This Onam, Kerala handloom weavers experiment with design to beat the pandemic blues
The Hindu
Onam this year may not be as bad as 2020, when the industry was reeling from the pandemic. But, drawing buyers now requires a twist on the traditional gold and white weave
Usually, Onam is the busiest time on the calendar for handloom weavers in Kerala. Preparations start four months in advance across handloom weaving clusters at Kuthampully, Chendamangalam, Balaramapuram and Palakkad. While 2020 was a disappointment due to the pandemic, things are slightly better this year, says Rajmohan Radhakrishnan a wholesaler from Kuthampully in Thrissur district, who hails from a family of weavers. “Orders and enquiries have been coming in over the last couple of days, I wish this happened before. It is too soon to quantify how much business this will translate into,” he says. Kuthampully, about 50 km from Thrissur, has 300-odd families involved in the handloom sector. Houses have looms, with the entire family weaving. Each family is affiliated to the handloom co-operative society formed in 1972. Shops selling Kerala saris, set-mundu, dhoti — both handwoven and made on power loom — dot the village. Buoyed by the slight increase in enquiries this year, weavers and manufacturers are experimenting with designs. Apart from the traditional white and gold, they are including screen-printed and embroidered designs. “Every year people want something different. The screen-printed variety is popular be it the peacock feather motif, mural painting of Lord Krishna, paisleys...they are among our bestsellers. People want variety!”More Related News