this presentation talks about the handloom weaving in madurai

1. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION
TECHNOLOGY CHENNAI
PRESENTATION ON CRAFT CLUSTER STUDY
HANDLOOM WEAVING
SUBMITTED BY:
RAHUL ARYA
SHIBI CHAKRAVARTHY.D
SHIVANI SHARMA
SNEHA KUMARI
TANMAY MISHRA
TANUSHREE

2. INTRODUCTION
 This documentation is based on the study of craft
clusters(weaving) , based in Madurai, Tamilnadu. It
explains how Madurai became a hub of weaving, its
specialities and the history.
 A survey was taken to know about the weaving
clusters of Madurai, their products, lifestyle and
complaints. The objective was to identify various
societies and clusters doing weaving and know
about the craft and the craftsmen.
 In this documentation we have concentrated on
weavers from a particular area called
Nilayur, Madurai weaving Kodambakkam sarees.

3. MADURAI
 Madurai is one of the oldest cities of
India, with a history dating all the way back to
the Sangam period of the pre Christian era.
 Madurai flourished till 10th century AD when it
was captured by Cholas the arch rivals of the
Pandyas. The Cholas ruled Madurai from 920
AD till the beginning of the 13th century. In
1223 AD Pandyas regained their kingdom and
once again become prosperous. Pandian
Kings patronized Tamil language in a great
way.

4.  Between 1623 and 1659 Thirumalai Naicker
was ruling in Madurai. He invited the
Saurashtrians weavers to Madurai to make silk
dresses for the Royal family and as a result
they came down to Madurai and settled there
 Madurai is popularly known as the temple city
of South India. Alagar Koil, Meenakshi
Temple, Thirupparankundram Temple, Koodal
Azhagar Temple, Pazhamudhirsolai are few
famous temples.

5. Thirumalai Naicker
Palace

6. Meenakshi Temple

7. GENERAL FACTS ABOUT
MADURAI
 AREA - 22 Sq. Kms ( 8.56 Sq. Miles)
 POPULATION - 3041038 (according to 2011 census)
 ALTITUDE - 101 meters (330 ft) above sea level
 LATITUDE - 9.58 N
 LONGITUDE - 78.10 E
 LANGUAGES - Tamil, English, Sourashtra
 STD CODE – 0452

8. HANDLOOM WEAVING
 Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two
distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right
angles to form a fabric or cloth. The longitudinal threads
are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or
filling.
 A handloom is a machine used for weaving. In a wooden
vertical-shaft looms, the heddles are fixed in place in the
shaft. The warp threads pass alternately through a
heddle, and through a space between the heddles (the
shed), so that raising the shaft raises half the threads
(those passing through the heddles), and lowering the
shaft lowers the same threads—the threads passing
through the spaces between the heddles remain in
place.

9. HANDLOOM WEAVERS
 Hand loom weavers were mainly men- due to the strength
needed to batten. They work from home sometimes in a well lit
attic room. The women of the house would spin the thread
they needed, and attend to finishing.
 Later women took to weaving, they obtained their thread from
the spinning mill, and working as outworkers on a piecework
contract.

10. THE PROCESS OF
WEAVING
 Each and every thread of the Kodambakkam saree is hand
woven. All the process involved in weaving a saree is carried
out manually; no machine is used in any of the steps.
 The process starts with dyeing the silk/cotton material. In
short the coloring process includes dipping the material
repeatedly in the boiled color water. Utmost care is taken while
dyeing the silk/cotton to make sure that the color is uniform
throughout the material and it doesn't affect the quality of the
material.

11. Once the yarn reaches the weaver it is then arranged on the
loom. First the warp yarns/ pavu (art silk) is rolled on the warp
beam and are passed through the heild shaft.
Totally on an average 60 gaja yarn is rolled in the beam which
can make upto 10 sarees. Finally the warp yarns after passing
the reed are rolled on the cloth beam.

12. Then the weft yarn (nool) is rolled over the
bobbins using charkha or the chakram.
In case of kodambakkam saree cotton yarn is
used for weft.

13. INBA VINAYAGAR
SOCIETY
 The Inba vinayagar Society was established
in 1976. It was started by the weavers back
then and now has 672 active weavers within
Madurai and around it in a radius of 8
kilometers.
 Since then the office is located on the CMR
road, Madurai with 4 clerks working there.
One is the manager Mr. Rajendran and 2
women and 1 man working under him to do
the accounts and other organization works.

14. Mr. Rajendran told that they are having
continuous profits since 7 years (18 – 20
lakhs per year).
No particular serious problem but just
the occasional ones like yarn breakages
and insufficient funds for the weavers.

15. ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY TAKEN
FROM THE WEAVERS
SEX EDUCATION MONTHS OF EXPERIENCE
ILLITERATE PRIMARY 120 TO 300 300 TO 600
MALE FEMALE
SECONDARY
20% 3%
26%
40%
80% 60%
71%
WORKING FOR TYPE OF HOUSE PLANNING TO TEACH THEIR
PRIVATE OWNER SOCIETY PUCCA SEMI PUCCA CHILDREN
YES NO
7%
7%
27%
93% 73% 93%

16.  Weavers were all Saurashtrians. Since 500 years the
saurashtrian trait is followed in Madurai. Weavers of this
generation do not know how to write or read saurashtrian
script.
 One of the weavers says ―When we move outside Tamil is the
language which is commonly used by everyone. But once we
enter home, saurashtrian automatically comes up‖.
 Weavers do not get the yarn or source any raw materials. They
get the yarn from a society or a private owner and they are
paid wages for weaving.
 They are Rs.280 – Rs.340 for weaving a Saree.
 More than weaving there are many initial process like spinning
the weft thread, taking warp yarn etc, for which the weaver has
to pay Rs.500 which is not provided by the society or the
private owner who gives them the wages.

17.  Most of the weavers do not have a bank account. Few
people who have also have more loan than savings.
 They do not leave any gap in their work they work
throughout the year. Weavers say the same reason that they
don’t have enough income even if they work for 12hours a
day. So, they can’t stop their work. If stopped it’ll be a
problem for the income.
 More than 90% of the weavers are not planning to teach
weaving to their next generation because there is no good
income, no good future.
 They complaint that the subsidies, pension, etc. allotted for
the welfare of weavers and senior citizens are not being
circulated properly by the government offices.
 Coming to the market side. The actual cost of production
including weavers wages is 600- 1000 if it comes to
Kodambakkam saris. The private owners mostly try to push
the saris out of state.

18.  If Madurai handloom products are sold in Madurai itself
there is no question about demand for the product
because Madurai is a tourist spot, where the product will
be sold during all seasons.
 Otherwise the demand is maximum during festivals like
Diwali, Eid etc.

19. MARKET SURVEY
 According to market survey, public societies sell
their manufactured handloom products through
Co-optex and some other government outlets and
private sector sell their manufactured handloom
products through private shops to the market.
 According to Mr. Rajendran, manager, Inba
Vinayagar Society, out of the total production
50% are sold directly to the customers in the
office and other 50% through agents via shops
like Co-optex, Pantex Anna Salai etc.
10% through Co-optex
90% Pantex Anna Salai

20. Kodambakkam sarees with different patterns
Rs.6000 (heavy work on border) Rs.1500(less work on the
border)

21. CONCLUSION
In the end we would conclude by saying that it was a great learning
experience. More than technically we were feeling like we were
a part of the weaver’s family, trying to understand their
problems and how they live.
With our study we have identified various clusters doing weaving
and how they bring their products into the final market.
It was a great experience and a memorable one.

22. THANK YOU