SRIKAKULAM: In the current era of fastchanging lifestyles, survival has become a question mark to the weavers of Ponduru in Srikakulam district rather than preserving the glorious past of khadi and their legacy of professional art work. The Ponduru khaddar, where Gandhi's true spirit rests, is on its way to oblivion notwithstanding the huge demand from all parts of country.
There were about 110 weavers in the early 1990s but many have quit the profession since then for want of encouragement. Today, around 70 weavers remain in the profession but are struggling to meet both ends meet. Except for a couple of weavers, others can only weave dhotis, shirting and towels. They are engaged by the Andhra Fine Khadi Karmikabhivruddhi Sangham (AFKKS) of Ponduru which was started during 194950.
There are now just four weavers who can weave the Jamdani saree- the fine Khadi art- a special design of sarees popular in various parts of India and abroad. Though the demand is growing for this saree despite the changing lifestyles, the AFKKS is unable to accept the orders for the famous Jamdani saree design. The last saree was specially woven in 2010 for none other than President Prathibha Patil.
"We had about 10 designers of Jamdani by the early 2000s. But only four are left now. Among the four, three have given up the profession on poor vision and other health grounds apart from the reason that the profession is no more lucrative. Now only weaver, 62yearold Basava Mohan, can design the Jamdani saree and it was he who designed the last saree that was given to the President," says a weaver.
Only red cotton and hill cotton, grown in Srikakulam district, and the Punasa cotton, grown around Gollaprolu in East Godavari district, are used to weave the Ponduru khadi. Gold zari, imported from Surat in Gujarat, is mostly uses in the design of dhotis and the Jamdani saree. "About `60,000 worth of gold zari is being imported every year from Surat to produce dhotis which are available in about 30 designs," says AFKKS president AP Suryam. The cotton is supplied to spinners, who are about 1,000 in number, and the spun yarn is supplied to weavers to weave dhotis and shirtings. The Sangham has now about 70 weavers from Burja, Sigadam, Santakaviti and Ponduru. The number may go down still further as the younger generation is not interested in the profession.
A family of at least four can weave nine dhotis, which comprise a bundle, right from spinning the cotton to weaving the final product, and takes them 50 days to complete the work. The weaver is paid Rs. 450 a dhoti and is left with returns of
Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 2,500 after incidental expenses. "The returns are just sufficient for them to survive and are not at all lucrative," says B Mohan Rao.
The AFKKS is rejecting orders for the Jamdani saree. A bundle of six sarees needs six months to make. And, unless six orders are received and grouped, it will not be viable in view of the high costs involved and the Sangham will have to incure loss. In the absence of professional art designers, the show is running with normal Khadi works.
In the preIndependence peiod, when khadiclad freedom fighters inspired the world, Mahatma Gandhi was surprised by the fineness of the khadi produced at Ponduru. "Weaving khadi is an art. The spinning wheel is itself an exquisite piece of machinery, representing simplicity in its purest form. It sits well on the shoulders of the poor" wrote Mahatma Gandhi in the Young India in 1927.
THE LAST MAN STANDING
The only one left in the profession who can design the worldfamous Jamdani saree, which is a rage among the political class and the rich of the country, is toying with the idea of quitting the profession which he says is not lucrative enough for him and the four members of his family. But, but he is ready to teach the art to anyone interested in order rescue the art from dying. But the response is poor.
Basava Mohan Rao taught his two sons the Jamdani weaving art but lack of patronage made them look for greener pastures elsewhere. "My repeated appeals to the Sangham, which has no designer, to employ one of my sons have fallen on deaf ears in the past two decades. Frustrated, Govindarajulu and Ganesh have given up the profession. Now my sons are forcing me to give up the profession but my passion for the art is not letting me to do it. But I have stopped accepting new orders after I wove the last saree for President Prathiba Patil," he says.
Mohan Rao, who does not own a house, was provided a rented accommodation by the Sangham.
If Mohan Rao quits the work or dies, the great art praised by the entire world is sure to die. But the Sangham says it cannot conduct training classes to weavers for want of funds.
"We have fame but not sufficient food and money to survive. How can and how long can we feed our families with fame?" Mohan Rao asks in anguish. "Weaving of ordinary dhotis is just what is keeping us going," he adds.
