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HE first North East Fashion Week was held in Guwahati from 25th to 27th of April, 2008. The
same was organized by North East Institute of Fashion Technology (NEIFT) which has today
become the premier institute in the region for grooming aspiring students of make a cut in the
fashion world. The three-day event was sponsored and presented by AIRTEL and supported by
Silk Mark, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and the Bodoland Territorial Council
(BTC). Vikram Rai Medhi, a big name in the fashion scene of the North-East and the CEO of
NEIFT was himself the event director of the fashion week.

The event gave a unique platform to big names in Fashion designing as well as young budding
designers from NEIFT to showcase huge variety of clothes design. ³This is the first year. The
child has just taken birth. The motive is to get industry status for fashion designing. Different
designers have come together in one platform. There have been healthy exchanges of views and
ideas in the three-day event that will give a big boost to the quality of creations coming out from
the region. The other big motive to organize this fashion week is to market the fashion products
coming out of the region. Silk received a big thrust in this fashion week. The event was not only
supported by Silk Mark but they also participated in the event in a big way. The exhibition
features quality silk products from Silk Mark as also products from our own handloom industry.
We are striving to also bring up the beautiful products of our handloom industry«give them
proper exposure and market them. The first NE fashion week was a small step keeping all these
motives in mind. It has been a humble beginning. With time and every passing year, I am sure
this event will grow in stature and magnitude,´ said Vikram Rai Medhi.


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³I am trying a fusion of all North-Eastern fabrics drawn from Bodo, Naga, Mizo, Rabha and
Manipur areas. The hand-woven and ethnic fabric of our region has a unique identity and has
tremendous potential but due to lack of support our traditional fabrics are dying a slow death.
Modernity and western outfits are fine but we must not lose our fantastic traditional fabrics. So
the need of the hour is to revive traditional fabrics by giving it a modern touch and making it
attractive. The marketing part is also very much important. Here is where an event like the NE
fashion week becomes so important. Some people tend to look down at these events as mere
exhibitions. But actually here is where business happens. Weavers of the region will perish until
they don¶t get market«shows like these will provide right market to our fabrics,´ he said.

³Attitude towards fashion have changed´: Meghna

³THE concept of a North East Fashion Week was always there in my and Vikram¶s mind. Only
that it took some time to give shape to an event of this magnitude. But with the first edition
having been successfully organised this year, it will now surely become an annual event. For
long we have been just talking of giving exposure to the designers and the models of this
region.....we felt that the time has come now to go beyond mere talking by doing something
concrete in this area. The North East Fashion Week was borne out of this thinking. Under one
roof people could find out the worth of the leading as well as the upcoming designers of the
region. In fact Vikram and me are even thinking ahead.....of setting up a mall where all such
designers will be provided racks who cannot afford to have a store of their own at the present
moment....however, this project will take some time to materialise.¶¶

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Though weaving is one of the important sector for Indian textile industry, it has not been given
due attention like spinning sector. Moreover structure of the industry plays a major role in
making it competitive. Nature of this sector is mainly unorganized. The sector consists of
fragmented, small and often, un-registered units that invest low amount in technology and
practices especially in the power loom, processing, handloom and knits. India has world¶s largest
installed base for looms. There are approximately 5mn looms in the country. India has 1.8mn
shuttle looms which is 45 per cent of world capacity, and 3.90mn handlooms which is 85 per
cent of world capacity.

The manufacturing of the weaving products makes a remarkable contribution to the national
GDP and even in the exports revenue. As per studies, it has been found out that the weaving
industry provides employment to approximately 12.5 million people, thereby, making this
industry the largest provider of rural work force. It is preceded by the agriculture sector.

Over 38,00,000 weaving industries have been built throughout the country, and more than
15,00,000 domestic weaving industries have been set up in the North and Eastern parts of the
country. On the other hand, the southern States also have their huge share of weaving industries,
for example, Andhra Pradesh houses some 3,20,000 weaving industries. Most of these industries
are situated in Chirala, Pedana, Polavaram, Mangalagiri, Pochamapali, Ponduru, Dharamvaram,
Narayanpet, Puttapaka, Madhavaram, Emmiganur and Gadwal. Along with these centers, the
coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh also have numerous centers for weaving.

Estimates over the years have found out that the weaving industry are supporting some 32 other
sectors that include marketing, financial, transportation, hotels and even maintenance services.

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THE handloom sector plays an important role in the country's economy. It is one of the largest
economic activities providing direct employment to over 65 lakh persons engaged in weaving
and allied activities. As a result of effective financial assistance and implementation of various
development and welfare schemes, the sector had been able to withstand competition from the
powerloom and mill sectors. Yet, several myths surround the sector. An attempt to dispel some
of them.

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The reality today is that the industry is more vibrant and confident of its survival due to its
intrinsic strengths and merits. It is the torchbearer of Indian culture and heritage.

It can, therefore, never face extinction as long as the cultural values and heritage are revered and
admired anywhere in the world. The industry in the past may have gone into declines from time
to time. However, at this point of time, the picture looks nothing but rosy.

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The Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) is well aware of its role as a catalyst in
revitalising the handloom industry in the context of the post-Multi-Fibre Agreement era to cater
to the increasing global demand. Realising the need for a proactive approach to augment the
export potential of the industry and keep it in a state of preparedness to meet the global
challenges in the post-WTO world, the HEPC has formulated a number of strategies for
increasing exports.

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The HEPC has identified five handloom production clusters to be developed as Handloom
Export Zones. A scheme has been formulated and submitted to the Ministry of Textiles for
sanction. The scheme aims at upgradation of infrastructure support and skill for handloom
weavers, besides strengthening the production base by modernising the looms.

These measures will enable handloom weavers enhance their export competitiveness and
improve their earning potential on a sustained basis, thus contributing to better standards of
living.

The scheme also envisages the elimination of middlemen by linking the weavers and exporters
through frequent buyer-seller meets and increasing the volume of direct and deemed exports.

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A plan for the preservation of skills through the Gurukulam concept has been formulated to stop
the migration of children of handloom artisans.

A school of weaving on the pattern of Gurukulam will not only nurture the talents of the
`disciples', but will surely create a congenial atmosphere to make them proud of their profession.
Through this concept, there will be a continuous transfer of skills from the master craftsman to
the trainees. This will augment the available base of skilled workers, besides widening the
production base for intricate weaves and reviving the rare weaving methods.

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The HEPC is seized of the fact that design adds value and contributes to the saleability of any
textile product. Therefore, the HEPC proposes to upgrade the existing CAD design studio into a
high-class textile design studio with world-class packages.

It also proposes to use the services of well-known designers. The central studio would be set up
at Chennai and linked to satellites proposed at Karur (in Tamil Nadu) , Kannur (Kerala) and
Panipat (Haryana). A heritage library would also be set up to preserve exclusive designs such as
Kancheepuram silks weaves of Tamil Nadu; Maheshwari and Chanderi designs of Madhya
Pradesh; and the ikkats of Andhra Pradesh. The proposal will soon be submitted to the Ministry
of Textiles.

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The HEPC has embarked upon a project called `Handloom Expo Mart' to give a competitive
edge to the exporters. The establishment of an international market will be the right strategy to
attract buyers who are increasingly looking up to India as a major sourcing hub for handloom
textiles. To provide increasing exposure to handloom products world-wide, the HEPC proposes
to intensify its participation in international fairs at regular intervals.

Promotion efforts will be focussed in emerging geographic areas such as Latin America, Africa
and the Asean countries. The HEPC will assist exporters in bringing out posters, pamphlets,
brochures and also in maintaining Web sites..
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The Textile Ministry is taking steps to brand handloom products to prevent duplication by the
powerloom industry. The Ministry has also entrusted the textile committee to develop a
handloom mark for the industry in the lines of wool mark and silk mark.

Besides giving an exclusive touch to the handloom products, these measures will help the
handloom products fetch better prices.

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The Centrehas, over the years taken steps to protect the handloom industry. The Handlooms
(Reservation of Articles for Production) Act, 1985 was enacted to reserve certain items for the
industry. The spinning units are required to produce yarn in hank form to cater to the sector
under the Centre's Hank Yarn Obligation Scheme.

The Planning Commission recently constituted a Steering Committee on Handloom to make

recommendations and take the industry to a position of strength and provide inputs for policy
formulation. In the latest Exim Policy, Madurai, Karur, Kannur and Panipat have been declared
towns of excellence in respect of handlooms and a number of fiscal concessions made available.

The government of Tamil Nadu has forwarded suggestions for the development of the handloom
sector, which include assistance under house-cum-workshed for weavers, insurance coverage for
weavers under Bunker Bhima Yojana Scheme, Deendayal Hathgraha Protsahan Yojana scheme,
10 per cent special rebate scheme, handloom export scheme, hank yarn price subsidy, interest
subsidy scheme on working capital, and concessional interest scheme through Nabard.

Yet, handloom exporters do not always get what they deserve from other Central Ministries. A
case point is Rule 30 which was introduced to Section 40 (a) (Ia) of the Income-Tax Act last
October. By this Rule, if the TDS amount is not deducted, or deducted and not paid within a
specific period, the entire contract expenses will be disallowed.

This, in effect, will mean that the entire contract expenses will be taxed at 35 per cent in the case
of a partnership firm. Since the Rule was introduced mid-year, many were caught unaware. Only
during the assessment, they realised that their tax liability was huge.

In fact, more than 50 per cent of the operations of handloom exporters are contract jobs. In
respect of an exporter doing a turnover of, say, Rs 100 lakh, Rs 55.00 lakh would be contract
payment. If he has not deducted and paid the TDS amount within the specified date, his liability
would be Rs 19.25 lakh.

If the tax on his profit is Rs 3.50 lakh, his total tax liability would be a staggering Rs 22.75 lakh.
This is about 23 per cent of his turnover.

The normal tax liability would have been Rs 4.75 lakh. For non-payment of Rs 4.75 lakh, the
exporter will have to pay Rs. 22.75 lakhs. The penalty is almost five times the unpaid amount. A
small exporter cannot pay a huge sum of Rs 22.75 lakh.

There is a provision to claim these expenses the following year. But this can be done only if he
survives in his business. Even if he survives, the following year he will incur heavy losses.

Even a layman can appreciate the untenability of Rule 30. Its enforcement will spell disaster for
countless exporters.

The handloom industry, as a whole, is getting a face-lift, thanks to policy-makers at the Centre
and in the States, the various councils and associations, and the ever-striving handloom weavers.
Indeed, the industry has the unending strength to survive.
(The author is former Chairman, Handloom Export Promotion Council.)

Origins

A hand loom, or handloom, is any loom that is manually operated, unlike motorized or
electrically powered looms. It is an apparatus on which weavers create fabric by interlacing the
warp and weft threads. By providing tension on the warp threads, a hand loom enables the
weaver to create cloth quicker and results in a more even weave. There are numerous types of
hand looms, from simple, portable backstrap looms to complicated, room-sized jacquard looms.
One of the simplest hand looms is the children's loom on which they weave loops of cloth into
potholders.

The history of the earliest hand looms is sketchy. Archeologists have found evidence of weaving
dating back to the eighth millennium B.C. in regions of Mesopotamia and Turkey. While
excavating a 19th century B.C. Egyptian tomb, others unearthed a model of a weaver's
workshop. It was complete with a horizontal loom, warping devices, and other weaving tools.

Most historians believe warp-weighted looms were the first to be used. The weaver suspended
the warp yarns from a tree branch and some weavers tied the dangling warp to rocks or logs to
pull them tight. This crude setup evolved into a free-standing vertical loom that some weavers
use in modern times. Many other early looms, such as the backstrap hand loom, are also still
used in undeveloped areas where electricity is not available.

Using the backstrap loom, a weaver stretches the warp threads from a stationary object such as a
post or tree to a strap that the weaver wears around her waist. Leaning back away from the post
or tree tightens the warp threads, thereby providing the necessary tension. Like many small hand
looms, the backstrap loom generally is portable and lightweight.

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The Handloom Industry has to play a dominant role in the economic development of the
rural mass. The Handloom are scattered in the rural and semi-urban areas. The Handloom
Industry is an important sector in providing large scale employment in Tripura. The
development of this Industry will directly result in the upliftment of the rural mass
development of Tripura. As indicated the provision of an alternate employment can be
immerged. Thus the development of this Industry affairs prime of place.

Brief outline of Tripura Handloom :

From the time immortal, Tripura has called but a name for itself in the field of handloom &
handicrafts. Handloom is the single largest and perhaps the oldest industry in the state. The tribal
people produce their own cloths with the elegant designs, unique colour combinations and lasting
texture. Among the traditional produces, mention may be made of Risa and Riha (breast
garments). Riha is remarkable for its colorful variety and texture. The Bengalee weavers who
have migrated in Tripura from the erstwhile East Pakistan (Bengal) are the main commercial
weaver and play a significant role in the development of Handloom Industry. They have also
contributed to the development of texture, variety in the Handloom Industry. The Manipuri
weavers are also playing an important role in developing Handloom Industry in Tripura.

As per National Handloom Census 1986-87 there are 1,15,236 weavers in Tripura (Commercial
& Non-Commercial etc.). The weavers are scattered all over the Tripura and there were 184
Weavers Co-operative Societies for the State. In some cases, number of Weavers Co-operative
Societies were formed in same locality. There was no integrated approach for overall
development of Handloom in the state.

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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.Ê

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Representing the familiar, unchanging images of rural life. These are abundantly
full of joy and life, with figures of plants, animals and humans.

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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.

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These were usually bold geometric patterns and weaves in strong primary colours usually woven
on simple bamboo looms.

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Where the Hindu weaving had an abundance of life and spontaneity, with imaginary
animals, plants and human figures, the Islamic tradition was more withdrawn and
discreet. Representation of living creatures was stylized to the point of abstraction
since Islam did not believe in graphic representation of living creatures.

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It was his son Hazrat Shish Paigamber Ali Salam who is credited with the discovery of weaving.
In 1288-1298 AD, Hazrat Khwaja Bahaudin Nakshaband Bhokhari Rahamtulla Alia was born,
who later became the creator of the Nakshaband (design template for weaving) which completely
revolutionized the art of weaving.
The Nakshaband technique or weaving according to premade design templates probably came to
India with Mohammed Bin Tughlaq. It ensured the continuity of a design through the years
whereas earlier weavers had created non-repetitive designs.

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This lead to the creation of fabrics with mixed silk and cotton or wool in the
warp and weft. One such fabric was Mushru (meaning legal) since its warp
was silk and the weft was cotton. Himru was another such blended fabric,
only more expensive since it was much finer.

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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.

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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.
It was to resolve these issues of design, colour, texture and quality that Tantuvi was born.

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Its legendary cotton muslin was said to be so fine that even oil could
not penetrate its finely woven texture. This muslin was rightly called
King's Muslin and legend has it that Buddha's body was wrapped in it
when he died. Benaras was known for the Jamdani inlay technique
where fine patterns were woven all over the body of the fabric along
with the weft, in the same count, a technique indigenous to India.
Ancient records speak about five tones of white being used - ivory white, jasmine white, white of
the August moon, white of rain-spent August clouds and conch white.
During the Mughal era, Benarasi silk sarees became very popular - Persian motifs and Indian
designs studded with gold and silver became the darling of Mughal society. Today they enjoy the
same public adulation and are exported across the globe.

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'Indian Handlooms', a term that spells exquisity, ebullience and enunciate a multifarious equip of
excogitating designs, both ethnic and modernistic. Providing livelihood to 90 million people, the
level of artistry and intricacy achieved by Indian handloom fabrics is unparalleled and beyond
the scope of modern machinery, preserving its heritage and culture.

With a long tradition of excellence in its craftsmanship, Indian handloom is said to have dated
back to the ancient ages. The earliest Indian fragment of cloth (before the Christian era) with a
hansa (swan) design was excavated from a site near Cairo. Later excavations from Harappan
sites revealed a scrap of coarse madder dyed cloth and a terracotta spindle whorls which
evidenced their expertise over handlooms, Indian handlooms, to be more specific.

The turning point of Indian handlooms and its weavers is said to be Indias independence i.e. 15th
of august, 1947. The Charkha acted as a symbol of national regeneration, as propagated by
Mahatma Gandhi, and the focus on the weavers of Indian handlooms during the Indian freedom
movement was largely responsible for the breakthrough. And at the dawn of independence,
Indian handloom industry became the largest cottage industry of the country, a point of
recognition which is still maintained.

Indian handlooms cater to the needs of a diverse cultural ethos ranging from exquisite fabrics to
popular items of mass production for daily use. A village without a weaver is a myth in the
Indian scenario; millions of looms across the country are busy producing the traditional beauty of
a precious heritage called Indian handlooms.

Undoubtedly cotton gave the splendid weavers of Indian handloom their resplendent expression
but silk and woolen cloths also originated during the pre-Vedic era, endemic to India. In the
world of handlooms there are muslin of Chanderi, silk brocades of Varanasi, the ikats from
Andhra and Orissa, the tie and dye from Rajasthan and Gujrat, the phulkari and khes of Punjab,
jacquards from Uttar Pradesh, the phenek, tongam and bottle designs from Assam and Manipur,
and lots more.
Indian handloom continues to be craft oriented, even though it was circumscribed by a limited
choice of processing and technology. The Indian handloom industry mainly exports fabrics, bed
spreads and covers, quilts, shams, pillow covers, curtains, towels, table linen, cushions and pads,
tapestries and upholsteries, carpets, etc, the whole lot needed in making a house a home.

Looking back, the story of the Indian handlooms in the last fifty years is one of patient nurturing
of an industry which touches upon the livelihood of millions of Indians. Little efforts were given
to develop the Indian handloom sector during the first half of the present industry. The handloom
weavers were pitted against modern textile mills. Their ingenuity and skill contributed to their
success in preserving the long tradition of excellence of Indian handlooms.

And in today's date Indian handlooms are going global in a big way and have found support in
the designer community. "Handlooms represent not just an industry but the cultural heritage of
India. It needs to chart out a road map for itself. Designers can play a major role in promoting
handlooms. However, so far we have not been able to utilize our own resources to cope up with
the changing lifestyles and aspirations. The handloom industry and the fashion designers should
work in coordination to initiate yet another 'swadeshi' movement," Rathi Vinay Jha said at the
Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week held in the capital recently.

A rich and resilient media of ethnic expression, Indian handloom is given is due respect by the
government too. National awards are given every year to master weavers in recognition of their
excellence and contribution. An expression which deserves to be respected and preserved, Indian
handlooms today finds place in the national and traditional design vocabularies of the world.

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Handloom forms a precious part of the generational legacy and exemplifies the richness and
diversity of our culture and artistry of the weavers. Tradition of weaving by hand is a part of the
countrys cultural ethos. It represents an ancient craft with rich heritage providing a great source
of sustenance for millions of artisans. It is estimated that handloom industry provides
employment to approximately 65 lakhs workforces directly or indirectly and about 35 lakhs of
handlooms in numerous varieties are scattered all over the country. The element of art and craft
present in Indian handlooms makes it a potential sector for the upper segments of domestic and
global markets. Handloom sector has been catering fully to the domestic niche and cheap
markets, as well as value-added exports in the international markets and are still playing a vital
role owing to its indispensable performance for the special quality of products mainly either of
silk or of cotton fibres with adequate aristocracy. Handloom is unparalleled in its flexibility and
versatility, permitting experimentation and encouraging innovation. However, in the present
context of globalization and rapid technological developments, handloom sector is beset with
many challenges and the handloom products are being replicated on powerlooms at much lower
price. There is a need to strengthen this sector given the employment potential and market
demand for handloom products. Hence product diversification through innovative printing is
very much essential for the survival of this rich cultural heritage of India. Innovative and novel
designs can be produced on handloom cotton fabric by adopting different innovative printing
methods without involving costly infrastructure to create fancy effect on the handloom products
for the ever changing fashion market.

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In Tirap District of Arunachal, the main tribes are the Nokteys who have no tradition of weaving.
But their neighbors, the Wanchoos, who were head-hunters until about four decades ago, carry
their memories of head-hunting in their woven artifacts. The wives and daughters of the
Chieftains use a miniature loin-loom on which they weave µlengtis¶ (loin-cloths) for the men and
shoulder bags. On a warp of coarse cotton like fiber, designs in vivid red, orange, yellow,
outlined with black are woven in. Stylized human figures stand out while there are also
geometrical patterns. These designs are also replicated in the beadwork of this tribe, which is
quite outstanding.

Besides the Wanchoos, the Singphos, a Buddhist tribe who migrated into Tirap from the northern
parts of Burma, are also skilled weavers who continue their traditions of weaving and design,
which they had brought with them. This is corroborated by comparing specimens made across
the border by the µChingphos¶ of Burma.

Quite different in character is the style of weaving practiced by the Apatanis of the Ziro plateau
in Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. While the women folk wear coarse skirts in a natural
colored fiber with borders in blue, the jackets for the men are quite fashionable. On a white
cotton warp, black designs are woven in wool. After a few inches, an orange thread runs
horizontally through the pattern, which is quite striking. The jacket is woven in a straight piece
divided into two halves on the loin-loom itself to make the two fronts. The sides are joined
together leaving an opening on either side for the armholes. Incidentally, the Mishmi men also
have very smart jackets woven in black with the same designs as the women¶s shawls and bags-
that is diamond patterns in red, pink and silver. Among the Adis, the men wear µgaluks¶ (short
coats generally in green cotton or even in blue).

In Kameng district, neighboring Subansiri, the Monpas and Sherdukpens who live on a higher
altitude used horses to traverse from one village to another. Now, with the advent of motor
transport the horses are mostly found on the deep rose colored shawls woven in endi silk. The
Monpas and Sherdukpens are Buddhists and their entire gamut of handicrafts such as the tankha
paintings, the wood carvings and wooden artifacts are reminiscent of the repertoire of the
Bhutanese, who follow the same techniques and use the same patterns and colors. In fact,
Bhutan¶s eastern boundary is coterminous with Kameng and it is believed that these designs
originated in Bhutan initially. The Monpas and Sherdukpens use shoulder bags extensively and
these bags are really masterpieces of the weaver¶s art. Very elaborate geometrical patterns are
skillfully blended and woven in shades of red, black, green, yellow, orange and white.

These examples are only illustrative of the variety and beauty of the many cloths, which emanate
from the loin-looms of Arunachal Pradesh. Old designs, which are hereditary, are incorporated
with newer patterns. The aeroplane, for instance, a novel sight in the Arunachal skies a few
decades ago, was woven into a Mishmi shoulder bag as a stylized motif.
With deft fingers and an elementary appliance, a woman in North- East weaves magic into her
hand-woven textiles
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