BENGALURU: The handloom sector in Karnataka is in a poor state and the governments (Centre and the State) have to energise it on a war footing, says Bengaluru-based fashion designer Prasad Bidapa.
“Both silk and cotton sectors, are in very bad state. Silk is a 3,000-year-old tradition in Karnataka. And today, it is in woeful state--not the force that it once was.”
The Silk Belt of Karnataka — stretching from Bengaluru to Mysuru through the towns of Ramanagara, Channapatna, Mandya and Srirangapatna is, indeed, in a state of neglect.
“There was a time when the silk yarns from Karnataka were used to make the great saris of India, from Benaras to Kanchipuram to Molakalmuru to Patola, but now we see them using cheap Chinese silk,” Bidapa rues.
Bidapa who has spent over four decades in the fashion industry, has been speaking up for Khadi and the handloom traditions. Sharing his experience, he points out how Khadi and handloom sectors across India have fallen prey to the powerloom, with successive governments turning a blind eye to the problem.
“Our current government promotes skill development, but there is no mention of our traditional spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing and other hand skills.
"Why is this situation so difficult for the government to tackle? This should be taken up on a war footing. India is the last country in the world to possess these exquisite skills ... should we not preserve them?” Bidapa asks.
In his own way, Bidapa says, he has extended support to Gandhian activist Prasanna’s satyagraha for a “sacred economy” as that can benefit millions of artisans.
Sacred economy is one in which, all the systems of production can generate maximum number of jobs with minimum investment, and minimum damage to the environment.
The ‘scared’ economy is labour-intensive and nature-friendly.
On the measures needed to be taken to encourage the sector, Bidapa says, “First, we need to create direct markets for our artisans to flourish — both on business-to-consumer and business-to-business platforms.
"We need to stop devaluing Khadi and handloom products as the real fact is that these are exquisite luxury handmade products which must have a high value and image. We need to revive our silk industry and make it glorious again.”
Bidapa is associated with the Rajasthan Government’s effort to contemporise and promote traditional textiles like Khadi and Kota Doria and processes like hand block printing and Leheriya.
“We brought in the biggest designers of India to work with the artisans in helping them develop new products. We have been doing this since 2015 and every year, we present a massive exhibition of the new products with fashion shows and promotions called Rajasthan Heritage Week. We have achieved a 400 per cent increase in turnover,” he says.
“We need to do this in Karnataka as well. I have been approaching the government regularly, and have got a promise that they will initiate the project soon. I can only hope and pray that they will do so.”