Chendamagalam, the weaver’s village in Ernakulam, smelled of crisp, freshly woven clothes until three weeks ago. The centuries-old traditional handloom industry was severely affected by the recent deluge which ravaged most parts of Kerala. The weavers, whose busy work that generated the distinct thrum on the looms, used to weave beautiful clothes, but they are now seen cleaning soil and silt from their damaged machinery. The rains have not only washed away a 150-year-old tradition, but also the livelihood of hundreds of weavers as well. However, a community named ‘Friends of Fashion’ has lent a helping hand to revive this traditional handloom industry, by collecting funds through the website, www.savetheloom.org.
Rebuilding bid
Thousands of admirers of the Chendamangalam handloom emphatically say that the legend of this exquisite handloom textile, which goes back to the days of the royalty, holds a special position in the cultural history of Kerala. Celebrity designer Poornima Indrajith and her colleagues have already visited the flood-hit areas in Chendamangalam. The ‘Friends of Fashion’ has already taken an estimate of the loss suffered by the individual weavers and the various weaving societies, and proposed a project to rebuild this traditional weavers’ hamlet. The association aims to collect as much monetary fund as possible through the website, to reopen the looms.
Reviving the handloom
“This is in fact an effort to bring back the weavers to their traditional occupation, which is their only means of livelihood. As per the initial reports, around 273 looms have been damaged in the floods. Some of them are totally destroyed. Though most of the fabrics and apparels prepared for the Onam season were destroyed, we have been able to sell the rest through various online platforms. Many organisations have helped to sell the handloom textiles which were salvaged. Now they need help to restart weaving at the looms which have been shut down since the deluge,” says Poornima.
Poornima adds that the damaged loom machines need repair and thread should be made available before the weavers can actually begin work. The association tries to find a steady market for the woven clothes as well. “This is a long-term project, and www.savetheloom.org aims to completely revive the industry,” notes Poornima.
Critical time
Ramesh Menon, who works as a fashion consultant in Delhi, says that most of the weavers at this village are women, with a majority of them aged above 50 years, and a few of them widowed. The floods have ravaged an industry which was already struggling. Ramesh Menon, also a member of ‘Friends of Fashion’, says if this situation continues for another six more months, then most of the women would be forced to quit weaving and look for other jobs. But, the grim fact is that they do not know any other job, other than the one they have been doing for decades.
“Things are not going to get better only by repairing the loom machines alone. Clothes used to stitch uniforms are mostly woven here. The weavers can't survive for long by doing that alone. They should try out new and trendy designs in their traditional style. Many popular fashion designers at the national level have expressed their willingness to help the weavers in this regard. They will give special training for these indigenous weavers. It will help them to find an international market for their products,” observes Ramesh Menon.
The members of the association have been visiting the homes of the weavers at Chendamangalam to collect more information. Ramesh Menon says that the details of the report would be published on their website as well. The admirers of this unique handloom textile would then be able to keep track of the developments at the various looms. He insists that the functioning of the organisation is transparent and honest.
Community initiative
Anyone can donate to revive the traditional handloom industry at Chendamangalam. There are clear instructions on the website on how to make the contribution, according to one's budget. The donors are required to submit a short note explaining whether they are interested to donate towards the repairing of the looms or to purchase the finished handloom products. The organisers will make sure that your money is utilised as per your preferences. The money will be distributed to the needy through the various cooperative societies functioning in the village. “We assure that your money reaches the weavers who are in dire need of your support,” vows Poornima.
There are plans to send handloom textiles as gifts for those who donate to revive the industry. The organisers aim to fulfill this within six months of restarting weaving at Chendamangalam. The weavers would be sharing their happiness with those who supported them, by weaving ‘gifts’ with love and gratitude.
Poornima says that though the government has come forward to help the struggling industry, they have proposed this project with the help of public communities to render help to the weavers as soon as possible. The repairing of the damaged loom machines have already begun. Trained personnel and technicians are staying at Chendamangalam to do the maintenance works. It would take at least a day and a half, for three technicians, to repair a machine. “In the first phase we aim to revive at least 50 looms and begin weaving by October 2. We have initiated this with great optimism. Not just our organisation, a lot of people have joined hands to save Chendamangalam,” remarks the celebrity designer.
Star advantage
Though Poornima has been in the forefront of the mission to rebuild Chendamangalam, the ‘Friends of Fashion’ is an association of lots of fashion enthusiasts and professionals who work towards the development of local textile industries. Poornima says, “It is true that I being a film personality can attract lots of people into this. However, this organisation doesn’t concentrate on just one person. There are lots of people working for this association, like justice K Sukumaran, his daughter Karthika, fashion designers within and outside Kerala, lovers of handloom and many more.”
Poornima, who has openly confessed her love for the handloom, has been designing special couture dedicated to the indigenous handlooms of India for the last four years. Her unique designs which combined the Kuthampully handloom with designer couture were a hit among fashion lovers and celebrities. “Though I have never professionally collaborated with Chendamangalam, I can understand the problems faced by weavers everywhere. Beyond fashion, the indigenous handloom industries of Kerala form a significant part of our culture. So it indeed is our duty to support these weavers during their time of distress,” Poornima makes her stand clear.
