As a child I often remember I would snuggle
into the soft drape of my grandmom or my mom. I would enjoy the softness by
rubbing my nose and love how the sari smelt….an earthy soothing smell perhaps
of the dyes. It cloaked me in comfort and security when I hugged, snuggled and
felt that drape.
As I grew up, I would often wander with a
soft cotton worn out saree of my mom. The softness of the cloth acted like a
tranqulizer, gave comfort and security just like some hold their teddy bears, I
would feel my mom in those soft cotton hand woven sarees when she was’nt around.
That soft feel of the mull cloth must have
sown seeds for my love for handlooms or
what is called “Kaithari” ( kai is hand and thari is loom) in tamil.
My mom often relied and bought her sarees
from those Salem weavers who would bring their "kai thari" products in bundles like bedsheets, sarees, blankets towels and sell home to home. It was so popular in Bangalore those
days. So, it was with my grand mom who always bought from the Rangachari store in Mylapore. She would
even buy and send it across to her children and grandchildren. After multiple
home wear, the old jaded sarees which turned ultra soft but never
tore would then double up as baby mattresses for the brood of cousins. Some
would even end up as quilts where 4 or 5 sarees stacked up would be handstitched
and then fixed with multiple color pieces of cloth. And finally the tattered
ones would be sanitized and used as baby nappies also. Those were times when
nappy rashes were unheard of. Even thatha's veshtis (dhoties) were never spared.
So
many Indian motifs, designs and colors most of them specific and indigenous to
their regional clusters holding the weaves,some were
loosely held while some were tightly held. Each one had a story to tell about
the warp and weft and each one had a liking different to others . Even now, when my elders like mil, aunts, and
mom get together they start talking about the clusters they know of , the
weaves, the region, the motifs, the thread counts, etc..and about how the kai
thari differs from power loom products. Sometimes, I think their knowledge on
such subjects could be material for dissertation on the same.
They have all patronized and still
patronize “Kai Thari” and so their love has rubbed off on me.
That is why it is disturbing to hear that some of the clusters are closing
down since it is not viable for livelihood for the weavers. We are loosing traditional master artisans and weavers along with that our heritage too. Unable to make a livelihood, they end up as
unskilled labour in cities. With many MNC’s setting up their companies close to
the clusters, it is disappointing to read these
traditional weavers gennext do not carry on the family tradition and end
up as security guards in some nearby automobile company or as sales staff in the MNC’s or malls. Some have even turned
towards powerlooms where the automated machinery cannot recreate
the “ heritage textile” and this is no substitution for the cottage industry
where one generation hands over the trade to another.
But today with the world concerned about sustainable livelihood, environment friendliness and terms like fair labour and trade, it is heartening to note that many NGO's and the government too is turning attention to hand weaving after all this occupation leaves possibly very little carbon foot print. This infact is one of my interest. I am mostly present in all these handloom-handicraft expos to encourage these weavers and artisans.
So on our first " National Handloom Day" a salute to all the weavers of our nation who by their magical weaves give us such lovely fabrics which supports our environment. It is my wish that we all unite to buy more products "Make in India" and help the sector to save from extinction. So Glad to celebrate National handloom day #Nationalhandloomday today on August 7.
Photos taken at Dakshichitra
Dear Asha, I loved reading your post. I too grew up, surrounded by kaithari fabrics. My mom and grandmother love those soft cotton hand woven sarees. Your post takes me back to those beautiful years of simple living and high thinking. Like you mentioned in your post, the old jaded sarees would end up as diapers, bedsheets or quilts. Nothing was ever wasted. The richness of varied Indian motifs, that cultural linkage - all of it made "kaithari" a part of of our daily life. In my parents home in Kochi, "kaithari" is still very much a part of my life at home.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dear Swapna! Glad that the post resonates with you:) kaithari is so apt for our tropical climate, Aint it?
DeleteIs there a National Handloom Day ?
ReplyDeleteI understand the sense of loss when a traditional art or craft starts to decline and die, but that is the inevitable order of things. Kaithari resonates with us because we grew up with it . For today's generation it may possibly be something they may not relate to. For them it may be something else they will lament fading away. The old has to make way for the new sometimes.
Is the Rangachari Kadai still there ?
Like other things that change with times, kaithari has also changed to suit the gennext Ramesh. Today the khadi, ikats, ilkals, chettinads,bandinis, lehariyas, ajrakhs, jamdani etc.... have adapted to suit the current generation. But the point they are sold at fab stores at heavy prices while the weavers get paltry amount which almost drives them to close down or look out for outside jobs. Retaining those crafts and weavers would stop them from migration, help balance the environment and also may be if we are enterprising enough promote craft or culture tourism also. If not everything will be lost and we may end up seeing those fabrics in museum. That was my point.
DeleteRangachari kadai is moving with times and is now an online store too:)