History Class 6: The Rulers Of Delhi

The history of Indian textiles and weavers in India dates back to ancient times. The origins of textile in India can be traced back to 3000 BC, during the Indus Valley Civilization. Indians then used homespun cotton as the material for weaving their garments. Textiles of Indian origin were one of the major products of trade and business in those times. The handiwork of Indian weavers found takers in Roman, Chinese, and Egyptian markets. Even today, weavers in India are still held in high esteem and considered as textile pivots. The Indian textiles and weavers in India form several unique clusters which mesmerise people around the globe.

Weavers

Farmers working on the fields during Indus Valley were the forefathers of modern Indian weavers. Fragments of cotton textiles were discovered at Mohenjo Daro, the estimated dates between 3250 and 2750 BC. Indian textiles and weavers of India continued their dominance till the British took over the cotton industry in the 18th Century. However, weaving gained prominence during the times of Mahatma Gandhi, and the spinning wheel became the symbol of India’s fight for independence.

Major Woven Fabrics

1.   Cotton

   Cotton shrubs are very common vegetation in the tropical region. India is no exception and is a major grower of cotton. The cotton fibre is spun into yarns and is the raw material for soft and breathable textile. Cotton has been cultivated since time immemorial and has a widespread demand.

2.   Silk

   It is a natural protein fibre and is produced by insect larvae. The best quality silk is acquired from cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm. The silk fibre has a prism-like structure enabling the refraction of light at various angles. That is the reason why silk emanates different colours. In the context of Indian textiles and weavers in India, silk produced by moth caterpillars is used.

3.   Khadi

   It is a form of handspun natural fibre cloth having its origins in India and Bangladesh. This form of fabric is mainly produced out of cotton. Khadi may also include silk or wool along with cotton. The khadi yarns are spun on a charkha or a spinning wheel. It is a trendy fabric and has wide acceptance in the fashion world.

4.   Linen

   Linen is one of the oldest forms of textile. Archaeologists have been able to trace its history to about 8000 BC. It is a textile produced from fibres of flax plants. It is a very strong and absorbent fibre. Garments made from linen are generally expensive for their coolness and capacity to retain freshness in hot and humid weather. Apart from garments, products like aprons, bags, bed linens, tablecloths, and chair covers made of linen are very popular.

Condition of Weavers – Past and Present

In the pre-independence era, the first signs of the decline of Indian textiles were noticed. In the later part of the 18th century, England started producing cloth. To protect their interest, they introduced import duties on Indian cloth entering the British market. This was a blow for the Indian weavers.

On the other hand, the British companies made sure import duties were removed when English cloth entered India. The condition of merchants of Indian textiles and weavers in India became worse. Now, the British cloth available in the Indian market was cheaper than its Indian counterpart. That flooded the local market. This resulted in the collapse of the export market as well.

The woes of the Indian weavers did not end with the British leaving the country. In independent India, weavers face a severe livelihood crisis as a fallout of insensitive policies adopted by the Government, globalising, and shifting socio-economic conditions. The schemes adopted by Central and State Governments are largely rendered useless. The hand loom is clearly under threat for its existence in the face of competition from power looms and textile mills.

The general lack of awareness regarding the various government schemes on the part of weavers also contributes to their sorry state of affairs. Even the government departments and their implementing agencies have scant knowledge on the schemes launched to support Indian textiles and weavers in India.

An estimated figure of around 38 million people is working in the weaving sector in India today. Close to 33% of this population, i.e. around 12.4 million, belong to the declining part of this sector. Most of the weavers come from economically weaker sections and work in joint family units belonging to the unorganised sector of business.

Challenges Faced By Indian Weavers

As an industry, Indian textiles and weavers in India face quite a few challenges in the course of plying their trade. Some of them are:

1. Technological Deficiencies – hand loom weavers are still using the traditional methods of weaving that are obsolete now. Most of them are using old looms and without funds to acquire new and state-of-the-art looms hit their production.
2. Outdated Designs – many times, designs churned out by weavers are predictable and lack variation. The younger generation of buyers is not enticed to buy them. To address this issue, the Government is encouraging young designers to get into this space and guide the weavers to contemporize their products.
3. Competition From Power Looms and Textile Mills – the sheer economies of production in the face of more efficient power looms render hand loom products unviable.
4. Lack of Credit Facility – institutionalised forms of credit through banks are available to a minuscule portion of weavers. This makes the weavers’ cash trapped, and they are unable to scale up their operations.

The Decline of Indian Textiles

The government is sensitive to the woes and sectorial worries of Indian textiles and weavers in India. The hand loom industry is one of the flagship industries of the Indian economy. It exhibits India’s diverse culture, which is rich in content and exemplarily skilful. The industry contributes 4% to India’s GDP. Apart from that, 17 % of India’s export earnings come from this sector. This is the second-largest employer after agriculture as a sector.

The importance of hand looms also lies in the fact that it has a negligible carbon emission and hence is eco-friendly.

The government is making sure distinguished fashion designers get involved in the hand loom sector to boost Indian textiles and weavers in India. One of the major steps in this regard was taken with the setting up of the India Hand loom Brand in 2015. The focus of this body is incremental usage of natural fibres like cotton, silk, etc.

For the effecting revival of this declining hand loom industry, intervention from the organised sector will also lend an edge in terms of more efficient marketing of the wares.

Impact of Decline of Indian Textiles

In India, 45 lacs people are either directly or indirectly involved with the hand loom sector. Therefore, the decline in the area of Indian textiles and weavers in India has widespread effects. Some of them are:

•         Economic deprivation of the weavers
•         Rising unemployment
•         Rise in crime
•         Competition from the mechanised sector becomes unequal
•         Hand loom products get priced out from the market

Conclusion 

Indian textiles and weavers have been around since ancient times. Textiles may be dated back to 3000 BC in India, that is, during the Indus Valley Civilization. Around 1750, India was the world’s greatest manufacturer of cotton textiles, which were recognised for their superb quality and beautiful workmanship. The rising popularity of Indian textiles concerned English wool and silk manufacturers. They started to resist the import of Indian goods, mainly cotton textiles.