Chennai: While the art of weaving stayed in her family through generations, S. Shanthi knows that it is going to die with her generation.
Born in a family of handloom weavers in Chinnalapatti in Dindigul, she was introduced to weaving early in her life, and she said, even though her children know the art but they have found other means to livelihood due to the low returns from the job.
“My daughter did BE and is now working in Vellore. If the income from weaving was good, even after getting degrees, the younger generations can still be into the weaving business,” she told Deccan Chronicle. But after investing money and time, low sales and lower incomes from weaving make the younger generations opt out of this.
Shanthi was one of the many women and members of self help groups (SHGs) exhibiting saris weaved by them and other items at the Magalir Mela, an exhibition organized at Mother Teresa women's complex.
To improve their earnings, many of these weaving families come to Chennai and exhibit their products in the hope of earning some more money. “We come to Chennai once in three months. It helps us with more sales to boost our income. Some people who don't prefer exhibiting here miss out the opportunity to earn here,” she added.
With powerloom taking over the handloom sector too, the handloom weavers are dwindling by the day, said Sumathi Murugesan of Rasipuram. “I have moved to power loom 15 years ago, and not many of our kids are interested in doing this. Apart from low earnings, one of the reasons is the increased expense. The cost of thread, electricity costs have increased over the years so it is not seen to be fruitful,” she added.
