

workshop

comprises

of

multiple

power

looms

and

5

handlooms which are over 50 years old. Workers have no specific time for work and can come in at any time. Their salaries are decided on the basis of how many towels they produce in a day with an ongoing rate of Rs. 14 per towel.

33

The towels produced by Vidap Industries

in pattern which prices ranging from Rs

are

50 to Rs 60 for handloom towels and Rs.

sold

directly

through

a

Venkatesh towels

to

selling Vidap’s

are

dealers

being

unit home. directly

as

well

as

located When

in

110 to Rs 150 for terry towels.

these

Vidap Industries sources it’s raw material

to

from

sold

a

Ichalkaranji,

a

town

Maharashtra’s

towel

with

invest around Rs. 15 lakhs for the same.

are

Mr. Vidap also mentioned that one point

the

decided

demands

of

in the

accordance market

or

time,

proposed by the dealer. However, when

in

the towels are being produced to be sold

and

by Vidap Industries, they are usually plain

happened for 20 years now.

raw

he

received

district.

in

dealer, colours, patterns and style of the are

Kolhapur

located

materials.

subsidies

However,

They

on

this

yarn

hasn’t

a handloom towel in the making

According to Mr. Vidap, the major problem he is facing in the industry is the increase in prices of not only finished products but of raw materials as well. In the last 5 years, the price of yarn has increase from Rs. 85 per kg to Rs 147 per kg. The prices of towels has gone up in the market too but Vidap Industries continues to sell at the same prices it had 4 years ago. Despite this, it’s annual turnover is of approximately Rs.30 lakh.

34

dyed yarns drying outÂ

35

PEST ANALYSIS a handloom towel unit

36

POLITICAL

a powerloom towel unit

The Central Gov. has organised the first Vibrant Terry Towel Expo

to

be

held

in

September

2019.

This

expo

will

bring

together manufacturers, traders, exporters and importers both domestic

and

international

and

consumers

to

an

unique

platform to harness export opportunities for their foray into national and international markets.

The

State

Textile

department

headed

by

the

Secretary

(Textiles) is in charge for the development of the Handloom sectors and assists in achieving targets through the Director of Handlooms, Powerlooms and Textiles. They have a regional office located in Solapur.

However, since weaving in Solapur is a decentralised industry, efforts have been made to assemble artisans under a cooperative fold so that they can avail the various schemes of the Central and State Government.

37

ECONOMIC

a woman working on the winding process

Today, the powerloom industry is playing a very crucial role in the socio-economic development of Solapur in Maharashtra.

Most

of

the

powerlooms

have

been

concentrated

only

in

Solapur City. No powerlooms were constituted at the village level.

The

total

investment

in

the

powerloom

industry

in

Solapur near about Rs. 1000 crores. There is huge potential in this industry to manufacture Terry towels and chaddars. These Terry

Towels

and

chaddars

are

being

exported

to

several

countries around the globe like the UK, USA, Canada and several European countries,UAE and Saudi Arabia. Till 1989, the Chaddars and towels exported were worth a total of Rs. 93.30 million. This increased to Rs. 1092.96 million by 1997.

38

SOCIAL

the quintessential padmashali rangoli

An important fact to note about Solapur’s handloom industry is

that

most

weavers

belong

to

the

Padmashali

caste.

Members of the caste maintain that they came to Solapur at the

invitation

of

the

Peshwas

in

the

1800s,

when

the

development of handloom weaving commenced.

The settlement of Madhavrao Peth (current day Mangalwar Peth) in Solapur proved to be an attraction to many trading and

artisan

families

from

the

Nizam’s

territory

in

Andhra

Pradesh. The main factors that affected this migration were not only famines in the area, but also difficulty in finding adequate

means

of

livelihood

in

one’s

homeland.

The

Razakars were also known to be torturous and harassing in their means of governance.

The Padmashalis were followed by other weaver castes as well.

By

1940,

the

weaver

castes

engaged

in

Solapur’s

handloom industry were, namely, Padmashalis, Togata, Momin and

Jyandra

to

name

a

few.

Most

weavers

are

from

the

Telangana region.

39

a woman working on the winding process

ROLE OF WOMEN The towel industry of Solapur has a workforce that comprises primarily of men who are at the helms of both, the handloom and the powerlooms. However, that doesn’t mean that the women are nowhere to be found in the towel-making business of this town. One may not see the women operating the looms but they can be found in the workshops involved in other processes. Tasks that take place prior to the weaving such as warping, preparation of cones, etc are carried out by them. It’s interesting to note that though women are not found in great numbers in Solapur’s weaving industry, Solapur’s other big industry, viz, the beedi making industry, has a woman-dominated labour force.

40

TECHNOLOGICAL

closeup of a handloom unit

The

extension

of

the

railway

line

upto

Solapur

in

1860,

accelerated the expansion of the handloom industry. By 1903, the number of looms in Solapur rose to about 7850. Similarly, employment

kept

increasing

upto

1971.

But

the

eventual

progress of the powerloom industry, ultimately caused a set back to the handloom industry. The number of handlooms had increased in 1971; but the industry started to decline steadily and from 98,000 in 1987, the number of workers fell to 15,000 by 1999.

Quite a few factors were responsible for the setback of the handloom industry.

1. Origin of powerloom industry.

2. Increasing prices of the raw materials and yarn.

3. Lack of market for handloom.

4. Increasing cost of the product.

6. Adverse Impact of Industrialisation on Handloom

Late Kisan Master Kshirsagar, Late Vyankatesh Guntala and Late Ramehandra Marda are the pioneers of the powerloom industry in Solapur. Mr. Kisan Kshirsagar was a mill worker who started producing Jacquard Chaddars in Solapur in the year 1954 using powerlooms. In the year 1961-62 there were 200 powerloans in Solapur. The powerlooms rapidly increased in the year 1963, the number of powerlooms stood at 2000. The period of 1956 to 1962 were referred as golden period for the powerloom industry.The manufacturers reaped a lot of profit during

this

period.

powerlooms

continued

approximately Nearly

60%

In

more of

manufacturing

the to

than

towels

1980-81

increase.

30,000

Solapur’s

terry

year

Today

powerlooms

powerlooms and

the

the

are

number there in

are

Solapur.

engaged

remaining

of

40%,

in in

manufacturing chaddars.

41

SWOT ANALYSIS a handloom unit

42

STRENGTHS

warp beam of a powerloom

It is a sustainable industry, as natural material like cotton is used

mostly

and

no

chemical

is

produced

during

production.

Since they have been granted GI, it has increased

the

value of the craft.

Low labour cost.

Good connection within their domestic markets.

Raw material is reasonable in terms of cost.

In handloom, minimal amount of electricity is used.

Less capital intensive.

It is a natural productive asset and tradition at cottagelevel, which has sustained and grown by transfer of skills from one generation to another

The towels are reasonably priced.

Preservation of tradition.

43

WEAKNESSES

closeup of a powerloom unit

No upgradradation of machines, they are using very old handloom. Outdated production methods.

They don't have huge network all around the world. They are mostly limited to the domestic market.

In handlooms, the production rate is slow.

Labour intensive work in handlooms.

New generation have no interest in this business, as old people are doing this business especially in the handloom sector very old artisans are working.

Lack of export.

Lack of training.

Lack of proper knowledge in terms of latest trends and designs.

Lack of market linkages, only limited to local markets.

Neglected by central government.

Unorganised production.

45

OPPORTUNITIES

yarn

Increased demand of towels in the market is increasing the numbers of workers required to promote industrial growth providing jobs to the unemployed sector.

The

contemporisation

of

towels,

in

relation

to

design,

motifs, patterns, feel and texture has increased its demand in the global market supply.

Terry

towel

industry

is

not

just

limited

to

bathroom

products, but is also spreading its reach to wide range of household and apparel products.

Huge

investment

scheme

for

is

being

integrated

made

textile

by

government

parks(SITP)

to

under

encourage

more private equity and to train workforce.

Free trade with ASEAN countries and proposed agreement with European Union will boost exports

46

THREATS

It's a dying craft as the craft is in the hands of the older generation. The upcoming generation has no interest in taking up this craft.

Competition with the Powerloom Industry is a major threat to handloom sector. Such as duplication of products by Powerlooms.

Lack of increased and better technological support and facilities to the handloom sector.

Competition with companies producing cheaper version of their products in the market.

Non-Availability of Weavers

Lacks necessary financial and infrastructure support.

47

REVIVAL

closeup of a dyeing unit

Setting

up

exhibitions

and

workshops

to

make

people

aware about the handloom industry.

To create platforms and marketing opportunities so that weavers/craftsmen can showcase their skills and design.

And exhibit their craftsmanship to a wider consumer base.

To help weavers setting up their online platforms so that they can widen their consumer base. Also digital media is the fastest way of marketing and spreading awareness amongst consumers.Â

Introduce weavers to organizations and NGOs which are committed

towards

textiles

empowering

by

the

revival rural

of

traditional

artisans

and

craft

&

encouraging

younger people to take interest in these textiles. Happy Hands Foundation is one such organization.

48

REVIVAL

closeup of a dyeing unit

Introduction another

of

branding

important

of

measure

the

handloom

that

would

product

increase

is the

marketability of their products.

A change has to be brought about in the weaver's outlook.

They

must

be

oriented

extension/exposure

through

programme

some

grass

towards

root

level

betterment

of

their skills, knowledge and technology in order to ensure quality of product, improved efficiencies and enhanced productivity levels

The

weaving

orientation.

industry It

must

should

develop

respond

to

collective the

market

changing

requirements of the market and provide required linkage support to the individual weavers societies, as it is not possible for the ordinary weaver to study the market trend and adopt it in his production unit.Â

49

"My

experience

in

Solapur

has

been

quite

inspiring

and

memorable. Often times we visit new places for sight-seeing, cuisine, etc. Instead in Solapur, we got to visit the homes and

OUR EXPERIENCE

workplace of the weavers and interact with them. They were warm, friendly and trusted us with their problems and took out time from their busy schedule to explain the nitty-gritty of the handloom towels. They answered all our questions with utmost patience. And it was very inspiring to see these skilled weavers being so passionate about their work. A city is often defined by its people and Solapur has truly proved it in every essence."

-Sanjana Verma

"My experience was great and we got to opportunity to learn about the very beautiful craft of Solapur. First time I saw the artisans who have spent their entire lives working in weaving .

All of them worked hard to make beautiful pieces of handloom towels .The first thing that caught my attention the moment I saw him working was his physical form which was involved in the rigorous

back

breaking

work.

Never

had

I

seen

a

weavers

handloom which was hand process and never had I witnessed a 75 years old man seating in loom continuously and also one of the artisans , was greatly hopeless about the market for towels products

his

opinion

about

the

people

who

intended

to

intervene in this work was negative due to his part experiences .He felt that people come and go but never come back . He demanded long term development and was unhappy with short term

earnings.

I

think

we

should

respect

their

skills

and

encourage them . And promote this tradition of solapuri towels."

-Hari Kishan

"Overall, the experience was nice. We got to know about the artisans lifestyle and their labour towards the craft. We saw how yarns change into a beautiful product or piece and how much labour is needed to produce that beautiful piece. The sound in the lanes of solapur was mesmerising which comes from the loom, handloom and powerloom both have different kind of sound."

-Surbhi Saloni

50

Solapur's rich culture and diversity is incredible and awesome .It was a privilege to see the Craftsmen's tender hands making an entire craft turn into a beautiful masterpiece. Solapur, is a city

OUR EXPERIENCE

of heritage, aesthetic beauty and skill, which has inspired me to promote the skilled weavers with an aim to provide them a better lifestyle by creating awareness so that their voices are heard and considered in the future. Solapur, would not just be a part

of

my

memory

but,

rather

,as

a

great

experience

and

learning which, I am going to cherish for my entire lifetime!!

- Ankita Buragohain

Visiting

the

handloom

clusters

in

Solapur

has

been

a

very

enriching experience for me not just as a textile design student but also as a human. The wide variety of textile products being made in Solapur

was a sight to behold. The speed at which

power looms produce highly intricate decorative towels that too in the form of piled weaves or the amount of skill that a weaver puts into creating still life and portraits onto tapestries not only left me in awe but inspired me too. And lastly, spending time with the Karigars who put their heart and soul into this craft was a beautiful experience. They’re content with their life and are not greedy for more luxury. They do have a fair share of their problems but they manage to get by without lusting for more.

This is something of a life lesson that I’ll always remember. Skill will take you far but you have to be humble and benevolent in order to be truly successful and happy in life.

-Ritika Mandal

Visiting Solapur was an interesting experience to say the least.

In spite of the sweltering weather, we managed to go out and learn not only about the craft we were meant to study but more about

the

city,

the

people

who

reside

in

it

and

its

culture.

Having visited handloom clusters through a formal setting also allowed me to look at things through a different lens - one filled with empathy and respect for the artisans.

-Pankti Patel

51

CONCLUSION

Spending ten days in this bustling textile production centre taught us a lot. Not only did we make an attempt to learn how one

makes

a

perspective

handloom

into

the

towel

but

conditions

we

and

also

gained

treatment

of

some

workers

employed in this sector but also the the ecological impact caused

by

Solapur’s cotton

the

material

towels

with

composition

and

their

not

the

way

peppy

only

they

pastel

create

are

shade

bath

processed. and

linen

pure

that

is

comfortable to use and looks good but it’s making also has quite

a

low

designers,

adverse

this

insight

effect can

on

help

our us

ecology.

create

As

future

products

and

garments of a more environment-friendly material and in a more sustainable fashion which can ensure minimum wastage at the same time retaining the quality and durability of the produce

like

today.

The

coming

days

would

also

see

the

government being actively involved in the upliftment of this industry as well as the others in this region via their policies and schemes. Together these factors will fortify this industry and lead it to flourish in the coming decades.

52

QUESTIONNAIRE closeup of a handloom towel in the making

53

EVOLUTION OF CRAFT CRAFTSMEN 1. For how long have you been practising this craft?

2. How old is the craft that you’ve been practicing 3. Who taught you the skills required for this particular craft?

4. What is unique about Solapur’s terry towels?

5. Traditional method vs Current Method. If any.

EMPLOYERS 1. How did you end up in this business?

2. Is this your family business?

3. How sustainable do you think this business is?

4. There are so many workshops here , so do you face any competitions?

STRUCTURE OF CLUSTER GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD 1. What is unique about Solapur’s terry towels?

2. Is this the sole branch of your production centre?

3. What is the distance between your home and workshop?

CLUSTER ACTORS 1.How many people are a part of one unit?

2. What roles do women play in the production of these towels?

3. What is the average strength of workers in a day?

4. What’s your customer range like?

5. Who manages the exports?

6. What is the system of hierarchy in the production process?

ARTISANS 1. How did you get into practicing this particular handloom?

Is this a family business?

2. If not, how are the craftsmen recruited for your workshop?

3. Do the craftsmen get any holidays?

4. Are they paid at an hourly rate? If so, what is that rate? If not, what is the system?

5. Average living costs?

6. Is it enough for sustaining their family?

7. How long did it take to learn the craft?

8. Do you face any problems at your workplace?

9. Are you suffering with any kind of health issues because of you are working here 10.Does your employer provide you any facilities?

54

RAW MATERIALS, PRODUCTION PROCESS, PRODUCT RANGE 1. What are your raw materials?

2. Where is the raw material sourced from?

3. How much does it cost?

4. Are the materials you use environment-friendly?

5. Is material always available when you need it ?

6. If there has been any shift to cheaper raw materials to lower down the cost? If yes, what were the traditional raw materials that they used?

7. Could you tell us about the production process?

8. How long does it take to produce one unit of said product?

9. How many towels do you produce in a day?

10. What is the approx. production cost of one towel?

11. Since terry towel refers to the texture of the cloth, what are the different products you produce? (bath towels, napkins, hand towels etc) 12. If all your costs had to be split up, where do you spend most? (how much percentage goes in raw materials? In transport? In manufacturing? ) 13. What are the general problems you face in sourcing, transportation, and workspace?

MACHINERY AND TOOLS 1. What are the machinery and tools involved in the process of towel making?

2. How much mechanisation has taken place in the industry since its inception?

3. Are you comfortable with the mechanisation in the industry?

4. Do you think this industry can/ will be completely mechanised?

5. Are there any specific tools in short supply?

MARKET 1. How do you market your product?

2. Who are the market/ audience for your products?

3. Who are some of your customers?

4. Apart from Maharashtra what other states do you export your towels to?

5. Do you export internationally?

6. When is the highest demand or peak period for this craft?

7. How do you transport your goods?

8. Are they facing any competition in the market? What is their biggest hurdle as of now?

9. How has implementation of GST affected the market and your income?

CURRENT INSTITUTION LINKAGES 1. Do you work independently or in association with another organisation?

2. Is there a co-operative of towel makers in Solapur?

3. If so, are you a part of it?

4. If not, why not?

5. If there are no organised groups, how come?

6. What kind of aid do you want from the government?

55

CREDIT SITUATION 1. What is your credit situation? (loans) 2. Are there any organisations or institutions that fund or support you?

3. What is your annual turnover like?

4. Any government support and aid?

5. What is your profit/loss percentage like?

DESIGN TRENDS 1. What are the predominant colours?

2. Who is the designer of these towels?

3. Do you produce customised designs or do you stick to your own preset design?

4. Are you aware of design trends that decide what is to be produced?

5. How do you add value to your product? (how do you make it different? Are there any extra processes that you do to add certain qualities?)

6. Have you collaborated with any brand or designer?

7. Any changes in terms of designs & techniques that they have started working with?

56

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Chitte, G. N. (n.d.). A socio economic study of the textile workers in decentralised sector in Solapur district. Retrieved from https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/142471

(n.d.). Craft Cluster Initiative. Retrieved from https://nift.ac.in/cluster-projects

Daruwale, A. H. M. H. (2003). Role of handloom co_operative societies in the economic development of Solapur District .

Retrieved from http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/handle/10603/14 7095

Dash, S. N. (1995). Handloom industry in India. New Delhi, India: Mittal Publications.

(n.d.). GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN SOLAPURCITy. Retrieved from http://www.solapurtexmarket.in/downloads/14_chapter_5.pdf

57

OF MENTIONED CLUSTERS

BANK DETAILS

Name: Samraj S. Manthen Address: 18/31 Madhav Nagar, MIDC Road, Solapur Contact No: 820885168 Email Id: sanjeevmanthen92@gmail.com Bank Details: Canara Bank Account no. 5033101000563 IFSC Code: CNRB0005033

Name: Devidas Vidap Address: Sabita Industries, 18/29, Madhav Nagar, Solapur Contact No: 9420492206 Email Id: devidasvidap.tex@gmail.com Bank Details: Canara Bank Account no. 5033261000060 IFSC Code: CNRB0005033

Name: Shriniwas Goli Address: Amol Textiles, C/A/1, MIDC Road, Solapur Contact No: 9422644415 Email Id: amoltex@yahoo.com Bank Details: Canara Bank Account no. 5033201000286 IFSC Code: CNRB0005033

Name: Venktesh Jayram Vidap Address: 26A Adarsh Nagar, Solapur Contact No: 9422460378 Bank Details: Bank of India Account no. 070920110000406 IFSC Code: BKID0000706

58