DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Kerala - Its Contribution to Indian History & Culture

**tgs** · 12-07-2006, 01:38 PM

Balaramapuram is a small township 13 kms from Thiruvananthapuram, which is known for its kasavu work on off white sarees and dhotis.
This town was founded in the year 1810 AD by the Travancore Royalty with the idea of developing it into a commercial centre. MERCHANTS, weavers, and craftsmen were invited to settle in this place. At present a colony of traditional weavers numbering about 1000 flourishes here.

Entering the town, a steady rat-a-tat of the shuttle moving to and fro on the looms greets the ears. Inside the large asbestos roofed shed, weavers stand waist deep in pits dug in the ground which is the specialty of Balaramapuram. You will find different weaves ranging from thin shimmering gold borders to exquisite brocades, with mango, peacock, parrot and floral motifs.

The kasavu design saree ranges from 1000 to 25,000, depending on the quality and quantity of the zari that has gone into its making. Kasavu is brought from Jaipur. The cost of genuine one is rupees 800 for 500 yards. A pure kasavu is made from silk thread on which 24 carrot gold is plated. Thus these materials have resale value.

The design takes about ten days to be woven on the fabric by hand. A wooden seal with the required design is used to mark the warp of the saree, with a dye. Then it is woven around leaving the design blank. The design is then hand woven separately using kasavu.

Unfortunately for various reasons, this rich weaving tradition is on the decline. According to Satyan, who runs a loom, the co-operative movement is not strong enough to run the loom. Also non-availability of quality yarns exploitation of middlemen, competition from power looms and paltry wages force the weavers to dilute the quality of the produce.

The youngsters here have drifted away from the profession to unskilled and lucrative jobs. Supporting the trend, the elders say, “Whatever happens I won’t let my children take up weaving. It is a profession that has no future. Our generation was force to satisfy themselves with the available resources. There was no other option and we are too old to learn new skills now.”
Viswanathan bagged the Presidents award for the best weave. The award winning saree he says took 15 days to weave. “These works demands patience” he said.

As part of diversification they weave bed spreads, pillow covers, towels, besides the traditional saree and dhoti.

12-07-2006, 01:38 PM	#11
tgs Join Date Mar 2007 Age 48 Posts 5,125 Senior Member	Balaramapuram is a small township 13 kms from Thiruvananthapuram, which is known for its kasavu work on off white sarees and dhotis. This town was founded in the year 1810 AD by the Travancore Royalty with the idea of developing it into a commercial centre. MERCHANTS, weavers, and craftsmen were invited to settle in this place. At present a colony of traditional weavers numbering about 1000 flourishes here. Entering the town, a steady rat-a-tat of the shuttle moving to and fro on the looms greets the ears. Inside the large asbestos roofed shed, weavers stand waist deep in pits dug in the ground which is the specialty of Balaramapuram. You will find different weaves ranging from thin shimmering gold borders to exquisite brocades, with mango, peacock, parrot and floral motifs. The kasavu design saree ranges from 1000 to 25,000, depending on the quality and quantity of the zari that has gone into its making. Kasavu is brought from Jaipur. The cost of genuine one is rupees 800 for 500 yards. A pure kasavu is made from silk thread on which 24 carrot gold is plated. Thus these materials have resale value. The design takes about ten days to be woven on the fabric by hand. A wooden seal with the required design is used to mark the warp of the saree, with a dye. Then it is woven around leaving the design blank. The design is then hand woven separately using kasavu. Unfortunately for various reasons, this rich weaving tradition is on the decline. According to Satyan, who runs a loom, the co-operative movement is not strong enough to run the loom. Also non-availability of quality yarns exploitation of middlemen, competition from power looms and paltry wages force the weavers to dilute the quality of the produce. The youngsters here have drifted away from the profession to unskilled and lucrative jobs. Supporting the trend, the elders say, “Whatever happens I won’t let my children take up weaving. It is a profession that has no future. Our generation was force to satisfy themselves with the available resources. There was no other option and we are too old to learn new skills now.” Viswanathan bagged the Presidents award for the best weave. The award winning saree he says took 15 days to weave. “These works demands patience” he said. As part of diversification they weave bed spreads, pillow covers, towels, besides the traditional saree and dhoti.
	Quote