Modernisationof Handlooms for Silk Saree Weaving: A Techno-Economic Analysis
Researchis being carried out in all spheres of mechanism to reduce the human drudgeryby modernizing the mechanism and adopting the new technology time to time. Inweaving industry, the technological modernisation has started from loin loom -throw shuttle weaving, to shuttle less weaving and multiphase weavingtechnology. In fact, throw shuttle weaving loom is the true handloom. Themodernisation of the handloom had started, the day when the invention of flyshuttle started.
Duringthe past two decades, in many silk hand loom clusters, the pit looms used forsilk saree weaving have been totally modernized with many technicaldevelopments by dispensing the old techniques used in preparatory, jacquardweaving and designing processes. The techno- economics of modernisation of handloomsfor silk saree weaving is studied by collecting the technical and economicaldetails of different handloom varieties woven in four villages in Tamil Nadu,namely Thiruvalam (near Vellore), Thirumalpur (near Kancheepuram),Athimalaipattu (near Arni) and Onnupuram (near Arni). The different outcome ofthe study is compared to know the present social status of the weavers.
This article was originally published in the Textile Review magazine,May 2013 issue, published by Saket Projects Limited, Ahmedabad.
Aboutthe Authors:
R.G.Panneerselvam is the Director of Indian Institute of Handloom Technology atVaranasi (UP).
L. Rathakrishnan is theProfessor in RIM, Gandhigram Rural Institute at Gandhigram (TN).
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