It is the handloom buzz at NIFT as the premium fashion institute gets ready for the Handloom Day celebrations on Friday. Fashion designing students of third year sit huddled in groups as they give final touches to their designs from the craft cluster initiative. As part of this project, students travel to a cluster and interact with craftsmen to understand their work, learn of the opportunities and act as ‘change agents.’ The cluster initiative is an annual feature but this year, with the ‘Handloom Day’ celebrations, there is excitement all around the campus. Four groups of students along with their mentors visited four clusters spread across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh this year.
Before travelling to Dubbaka in Medak, Rishika Dugar, Ankita Nag, Khusbhoo Sirova Anusha Singh Nikhil Sai, Kavitha, Meera and Ashwathi googled ‘Gollabhama’ only to get an odd response. “Google’s page displayed articles about the movie ‘Gollabhama’ but there was nothing about the handloom sari known for its Gollabhama motif,” recall the students. “Later when we searched for ‘Gollabhama saris’, only one Wikipedia line came up stating its special feature,” they added. However, the students along with their teacher Fatima Bilgrami faced another disappointment when they visited the place. “We were told the master weaver has stopped weaving so we went to Siddipet and completed our project,” they state as they showcase a maxi dress and a men’s wear kurta with the Gollabhama motif. “This is an original Gollabhama sari and we have contemporised it to show how one can use it in western dresses too. We plan to use this in kids wear and home furnishings too,” smiles Anusha as she models in a sleeveless maxi dress.
Visitha, Komal, Charvi, Elizabeth, Anvita, Arti and Swasti are glued to a computer screen. On the screen are photographs of three young models looking chic in a traditional Uppada sari. What is striking is that each model has draped the sari differently and with trendy jewellery, they present a stylish look. “We met many weavers and it was moving to listen to their stories. They cannot experiment with motifs as there is no market for it,” say the girls and add, “Celebrities customise their saris and we heard that NTR was one such celebrity who customised and bought an Uppada sari.”
One trip to Panduru in Srikakulam district gave lifetime of memories to Mounika, Ruchie, Barnali, Kavya, Arpana Tripty and Girija Khandekar. “Every family in the village is known for its khadi occupation,” cheer the girls.
“The khadi made here is of the finest quality and the secret is the fish jaw, which is used to clean the kapas (seed),” explain the students as they display a off-white waistcoat. Meghana, Kirtana, Manasi, Priyanka, Rechel, Shreyasi and Shubham went to Bandaru Lanka for a different kind of experience. “It was heart-wrenching to see weavers work under difficult conditions. They get only Rs. 7 – Rs 10 as a profit,” states Kirtana.
There is anger in Fatima Bilgrami’s tone when she talks about the government’s apathy towards the handloom sector.
“Government starts schemes and messes it up. And, in between there are middlemen and panchayat, who have left the weavers in despair. Many youngsters, who come from the weaving family do not want to carry forward the family tradition and are instead working in malls as salespersons salesman. We have sat and cried in front of many sick units. The Madhavaram and Jangoan cluster units are huge which can be revived,” says the associate professor angrily.
Fatima exhorts the corporate sector to popularise it among its employees. “Corporates can initiate their employees to wear handlooms. Why can’t we have one day in the week as the handloom day when everyone wears handlooms,” she asks?
Handloom is the star
The Handloom Day celebrations at NIFT to be held in collaboration with the Weavers Service Centre, Telangana promises to be a big one. Eight hundred weavers are expected to be present on August 7 at the campus where students will showcase their creations along with an exhibition/sale of weaver’s creations. Another special feature is that it is happening only in the Hyderabad campus of NIFT and Textile Minister Santosh Gangawar will inaugurate the exhibition and there is an oath ceremony too to promote handlooms. The proceedings will be telecast live.
