By: Soonya
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It is heart wrenching every time I hear about suicides by farmers or weavers.
I do hope when Telangana state forms some of the policy wonks and insensitive and archaic laws and vision-less destructive policies get changed. In the interim we need to explore if something can be done.
In a recent article on this website, I made an appeal to all Telangana folks, especially the middle classes and the better off, to incorporate ‘minor grains’ into their diet.
In this article, I wish to draw your attention to another important livelihood in Telangana – weaving. Not a day passes by when we don’t hear a distressing story about our weavers. Are there some practical ideas that we could implement to save our weavers?
I was also wondering if TRS can change their policy of their ‘kanduva’. I do see most of the kanduvas used for inviting new members into the party are made of some synthetic shiny material.
Would it be possible for TRS to insist on hand woven fabric and if possible woven with hand-spun yarn?
Even if it helps a few hundred families so be it.
Why give or take synthetic cloth – especially the cheap looking shiny stuff when our own weavers can weave magic with their hands?
This is something that can easily be done. KCR, Harish Rao, Kavita and KTR should promote it be declining any kanduva that is made of synthetic fabric or which is machine woven.
The Assamese have a tradition of welcoming any one with a ‘Gamosa’ or what they call Gamcha – a handwoven kanduva and a bamboo hat. At all public functions every one on the dais is draped with a Gamosa.
I was given such Gamosas every time I visited Assam – and they are very handy as towels or can be reused for any other purpose in one’s home.
I do ceremonially buy a set of new dhotis, though I rarely wear them. But they are useful as standby towels and as covers. Depending on how cold it is I use one or more and I find them more comfortable over rugs etc.
And one more appeal to all those who can afford – both men and women – can we buy every year for every festival only handloom stuff – dhotis and sarees?
Can TRS or some Telangana organization seek help with a label “Proudly woven in Telangana”?
Someone with an artistic bent of mind introduce the weaves of Telangana to Mission Telangana readers (with some pictures) and the lives of these weavers and the uniqueness of the patterns?
Weaving is knowledge work – I understand one needs to know math – counts, patterns of both weft and weave, colors, chemistry and art and aesthetic.
It would be sad to lose the art of weaving and the diversity of weaving styles and designs. It is also sad to know that the deft hands of the weavers have to seek labor in the construction industry as masons or laborers.
Only when we protect our crafts and our crafts people would we have done justice to the spirit of people like Konda Laxman Bapuji and Prof Jayashankar and others.