LITERATURE REVIEW HANDLOOMS AND WEAVING IN INDIA

What is weaving?
Yarns can be converted into fabric by weaving. Weaving is the oldest and most widely used method of producing fabric from yarns. Weaving is not the only method of producing fabric. Yarns can also be made into fabrics by using weft knitting machines and warp knitting machines.

Weaving is a process where two sets of yarns, called warp yarns and weft yarns, are manipulated in such a way so that the two sets of yarns interlace with each other at right angles. The sequence in which the warp yarns and weft yarns interlace with each other is called the weave or woven structure.

Warp yarns and Weft yarns

Warp and weft yarns can be made from any fibre or blends of fibre. Yarns can be staple spun yarns or continuous filament yarns. The yarns can be dyed before weaving, or the yarns can be woven in an un-dyed state, then the fabric is dyed to the colour the customer requires. In any woven

fabric the yarns which run along the length of the fabric are called warp yarns or warp ends. The yarns which run across the width of the fabric are called weft yarns or weft picks. Warp yarns have to be made into a large yarn package called a warp beam which is then fitted onto the loom. Weft yarns have to be carefully wound onto yarn packages (cones, cheeses or pirns). Shuttles containing the weft threads on a pirn come in various types.

The following documents may be downloaded. Discontinuous Warp Loom Warp Threading Continuous

Looms
Looms can come in many forms. The simplest form of loom is called a handloom, it is hand operated by the weaver, and it produces the simplest woven structure which is called plain weave. The loom shown here is a very simple type of hand loom. There are other types of handloom that can weave more complex patterns. These are called Jacquard looms. Although there are still lots of handlooms used in regions such as India and Africa, today most of our woven textiles are produced on power operated looms which can weave cloth very quickly.

Preparing the loom

The warp yarns are stored on a warp beam which is fitted to the back of the loom. The length of the yarn wound onto the beam is only a few metres in length. Each warp end passes over a back rail then through heald eyes, attached to heald shafts. When weaving plain weave two heald shafts (No. 1 and No. 2) are required. Odd numbered warp ends are threaded through the heald eyes on shaft No. 1, even numbered warp ends are threaded through the heald eyes on shaft No. 2. All the warp yarns have then to be threaded through a comb like device called a reed. The weft in this case has been wound onto a flat shuttle.

The weaving cycle

On all looms fabric is produced where a series of repeated operations manipulate the warp and weft threads. This is called the weaving cycle.

Shedding
The first stage in the weaving cycle is known as shedding. Odd numbered warp threads are raised by one heald shaft, even numbered warp threads are lowered by the other heald shaft. Then the reed is pushed back in readiness for the shuttle to pass through the shed. Where the two sets of warp ends have been lifted and lowered, an opening in the warp threads is created. This opening is called the shed.

Picking
With the shed open, a weft pick can now be inserted (in this case from right to left) by passing the flat shuttle through the shed.

Beating-up
With the weft pick in the shed, all the warp threads are now moved back to their neutral position. The reed is then brought forward towards the body of the cloth to beat the new weft pick into position. The weaving cycle has now been completed. On the next cycle the odd numbered threads

are lowered, and the even numbered threads are raised, thereby forming a shed. The weft is inserted by the flat shuttle through the shed, this time from left to right. To complete the cycle the new weft pick is beaten up to the body of the cloth by the reed. The fabric structure woven in this way is called plain weave, Although plain weave is the simplest woven structure, it is manufactured in huge quantities.

Weaving on a different loom

There are many types of hand loom, some are very simple, like the one we have just studied, others are more technically advanced. The weaving cycle of shedding, picking and beating-up however is always the same. Here is another type of hand loom. This type of loom still uses heald shafts to lift and lower the wrap ends, but uses an additional device to send the shuttle through the shed at quite a high speed. The flying shuttle as it was called was invented by John Kay in 1733. This invention allowed the weaving cloth at a much higher speed and much greater widths.

The whole process of sending the shuttle through the shed is repeated over and over again.

INDIAN TEXTILE INDUSTRY

HISTORY: Origins of weaving in India

The origin of the art of weaving in India is shrouded in the mists of antiquity.Fragments of woven cotton and bone needles have been discovered at Mohen-jo-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. Indian cottons and silks were exported in huge quantities, causing concern among the Romans because their wives could not have enough of these beautiful fabrics! Fragments of cotton fabric were also found in the Egyptian tombs at Fostat, China too was another big importer of Indian fabrics in ancient times. Moving ahead, silks were exported to Indonesia in the 13th century, India also exported a lot of cotton and chintz to Europe and the Far East before the advent of the British East India Company.

Weaving traditions existing in India then:

There were basically three types of weaving traditions in India :a) The Rural

Painting showing an European woman wearing an Indian silk cloth.

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.

Origination of weaving centres around the country

Gujarat had been the focal point of weaving in the past. However the great fire which took place in 1300 A.D. caused most of the weavers to flee and settle around the country in places like Delhi, Ajmer, Agra, Banaras, and Madras. The silk weavers of Murshidabad and the Saurashtros of South India both trace their lineage to Gujarat.

Downfall if Indian weaving scene with the coming of British

With the coming of the British, the fabrics being woven, lost much of their intricacy and beauty. Traditional Indian motifs were dropped in favour of large wallpaper like designs including absurd images of helicopters, aeroplanes, gardens, houseboats and palm trees etc. Pastel shades were incorporated which lacked the brilliance of Indian colours. The Indian 'zari' industry too, went downhill when 'zari' began to be imported from Belgium. The traditional silk and cotton too, was largely replaced by synthetic yarn

HELICOPTOR woven on garment

The dispersed and decentralized handloom and handicrafts sectors embody the traditional wisdom, cultural wealth and secular ethos of our polity. They are not just a source of livelihood for lakhs of weavers and artisans, but also environment friendly, energy and capital saving and labourintensive forms of art that have secured Indias presence in millions of homes across the globe; a presence that has been crafted by dexterous hands, many of whom are among the most marginalized sections of our society in both rural and urban areas. The tradition of weaving by hand constitutes one of the richest and most vibrant aspects of the Indian cultural heritage. Handloom weaving is largely decentralized and weavers in the sector are mainly from the vulnerable and weaker sections of the society, who weave for their household needs and also contribute to production in the textile sector. The weavers of this industry are keeping alive the traditional crafts of different States. The level of artistry and intricacy achieved in the handloom fabrics is unparalleled and beyond the scope of modern machines. It can meet every need, ranging from the exquisite fabrics, which take months to weave, to popular items of mass production for daily use. The enormous variety of Indian handloom creations reflects the ethnic diversity in the country and the intricate compositions are known throughout the world since ancient civilizations. Since Independence, the Government of India has been pursuing a policy of promoting and encouraging the handloom sector through a number of programmes and schemes implemented through the State Governments and their agencies working in the handloom sector. The Handloom sector plays a very important role in the country's economy. It is one of the largest economic activities providing direct employment to over 65 lack people engaged in weaving and allied activities. Handlooms have been known to India right from the historic ages. The use of fabrics, techniques created to make designer art pieces and expressing ethnicity through them has been an

integral part of India's base. Its power is such that Handloom industry constitutes around 14% of total preindustrial production and 30% of the total export business. Well, that's not all; it is also the second largest industry in India with important segments, such as independent power looms, modern textile mills, handlooms and garments. This made the handlooms popular in foreign markets also and raised their demand.

Current Scenario in Indian Handloom Industry:

In India, there are many workers who are engaged in handloom sector, close to four-fifths of the work force, is in the rural sector. Only 16% of these are in the urban sector. Rather than the rural- urban divide, a more significant attribute of the industry is the highly skewed geographical distribution of the workforce in a few major states. In fact, more than half the workforce is concentrated in just two states. One state alone, namely Assam in the north-east, account for 38.6% of the total workforce. The second heaviest concentration is in West Bengal in eastern region. This has 17.3% of the total. The next two important handloom hubs are in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh; each has a little more than 8% of the biggest concentration of handloom workers is Uttar Pradesh in the north with 5.6% of the total. These five States account for almost four-fifths of the workforce or 77.8% of the total. One consequence of the concentration of the handloom workers in five states is that it severely restricted the employment potential of the industry to these few areas and reduced the significance of the industry in large parts of the country. However, the geographic spread of the industry in the rural and urban sectors differs substantially. In the rural sector, the workforce in the handloom industry is concentrated in Assam 45.1%, West Bengal 16.8%, and Andhra Pradesh 5.9%, Tamil Nadu 5.7%, and Manipur 5.3% and the five states account for 78.9% of the handloom workforce nationwide. Indian textile industry is divided into several segments, some of which can be listed as below: Cotton textiles Silk textiles Woollen textiles Readymade garments Hand crafted textiles Jute and coir

Employment Generation
2.3 The handloom sector is a major employment generating sector, as is also noted in the Approach Paper for the 12th Plan. As per the latest (3rd) Handloom Census of 2009-10, there are 23.77 lakh handlooms in the country, providing employment to 43.32 lakh handloom weavers and ancillary workers. This includes 38.47 lakh adult handloom weavers and ancillary workers, of which 24.72 lakh are engaged full time and 13.75 lakh on part time basis. Distribution of handloom workers by employment status (% share of total)

Statistics as per Handloom Census of 2012-13

1 2 3

Number of looms Number of persons engaged in weaving and allied Activities Number of adult weavers and allied workers

23.77 43.32 38.47

No. of Handloom adult weavers & allied workers by Gender

Male Female Total

Number of 8.48 Handloom adult weavers & allied workers (lakh) Percentage of total 22.10

29.98

38.47

77.90

100.00

Handloom Industry in India is an ancient cottage industry with a decentralized set up. The industry is an age old source of livelihood for millions of people in the country. The Handloom Textiles constitute a timeless part of the rich cultural Heritage of India. The element of art and craft present in Indian handlooms makes it a potential sector for the upper segments of market domestic as well as global. However, the sector is beset with manifold problems such as obsolete technologies, unorganized production system, low productivity, inadequate working capital, conventional product range, weak marketing link, overall stagnation of production and sales and, above all, competition from power loom and mill sector. As a result of effective Government intervention through financial assistance and implementation of various developmental and welfare schemes, the handloom sector, to some extent, has been able to tide over these disadvantages. Thus, Handloom forms a precious part of the generational legacy and exemplifies the richness and diversity of our country and the artistry of the weavers.

HANDLOOMS OF ANDHRA PRADESH

Andhra Pradesh is known for its handlooms. Warp by warp, weft by weft almost in every village of A.P. lives the weaver, zealously guarding a legacy handed down the generations. EXPORTS FROM THE PAST

Way back in 10th & 11th Centuary AD, the Handmade textiles of A.P has been in great damand in Far East and the Arab World. It was the Arab who introduced this exquisite range of fabrics in Europe. The ruling dynasty at that period was Persian in origin ,smaintaing a close relationship with Iran. Exchange of trade and craftsman was encouraged. Persian craftsmen came to A.P and worked with the local craftsman at Golconda, the Old Capital of as well as at Machilipatnam, Warangal and other important handloom centers. This wide exposure and interchange of ideas resulted into an unique blend of designs, colors and textures. Today, A.P. is renowned for its fine range of silk brocades and cottons, each having a very special identity that sets it apart. Each loom is recognized with its distinct weaving style and variety of fabric. In Andhra Pradesh and most other southern states, cotton and silk are the two most preferred fabrics. Some of the famous handlooms of Andhra Pradesh are as follows

Pochampally Dharmavaram Narayanpet Jamdani/uppada Venkatagiri Bandarulanka Bandar Mangalagiri Gadwal Chirala Madhavaram

The range is wide and includes in a variety of colors, Silks, Tie & Dye materials, Durries, Dress materials. Kalamkari Fabrics Kalamkari is essentially an art of painting and printing fabrics. The Kalamkari fabrics are known worldwide for their attractive designs on carpets, bed sheets, wall hangings, sarees, chintz, table clothes and curtain clothes. Polavaram and Pedana are the major centers of manufacturing Kalamkari block prints. During the rule of Qutub Shahis, Kalamkari art was introduced in the region. Commonly used designs include flowers, birds and animals. Ikat Weaving Handlooms Originated in Nalgonda district, Ikat is an expertise of weaving randomly dyed yarn in natural zigzag or geometric patterns. This art of weaving has been recognized throughout the world. In the present day, Ikat weaving is practiced in the villages like Puttapaka, Pochampalli and Chautuppal. Exclusive to Andhra Pradesh, Ikat technique of weaving is extremely popular throughout India. Chirala Textiles Eminent for its textiles, Chirala produces some of the best fabrics of Andhra Pradesh. Here, a large amount of oil is used while preparing yarn for weaving. As soon as the fabric is made, it is smeared with wax & clay and finally, it is dyed in selected colors. Chirala is famous for its bedspreads, curtains, tapestry fabrics and sarees.

Gadwal Sarees Gadwal has been known worldwide for its beautiful sarees. The main charm about their saree is that its body is of cotton, whilst the border and pallu are in silk. Actually, the cotton and silk fabrics are woven individually and then attached together to make a complete saree. The 'pallu' and the border are adorned with rich traditional designs. Dharmavaram Sarees Dharmavaram is renowned for its fabulous silk sarees throughout the world. These sarees comprise simple and plain borders without much contrast. Usually, the borders are wide, having brocaded gold patterns and 'pallus' with elegant designs. Dharmavaram is also acknowledged for its leather puppets. Venkatagiri Sarees Venkatagiri sarees are known for being adorned with gold threads. Available in cotton and silk, these sarees have borders with pure silver or gold 'zari' (threads) and brocade designs. They are dyed in rich colors with golden dots, leaves, parrots or simple geometrical designs. Eluru Carpets Eluru is illustrious for its flourishing woolen carpet industry. During the Mohammedan rule, the Persians, who migrated here, started the carpet industry. Today, it has become a major part of Andhra handlooms and most of the carpets manufactured here are exported.

Mangalgiri Handlooms Located at a distance of 12 kms from Vijayawada, Mangalgiri is a famous pilgrimage center in Andhra Pradesh. Mangalgiri is popular not only for its temple, but also for its elegant cotton sarees and dress materials. Uppada Sarees Uppada is a beach town that is located at a distance of 20 kms from Kakinada. This place is famed for its skillfully designed cotton sarees. One can purchase these beautiful sarees at Peddapuram and Bandarulanka. ORGANIZATIONS The Handloom Societies in Andhra Pradesh are organised as a two tier structurel societies in the village called Primary Handloom weaver's co-operative society. The APEX society at the State level called A.P. State Handloom Weavers' Co-operative society Ltd. (APSHWCS), popularly called as APCO. APCO The APCO Fabrics is a Govt. controlled and managed body coordinates the procurement and export of Hand loomed fabrics from A.P.

Dastkar Andhra-NGO
Dastkar Andhra began in 1988 as an offshoot of Dastkar, Delhi. It is a non-profit trust, registered in 1995 that works within Andhra Pradesh to promote the interests of the producer

communities within the cotton handloom weaving industry. The objective of Dastkar Andhra has been to explore practically, the possibilities of craft production as a contemporary economic activity based on traditional skills and resources, and to develop forms of organization that would ensure wide dispersal of economic returns among the producers. In its early stages, Dastkar Andhra developed new products and provided marketing assistance for artisan communities producing a variety of craft products. It then took up extensive work with three craft communities: the carpet weavers of Eluru, West Godavari; the Kalamkari printers of Kalahasti, Chittoor and the cotton weavers of Chinnur, Adilabad. In 1989, it worked towards providing a model for research and consultancy for craft-based industry that would function under the direction of practitioners themselves. From 1996 the emphasis of Dastkar Andhras activities shifted from working intensively with few craft groups to involvement with cotton handloom producers, since when Dastkar Andhra has focused on the various aspects and issues facing the household cotton textile production industry of Andhra Pradesh. Dastkar Andhra areas of interest are: Marketing The immediate aim was to market good quality, medium-priced fabrics in the large-volume medium counts for every-day wear and household use, to service the middle class urban segment who wanted handloom fabrics and could not get them, addressing the availability aspect. This would serve the dual purpose of combating the prevailing myth that handlooms were suited only for the upper-income niche market and help create an environment for establishing rational and transparent systems for the production-marketing chain. Thus, enabling the producers themselves to participate in the marketing process. The producer base that would be developed for this market would ensure support for the next, more difficult step in the marketing research, selling to the large lower-income urban sector, where the competition from powerloom cloth and from synthetic fabrics would be fierce. In 1999-00 Dastkar Andhra took up production with a small number of looms in a few cooperatives ready to co-operate in accepting regular delivery schedules and quality specifications. This number has increased from 26 in 1999-00 to around 110 in the current financial year. Dastkar Andhras explorations in new marketing mechanisms appropriate to the specific nature of large scale cotton textile production has resulted in initiatives such as household marketing undertaken by housewives and intensive lower income group marketing through exhibitions, advertisement and advocacy to capture the market of low income groups. The four ways of marketing include: Retailer Servicing Today, the volume of retailer servicing stands at around Rs. 44 lakhs that is almost 66% of total sales. Household Marketing

The intention is to set up an alternative market system through which cotton handloom products of good quality and design could reach customers without high overheads of commercial marketing system. Hence, Gautami takes stock from Dastkar Andhra at 2.5% mark up and sell both directly and through other marketing agents, mostly housewives, teachers, and others. The current volume of sales is around 12 lakhs. Exhibitions Exhibitions form around 20% of the total sales. Lower Income Group (LIG) Marketing This aims at breaking the myth amongst the group with incomes of less than Rs.5000 that cotton handloom products are beyond their budgetary capacities and unsuited to their way of life. The main item is low count sarees, printed and plain, from Rs.130 onwards. Experimental exhibitions have been held urban and suburban areas, and market surveys are regularly conducted to assess peoples perceptions of cotton handlooms. The annual sales figures of Dastkar Andhra in 1994-95 were Rs. 7,43,461.55 and today, 200102, it is Rs. 66,34,664.05. Initially, the sales figures consisted exclusively of exhibitions, but since 1997-98 it includes sales to Gautami, retailing and as of 2001-02, also, lower income group marketing.

Design The aim is to re-establish the link between the weaver and the designs woven that were influenced by the natural resource base, cultural background and aesthetics. Dastkar Andhra introduced a range of soft colours that increased variety and reduced the tendency towards stridency. The design studio of Dastkar Andhra, is under the guidance of Latha Tummuru, an NID graduate. Production The major co-operatives associated with Dastkar Andhra are Rajavolu, Isukapally, Koyyalagudem, Chirala (motorized charkhas), Pasalapudi (natural dyed), Pulugartha, Angara, Ponduru (natural dyed goods made of moga khadi yarn and using the tri shuttle loom), Tadipatri and the Independent Weaver Groups at Chinnur (indigo dyed), Repalle and Kappaladoddi. The main range of products include dress materials plain, checks, stripes, ikkat; khadi sarees, dress materials, dupattas; bed sheets, table cloth, napkins, household linen and kora plain fabric for kalamkari prints. Training and research in natural dyeing The intention is to re-establish the linkages that alienated the primary producer from his resources. Hence, activities undertaken are training of artisans and resource people; technical experimentation and research; and the growing of dye bearing plants.

The Dastkar Andhra team learnt the techniques of natural dyeing and of training in workshops for artisans conducted by Shri K V Chandramouli. It also concentrated on creating appropriate training methods, and documentation procedures and processes. During this period, Dastkar Andhra trained the groups with whom it was actively involved, the Eluru Tivasi Sangam (carpet weavers) and Chinnur Cheneta Kala Sangam (cotton handloom weavers) as well as others from different parts of the country and from Uzbekistan. As a result of this sustained activity, natural dyeing is now securely established in about 10 centres. In Andhra, co-operatives in four districts are now regularly producing natural dyed products. Archival research led to the manuscripts being computerized and publication of a small booklet on natural dyeing brought out by PPST in collaboration with Dastkar Andhra in the four south Indian languages Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada. With the association of Shri Kattubadi Yellappa of Uravakonda a traditional indigo vat was set up in Chinnur and the Uravakonda vat revived. Research into cotton cultivation and cotton yarn Historical and technical research on the nature and qualities of cotton plant and the historical development of the mechanized spinning process. Recently, the PPST Foundation of Chennai, have taken up a project to develop small scale pre-spinning machinery for which Dastkar Andhra has established field linkages in Chirala by the introduction of hand spinning and its integration with weaving. Decentralized Spinning The study into technology of textile production led to exploration of the changes that cotton yarn spinning has undergone over centuries. Today, the cotton farmer has no alternative except to sell to ginning mills who sell it to big spinning or composite mills. Thus varieties of cotton grown are now suited to commercial purposes. This massive scale operation of spinning has put yarn spinning out of reach for small producers and has left the handloom weavers at the mercy of the spinning mills. Dastkar Andhra and PPST is working on the development of pre-spinning machinery that would make it possible to produce slivers to be spun into yarn on motorized household spinning machines. The new machines will also gin and card the cotton on small scale in villages near cotton field. Thus, linkages between each stage supplier of raw cotton, sliver maker, the spinner and the weaver will be re-established. Advocacy groups Dastkar Andhra also deals with the political aspects of the cotton handloom industry through research on policy and advocacy. For instance, Dastkar Andhra was instrumental in helping weavers procure a copy of the Satyam Committee recommendations to the Central Government on handloom policy of 1999 [not made public till tabled in Parliament the following year] against which weaver organizations organized sustained agitations, ultimately resulting in the scrapping of the recommendations. In 2000 Dastkar Andhra was commissioned by the Planning Commission to take up a study on Growth and Prospects of the Handloom Industry. In connection with the study, a national level seminar was held in September 2001 at Hyderabad and was attended both by academicians and weaver activists.

Kaya Kalp~ a low-cost training centre for handloom weavers

Maheshwars sandstone Ghats seen from across the Narmada river

On the North bank of the River Narmada, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh is the town of Maheshwar, old capital of the Holkar kingdom. Mentioned in both, the Ramayana and Mahabharatha, it rose to prominence during the peaceful reign of Maharani Ahiliyabai Holkar in the 18th century. The fort which houses the palace and other important community buildings, opens out on to what are, arguably, the most beautiful sandstone ghats in the whole country.

This place is home to the famous Maheshwari handloom sarees with their distinctive designs and silk/cotton blend. The Kaya Kalp project was commissioned by Rehwa Society, a highly successful co-operative that markets local products at exhibitions throughout the country. When Rehwa Society began with a single weaver about two decades ago, there were a handful of looms in the entire town. Today, close to a thousand of them operate in and around Maheshwar. Kaya Kalp was the brainchild of Sally and Richard Holkar who felt it was time to repeat the Rehwa success story in other weaving communities in Madhya Pradesh, where the local skills are being lost due to lack of exposure. Layout Plan of Kaya Kalp from the days when all my drawings were done by hand

Detail of window and brick jali Careful attention has been paid to the materials used in construction. The consumption of environmentally expensive materials was minimised. With no wasteful reinforced cement concrete anywhere in the building. The load-bearing structure is built from locally made burnt brick, set in a mixed lime/cement mortar. There was minimal plastering of the external walls and certainly none on the inside. The roof framework has steel trusses covered by corrugated galvanised iron sheets which are, in turn, clad with interlocking half-round terracotta country tiles. Together they create an insulating air-gap that keeps the rooms cool, even in the 46 Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) summers. The combination also prevents even the slightest leakage, which could easily ruin many days of work as it lies stretched out on a loom.

Stage and seating area

Entrance

Steel trusses below the iron roofing sheets are very durable and can easily be reused or recycled at the end of the buildings life span. I am happy to say that, though the Maheshwari people were initially sceptical about the efficacy of this system, it has now become their industry standard.

The dyeing area where the yarns get their colour Kaya Kalp covers a total area of 7500 square feet (700 square metres) and has been built (in the mid-1990s) at a cost of just Rs. 105 per square foot. These figures surprised everybody because no inferior materials or processes were used. It must be mentioned though, that local labour is very cheap and contributed greatly to lowering of the overall cost. On the other hand, other similar projects in Maheshwar at the time had cost up to three times as much. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Poonamchand (affectionately known throughout Maheshwar, simply as Ba). He was among the last of a dying breed of master-builders and a repository of knowledge on local construction methods. Without the knowledge and experience of this young septuagenarian, Kaya Kalp may never have turned out as it was intended. I would also like to acknowledge the valuable input given by Architect Sanjay Prakash at the initial stages.

PRAGATHI MAIDHAN- CRAFTS VILLAGE

The institution of the museum, aimed at housing objects of antiquity, is of Western origin. Indians themselves did not have a tradition of setting up museums of fragmented sculptures, rusted swords and out of context painting. Broken images were immersed in holy water, worn-out objects were left to decay and merge with the very earth from which they were created. It is due to this continuous process of abandonment of the old and reproduction of the new that the tradition of craftsmanship have formidably survived in India. as archaeological museum concept in the nineteenth century, it missed out on the fact that, unlike the West, the 'past' and 'present' were not so severely divided in its case, and it therefore failed to give adequate importance in its museums to the evolving context of its culture - the living practices of rituals; festivals; weekly markets; pictureshows of itinerant storytellers; the materials, techniques and tools of artisans; the cultural changes and the attitude towards the past and the contemporary tradition as such. it is this overlooked dimension of Indian culture which is emphasised in the concept of the Crafts Museum.

Infrastructure
Research and Documentation The Museum has a specialised library of more than 10,000 books and periodicals pertaining to Indian arts, crafts and textiles. it is open to public for reference purposes. Under the scheme of

'Research and Documentation', filed research is commissioned with research scholars all over India to documents the living arts and crafts. Nearly a hundred unpublished monographs have resulted from this programme. The Museum also has computerised documentation of the visiting craftspersons and master craftsperson's and weavers with craft-wise and area-wise categorisation. Educational Programme Delhi-based schools, art colleges and polytechnics are regularly informed by the Museum about the latter's monthly activities. Thousands of schools children and students of art colleges visit the Museum for general exposure to India's rural artistic heritage or for more practical exercises such as on-the-spot sketching and painting or participating in 'Creativity Workshops'. Architecture Charles Corriea designed this Museum's building. Reference library There is a reference library in the museum, which houses approximately 10000books/journals/ magazines/manuscripts/rare books on Art and Culture.The reading room of the library has a seating capacity of about 35 readers. The collection of the library includesbooks/journals/magazines/manuscripts, rare books, references books, newspapers and other archival material related to Chandigarh. A substantial collection of books on Sikh history and culture has been gifted to the library by Mrs. Phool Mansingh and Dr. Madanjeet Kaur. The library also includes a special section of books, manuscripts, documents and archival materials related to Chandigarh, gifted by late Dr. M.S.Randhawa, a renowned art historians, administrator and former Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee. Photostating facility for scholars is also available in the library. Research and Documentation The Museum has a specialised library of more than 10,000 books and periodicals pertaining to Indian arts, crafts and textiles. it is open to public for reference purposes. Under the scheme of 'Research and Documentation', filed research is commissioned with research scholars all over India to documents the living arts and crafts. Nearly a hundred unpublished monographs have resulted from this programme. The Museum also has computerised documentation of the visiting craftspersons and master crafts persons and weavers with craft-wise and area-wise categorisation. The staff of the library comprises of one librarian and one library attendant. The timings of the library is same as that of the Museum i.e. 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. It is open throughout the week except Mondays and other gazetted and National holidays. Conservation Laboratory A Modest conservation laboratory looks after the preservation and conservation of the Museum's collection. Textile repair and biding, mounting of paintings and scrolls, repair of terracottas, wooden items and maintenance of painted wood and papier mache is comfortably handled by the Laboratory.

The Crafts Museum has on display part of its permanent collection in its galleries of Bhuta Sculpture Gallery, Tribal & Folk Art, Ritual Craft Gallery, Courtly Craft & Textiles Gallery. Apart from these. Village Complex has the open walls along the corridors & passages which are used as the canvas to display the painted traditions of several tribes of folk artisans. These picturesque narrations are the open area display which familiarize the visitors with painted traditions of the country. Re-constructed village shrines, front faade of a haveli, are some of the interesting features of our open air display.

POCHAMAPALLY HANDLOOM PARK

Pochampally has traditional looms, whose design is more than a century-old Basking under the glory on par with the weavers of other places, Pochampally weave is popularly known as tie and dye weave. The uniqueness lies in the transfer of design and colouring onto warp and weft threads first and then weaves them together. The fabric is cotton, silk and sico - a mix of silk and cotton Increasingly, the colours themselves are from natural sources and their blends. The consumer-weaver interactions provide inputs for new designs.

The weavers from the older and new generation have shown resilience and adapted themselves to the changing tastes of the consumers. Chenetha Gurukulam training in handloom weaving has been started with the spirit of introducing handing over the ancient art to the world. With experienced Gurus here popularly known as Master Weavers, the Gurukulam teaches the entire process of Weaving since from its inception to Ready to wear condition. The Gurukulam comprises different programs with multiple course durations. The project envisages setting up work shed clusters for artisans/ weavers with facilities for weaving, yarn processing (dyeing, weaving preparatory etc.), fabric processing, made ups conversion and surface beautification. The project provides strong backward and forward linkages for a planned and sustained development of the existing clusters to facilitate production of high value added products so as to provide sustained employment to the weavers in the Region. Pochampally Handloom Park Pvt. Ltd. (PHPL) (the SPV) has been promoted by 28 entrepreneurs who are already engaged in the business of weaving and trading of Pochampally made products. PHPL has been incorporated as a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 for the purpose of the development, implementation and O&M for the common infrastructure facilities proposed under the project. The registered office of PHPL is located at Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Pochampally Handloom Park Pvt. Ltd. (PHPL) is planned on a 21.8-acre land situated in Kanumukkala revenue village of Pochampally mandal in Nalgonda District of Andhra Pradesh.

CASE STUDIES
Kanchipuram,Tamilnadu. Dakshinachitra, Tamilnadu. Uppada,Andra pradesh. Bahrampur,Orissa.

Tentative requirements:
Reception & waiting area Administration office Dyeing and starching sheds Weaving work rooms Storage rooms Research area Learning centre Textile museum Exhibition and selling area Cottages for visitors Amphitheatre & recreational area Cafeteria & Pantry Multipurpose areas