What is Handloom ?
Fragments of woven cotton and bone needles have been discovered at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, the ancient seats of the Indus Valley Civilization. Even the Rigveda and the epics of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana dwell upon the craft of weaving at length. These weavers of the past were true masters of their craft. Such was their capability that legend even refers to the fabulous semi-transparent saree (a great technical feat) worn by Amrapali, the famous courtesan. This clearly shows the history of Handloom goes back thousands of years in India. There were basically three types of handloom weaving traditions in India:- a) The Rural Representing the familiar, unchanging images of rural life, these are abundantly full of joy and life, with figures of plants, animals and humans. b) The Classical Revolving around royalty and court life, here the forms and symbols varied according to the patronage of the ruler. Symbols and myths were rendered graphically, with elegance and style. c) The Tribal These were usually bold geometric patterns and weaves in strong primary colours usually woven on simple bamboo looms. Handloom still remains in the heart of the people of India, in every aspect of life which includes clothes, home furnishings, commercial packaging etc. Handloom clothes are used in high quantities. Indian Government is strongly focussing on improving the life of handloom weavers in across the country by promoting this art thereby reducing the import of cheap handloom clothes from the neighbouring countries.