A craft survives against the odds...
- 15 May 06, 10:41 AM
In December last year I reported from Varanasi, Inda, on the plight of silk weavers in Varanasi. (You can also watch a selection of my reports from the on the right of this page.) To recap, they are being driven out of business by imported Chinese silk which is, as one admitted, cheaper and more colourfast. Since thousands poor peasants had flooded into handloom weaving because of problems making a living off the land this is a problem. At its worst it is leading to starvation and suicide among the weavers. It seems that my report, which was screened on 主播大秀 World, has prompted an inquiry and campaign headed by the Crafts Council of India aimed at trying to save the weaving craft by marketing it in the developed world and protecting its intellectual property....
There's an interesting discussion about how the weaving craft might survive in the world of mass marketing - you can follow it on the . India's 12.5 million handloom weavers constitute the country's biggest industry after agriculture.
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A Benaras (Varanasi now) silk sari has for centuries been a prized heirloom of many Indian women, and has an aura about it. Significantly both Hindus and Muslims have cooperated in its making. In that sense the silk sari is rather like North Indian classical music. Now it is part of the fight for the preservation of the traditional all over the world.
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Hi,
Do you happen to have any contacts of these weavers? I am a fashion designer and would like to create designs where proceeds go to these people.
I would really appreciate your help.
B. Regards
Karishma McGregor
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