A Threadbare Existence: Balaramapuram Handloom weavers face doom

Time of India

6 hours ago

T'puram: Mohanan still works hard at the oldest handloom weaving machine (kuzhithari) on Saliyar Street in Balaramapuram to earn a living, despite a meagre daily wage of Rs 250. Though his daughter is a PhD holder and history professor, Mohanan refuses to leave the profession that raised his family and helped his daughter reach greater heights.
"I hardly get Rs 250 a day. But I get Rs 1,600 monthly as pension from the state govt. What gives me more satisfaction is the Rs 5,000 my daughter gives me to pay off our loan dues," the 72-year-old says with quiet pride.
Saliyar Street, known for its rich handloom legacy, has been home to traditional weaving since 1798. The street's origin traces back to the Travancore royal era, when weavers from Saliyar community at Valliyoor in present Tirunelveli district were brought to Balaramapuram by the then King Balarama Varma to supply fine handloom garments to the palace.
Back then, five families were asked to settle at the place. What started as a royal initiative grew into a thriving cottage industry, supporting nearly 500 families.
The street still echoes with the rhythmic beat of looms, despite facing existential challenges. The proud heritage of Balaramapuram handloom is now caught in the tangled threads of economic hardship, fading patronage and a market overrun by cheap machine-made alternatives.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Despite the toil, weavers like Mohanan find joy in their work. "I can't sit idle at home. I have been doing this for 50 years and I still enjoy it," he says. His wife, Thankam, 67, also shares the same commitment, working on the traditional "shuttle adi thari" (shuttle loom). It is the oldest type of weaving loom which uses a shuttle containing a bobbin of filling yarn that appears through a hole situated in the side. The shuttle is batted across the loom and during this process, it leaves a trail of the filling at the rate of about 110 to 225 picks per minute (ppm).
"We still follow the traditional method, no electricity, no machines, just our hands and our heritage," says Mohanan, a fourth-generation weaver. He is seated on a creaky wooden loom in the front room of his tiled-roof house, the only space he can afford to dedicate to his work.
On a modest verandah along this historic lane, 83-year-old Valliamma spins on her spinning wheel with infectious energy. "I have been weaving for 70 years.
I have seen this street grow and shrink. It fed my family and taught my children," she says. Her children, settled in other places, still visit to reconnect with their roots. "They tell me their success is stitched with the threads I spun," she smiles. But Valliamma also voices concern about the younger generation.
"They don't want this life. They want the city, the office jobs. I don't blame them, but who will keep this alive?"
That same question bothers Nayinar, 70, another veteran weaver and a degree holder among the older generation.
He used to study by lamplight after hours of work at the loom. "My son and daughter are both engineers now," he says, visibly proud. "I wanted them to escape the hardships we had. This loom paid their fees, bought their books and sent them to hostels." Despite his education, Nayinar chose to stay with the loom.
"Someone had to earn. Education doesn't mean leaving tradition, it means understanding its value," he says. Like others, he now worries about the street's future.
"When I am gone, will someone take my place here?" he asks.
Balaramapuram was once a jewel in Kerala's cultural crown. Its handloom products were patronised by royalty and later by politicians, celebrities and foreign tourists. But today, handloom faces an existential crisis. Power looms from Tamil Nadu and synthetic fabrics from Gujarat and China dominate the market.
A few houses away, Padma, a 59-year-old lean widow, is all focused on her loom with practised ease.
"I started weaving when I was 14. This work funded my life, my children's schooling and even my daughter's wedding," she says. However, she was also apprehensive about the earnings she got. "Even after a day's toil on the loom, I get Rs 200 to 250. But I can manage with this income along with my widow pension," Padma says.
Promises, but no change
The govt announces schemes year after year, but the ground reality remains grim.
"There was a time when we had bulk orders from Kerala State Handloom Development Corporation and co-operative societies," says Paramasivam, a weaver for over 40 years. "Now we get maybe one order in two months. We are living hand to mouth," he says. Many weavers like Paramasivam complain that the cooperative societies, once their lifeline, are defunct or riddled with corruption.
Covid dealt a devastating blow to an already fragile sector.
Orders stopped, exhibitions were cancelled and stocks piled up unsold. "We had invested in raw materials in early 2020," recalls Muthulakshmi, a weaver. "Then came the lockdown. We couldn't sell anything for months. Even now, we haven't recovered," she adds. With no social security net, most weavers had to pawn whatever valuables they had or take loans from local moneylenders at high interest rates.
The new generation, having seen their parents struggle, is abandoning the craft.
"I left weaving three years ago," says Mahesh Kumar P, 31, who now works as a delivery executive in Thiruvananthapuram. "I didn't want to live my whole life waiting for payments that never come," he says. Many youths also work in hotels and restaurants nearby for a good pay. Out of nearly 2,000 looms once active in Balaramapuram, only less than 400 are operational today.
And even among those, many remain idle.
When contacted, Balaramapuram panchayat president V Mohanan acknowledged the dire situation.
"We are aware of the struggles of handloom workers in Saliyar Street. We have submitted a revival package proposal to the state govt, including modern training, working capital support and better marketing. The hike in daily wages is also under active consideration. The district and block panchayats are also doing various kinds of welfare initiatives for the upliftment of struggling weavers.
Earlier, we had implemented several projects, but they were sabotaged by a section of textile owners.
However, we won't allow them to repeat that anymore," Mohanan says.
The state govt supports Balaramapuram handloom weavers only through its Free Handloom School Uniform Scheme, providing handloom cloth for uniforms in govt and aided schools. This initiative aims to boost the handloom industry and ensure quality uniforms for students. The scheme, a joint effort by the Department of Public Education and Handloom Department, benefits over 8,000 weavers and allied workers.
However, this is an annual work and the labourers get only a one-time payment once the uniforms are handed over to the govt schools.
Despite all these struggles, the weavers of Saliyar Street have not entirely given up. Some still believe the legacy can be maintained. The exceptional craftsmanship and superior comfort offered by Balaramapuram Handloom make them highly sought-after. The distinctive weaving equipment used by these artisans enable them to instantly recognise counterfeit versions of their creations.
The substantial workforce engaged in weaving, coupled with the product's distinguished reputation, demonstrates that Balaramapuram Handloom plays a vital role in enhancing the social and economic well-being of the weaving community.
BALARAMAPURAM HANDLOOM AN OVERVIEW
Royal patronage | Erstwhile Travancore king Maharaja Balarama Varma invited skilled Saliyar weavers from Tamil Nadu around 1798 to weave fine cotton for the royal family
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Kasavu craft | Weaving, which began with fine mundu, expanded 100 years ago with natural cream-coloured cotton saris, adorned with intricate kasavu or zari made from silver threads coated with gold, getting popular
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Stamp of approval | Balaramapuram handloom received GI status in 2009, affirming its unique craftsmanship
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Over 2,000 weavers worked actively at Saliyar Street and surrounding areas 20 years ago
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Less than 100 engage in traditional home-based weaving there now
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5,100 looms were operational in 1990 but more than 80% of weavers have quit since then, with many now running textile shops or engaged in other work
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Challenges faced
1. Competition from power looms
2. Rising cost of raw materials
3. Lack of sufficient market access for products
4. Inadequate govt support
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STATEWIDE HANDLOOM CLUSTERS
Production (co-op sector)
No. of looms: 14,064
Cloth production: 47.02 million metres
Value of production: ₹96.34cr
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Govt assistance
State govt loans: ₹109.34L
NCDC/Nabard/Hudco support: ₹6.39L
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Co-op societies
Factory-type societies: 108
Profit-making: 35
Loss-making: 73
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Key handloom centres
Kannur | Chirakkal, Azhikode, Thalassery
Thiruvananthapuram | Balaramapuram, Chirayinkeezhu
Palakkad | Chittur, Kalladikode
Ernakulam | North Paravur, Aluva (Chendamangalam)
Kozhikode | Beypore, Koyilandy
Kasaragod | Kasaragod town, Nileshwar