ABSTRACT

From times immemorial, the craft of has been an integral part of ’s culture and tradition. The artisans used to be held in high regard, but with the industrial revolution setting the scene from 19th century, these artisans have been deprived of the basic rights and amenities required for their wellbeing. The main issue dealt in this research paper is about the challenges the artisans face these days that hinders their growth. To address this issue, we had formulated a study plan which required me to take part in group discussions and actual site visit. Actually visiting helped me understand the history and the revival of the craft in depth. The visit also aided in taking first hand experiences of the artisan through interview which was helpful in understanding the actual issues at hand. The interviews and the inputs given by the people mentioned in the references were very valuable in analyzing the data and finding out the prospects to overcome the issues faced by the custodians of the resilient, yet fragile tradition.

OBJECTIVE

The idea behind this project is to capture the pure, untainted spirit of the craftsmen. The intent was to methodically record and document the threat this exquisite craft is facing and to address the issues faced by the artisans who toil hard to nurture this craft.

The handicrafts and various other artefacts are of the major factors that determine the identity of a civilization. In the days of yore, Indian handicrafts and its artisans were held in high esteem and were even patronized by the governing bodies. But the outbreak of industrial revolution in 19th century stripped the artisans off their only source of livelihood. Although the government did take efforts to secure this sector, the threat of industrialization continued to affect the artisans.

These artisans live in unhealthy clusters and are deprived of basic amenities due to highly unstable income. The research paper deals with the decline of the status of the artisans, and the challenges encountered by them.

METHODOLOGY

To achieve the objectives a study was planned which involved various aspects such as photography, documentary and branding, which this research paper was a part of. The first part of the entire procedure included group discussions, which helped us devise the further plan of action to document Paithani. Discussion with the project guide, Ms. Anandi Kelkar helped me formulate the questionnaire to conduct the interviews of the artisans and the owner of the Bashir Silk Factory. A brief research was conducted with the help of inputs from the project guide along with the inputs from Mrs. Garima Bhalla, the Head of the Department of Bachelors of Design programme.

The second phase of the project was to actually visit the city of Paithani and meticulously document and put in words, the process of Paithani weaving, its history, the process and last, but not the least, the threats that this craft faces. Observing the entire procedure and speaking to the artisan – Aarifa Begum in person gave me insights, which were useful for this research paper as well as the entire project.

The last part was to come back home, and compile all the gathered information and present it in front of the jury, who was Mr. Hemang Agarwal, whose inputs only helped me to improvise this research paper further.

INTRODUCTION

The Paithani , the most celebrated and traditionally fashionable fabric of Maharashtra is usually worn by women belonging to economically sound families. It is somewhat coming back into fashion again. While the sari is sometimes also made of cotton-weave, the elegance of silk texture is far superior to that of cotton. Besides, cotton is not so elastic as to bear the weight of and silver threads. Recently a low priced variety of artificial silk and had come into the market. Because of the introduction of this low priced variety of Paithani , the demand for the traditional pure silk and gold brocade has fallen. And the low level of aesthetic awareness among the younger generation, threatens the existence of the original weave. Arshi Ahmed Qureshi, owner of the Bashir Silk Factory in Aurangabad says, “Evidence from archives of the Peshwa period shows that Paithani Sari was very popular among the members of the Maratha-Mandal. Because of its increasing demand in Maratha – Mandal, the powerful Maratha nobles tried to set Paithani weaving industries at their own headquarters at Poona, Indore, , Kolhapur, Miraj, Nasik, Baroda, etc. As a result, of the types of Paithani- were manufactured at these centres too.” But the imitations remained far inferior in their texture and decoration as compared to the traditional Paithani of . Perhaps the ethos of Paithan has something to do with its craft and the new centres were bereft of it. Since then, Because of its dazzling colours and beautiful motifs, it attracts all sorts of persons, ranging from warriors to merchants and from kings to paupers.

In today’s era, Paithani has become indispensable apparel for brides. Brides clad in these graceful Paithani brocades, and present a picturesque sight at weddings and at other religious ceremonies.

HISTORY

Maharashtra is known for its rich and exquisite traditional handloom and handicrafts. Hand-woven textiles like Paithani brocades that have existed for more than 2000 years in original patterns and woven with the same techniques even today, are prized heirlooms and possessions for many. New techniques and products were introduced by different dynasties, which ruled the state from time to time. These have left an indelible impression on the history of hand-woven textiles and handcrafted arts of Maharashtra. As with many other crafts in , weaving and the associated crafts were handed down from generation to generation, the art remaining within the family of the craftsman.

The Godavari is the Deccan’s longest and the broadest river, not surpassed in size even by the Krishna. Its resultant holy status often causes it to be referred to as the Dakshin Ganga. Since the Ganga has been the most important river for agriculture in North India or perhaps the whole of India, many villagers living on the banks of the Godavari in Maharashtra, call the river just “Ganga”.

It is almost a perennial river, or at least was till some of the big dams appeared. It is a boon of life due to continuous source of water which helps flourish the agriculture and is fit for human consumption in the semi-arid land of Maharashtra.

Paithan or Pratishthan as it was called the Kashi of the Deccan in the days of yore because of the ceaseless source of fresh water provided by Godavari. Historically it was the most important city on the banks of the Godavari. The fact that so many of Maharashtra’s poet saints lived there, were born there or at least made a there, also gives it a consonance to Banaras in its being.

But having also been the capital of several Deccan kings for centuries and being religious, trading and a flourishing textile center, Paithan, even today gives glimpses of its past and is at par with the meticulous planning of Mohenjo Daro.

The art is more than 2000 years old, developed in the then splendid city of Pratishthan (presently known as Paithan) ruled by the legendary Satavahanas ruler Shalivahana, by the Godavari in , some 50 km from Aurangabad. In the far past it had been an international trade centre for silk and zari. Paithan was the capital of the Satavahanas dynasty (200 B.C.) and used to export cotton and silks to the great Roman Empire. During the 17th century, patronized the weavers and the designs in this era came to be known as “Aurangzebi”. The topographic background of the region was the key factor in shaping the economy of the people. The richness of minerals, the fertility of the soil, and the forest resources had determined the nature and scope of the economic activity that ensued there.

Paithan had the advantage of all these factors to aid the growth of business and economy from ancient through medieval periods and retained the status of a great centre for trade and commerce. Not just Indian exports such as cotton, silk, ivory, peas and pepper were in great demand in Greco-Roman world, but the demand for cotton and silk went on increasing due to their fine texture and elegance and the skill and craftsmanship’s that lay behind them.

To know the tastes of the Western people in fabric and to study them, Satavahanas kings dispatched a number of ambassadors to western countries. Paithan being the capital of the Satavahanas, emerged and prospered into an important centre of textile production under the special patronage of the Satavahana rulers. It remained important in the field of textile production till the early decades of the 20th century. The complex art of textile weaving could not have spread out suddenly. But since the agriculture around Paithan provided such a substance it is likely that the trade grew to substantial proportions even before the coming of the Satavahanas the then existing demand for textiles must have already increased to large proportion, and a section of the society must have taken already to master the art of weaving, since the craft received special favours from the rulers.

The Mughal Age After the invasion of Alludin Khilji, Deccan became a part of the northern empire and various Sultans of Delhi tried to control the affairs of Deccan from their capital. Mohammed Tughlaq, the immediate successor of the Khiljis, not being satisfied with this, shifted his capital along with the empire from Delhi to Devagiri which was renamed as Daulatabad by him. This change brought a shift in the life-style of the people of the Deccan as it was the first time ever that they came into contact with Islamic culture along with their way of life.

The shifting of the capital offered a very good opportunity to the local weavers, since, because of the sudden increase in the population of the region, the demand for textiles also increased. As Mohammed Tughlaq was quite taken up with the locally designed patterns of the silks of Paithan and of Devagiri, he patronised the weavers of these centres which got them royal favour in good measure.

The advent of into the Deccan widened the scope of textile activities. During this phase, Paithan adopted the Islamic techniques of textile manufacture, but at the same time never gave up on its own characteristic pattern. During this prolonged phase (i.e. 1350 AD to 1700 AD) some Hindu families of the weavers at Paithan were converted to Islam. The present class of the Momins might be the converted Hindu weavers. “It is interesting to note that these Momins retained the art of the traditional Hindu brocade weaving”, says Arshi Ahmed Qureshi. So from the artistic point of view, the fact of being Hindu or Muslim does not seem to have mattered much, since it was the skill and devotion of the artist that continued to be important to the weavers of both communities.

Maratha Period As far as the textile activities at Paithan were concerned, the arrival of the Marathas opened a new avenue. The Maratha rulers had a special regard for Paithan and its textile, as Paithan was a sacred place for the Hindus.

Later on, the rulers of the Bhosale lineage, like Sambhaji and others continued the same policy towards Paithan and continued to visit the place but in another context, a traditional one. All of them loved the textiles of Paithan and came there to buy, or sent a number of items through their agents who later on came to be known as Sahukars (money lending merchants). These Sahukars of Paithan played a vital role in the later period of Maratha history. Bajirao Peshwa too visited Paithan quite often. He not only continued to patronize the craft, but was so impressed by the captivating patterns of textiles that he included the territory in his personal jahagir.

Paithani weave was at the peak of its popularity during the reign of the Peshwas. The Peshwas in the 18th century had a special love for Paithani textiles. “It is believed that the Nizam of Hyderabad was also attracted to the Paithanis and made several trips to the small town of Paithan. His daughter-in-law, Niloufer, is believed to have introduced new motifs to the border designs”, says Anandi Kelkar, my guide for this research paper.

ROLE OF COMMUNITY

So it is now time we knew something about the artisans who manufactured this valuable fabrics, and brought about this great commercial activity and were responsible for nurturing a craft that produced so much prosperity.

Dyers Locally they are known as the ‘Rangaris.’ They are hereditary dyers and belong to both Hindu and Muslim communities. The weavers of Yeola dye the themselves which is purchased from or . Silk dyeing and bleaching is supporting about 4 to 6 families in Yeola. Yarn silk is bleached and dyed by the dyers and then handed over to the weaver.

Weavers Locally they are known as ‘salis’. It is believed that Paithan is the original home of the ‘salis’ of Maharashtra. From Paithan they migrated to other places in the region. Sometimes the migrations were voluntary and at others, they were due to force of circumstance. The Sali’s were divided into two classes the Maratha Salis and the Padma Salis. But As far as the present township of Paithan is concerned, there is an independent suburb known as Saliwada for the weaving community. Their number is about 30 percent of the total population. Among them there are certain families who still retain the traditional forms of craftsmanship.

Momins: Most of them, it is believed were converted from the Hindu Salis or Koshtis. They are skilled both in dyeing and weaving and they prefer silk weaving and embroidery to cotton weaving. Like the Salis they have their separate unit of habitation known as Mominpura.

Koshtis: Like the Salis they weave with both cotton and silk thread. But the majority of them are more inclined to cotton weaving than to silk. Their forte has been weaving of cotton-, locally known as ‘Sutada’.

Patwegars and Patwekaris: The name is derived from ‘Patta’, a silk band. They are both weavers and dyers. Today, their main job is to prepare silk for and to wind gold threads on the silk threads known as Kalabatu. They help the weavers by providing them clean silk and Kalabatu threads.

Traders/Manufacturers The traders are the main force of this industry. It is the new class stood between the weavers and the customers. This class monopolised the markets and both the weavers and the customers had to depend on them.

The traders generally perform dual work of selling the products in the market and keep a liaison among the production chain. At present, even the traders are also involved in the process of manufacturing of the sari by employing different value chain professionals. The traders decide what articles are to be produced and which artisans are to be involved.

INTERVIEWS

Aarifa Begum Aarifa Begum, the master craftsperson is weaving Paithani sarees from last 35 years. She belongs to the third generation from her family who is into the craft of weaving Paithani. Her specialty is weaving motifs like Bangadi Mor and Ajanta Lotus, which may take six to 12 months to complete. She has a set up at her place so that she can work at her convenience. Aarifa Begum would like her future generations to learn the art and skill that goes into Paithani weaving and nurture this fragile tradition.

Arshi Ahmed Qureshi Arshi Ahmed Qureshi belongs to the seventh generation of Bashir silk factory that was established by his ancestors. His great grandfather has a made a major contribution in the revival of Paithani and ancient motifs such as Ajanta Lotus, Asavali, etc. that were once completely wiped out. Arshi Ahmed Qureshi still carries the legacy started by his ancestors and is contributing a lot to boost the craft of Paithani weaving.

DATA ANALYSIS

Listed below are the common problems expressed by the Paithani weavers. If they could be helped with these problems, there is a good chance for the craft to develop even further.

Low Income Paithani artisans receive a very low income despite the long working hours. The artisans get only about six to seven thousand rupees a month which they find extremely low in comparison to the work they do. It should be borne in mind that the Paithani artisan is a poor person whose livelihood depends on the small earnings. The little income reduces the already meagre profit margin and kills the incentive to develop.

No Recognition The art of Paithani weaving has been handed down from generations to centuries by the handloom weavers. Their method of weaving remains the same, as it was hundreds of years ago, and the original looms are still in use. However it was despairing to know, that the creators of such masterpieces don’t get any recognition or credits for the work that they do. One of the solutions could be conducting exhibitions so that the artisans get a platform to showcase their talent. Moreover, the artisans can be educated about the latest technologies which can be an aid to them to create their own website and make themselves along with the craft, known to the world. Such initiatives by the government can get them the recognition and credits they want and deserve.

Lack of Growth “The Paithani saris look beautiful, have a sentimental value but sadly enough, it has very few takers. Its declining popularity has been attributed to its traditional look, high price, stiffness of fabric and traditional motifs,” say Reena Bhatia and Deepti Desai in their research paper about sustaining the traditional Paithani Saree weaving of Maharashtra, India. The problem of stagnation or lack of growth can be overcome by launching the Paithani in various forms like scarfs, stoles, Kurtas into the market fit for the modern pool of buyers who have the power to churn the retail industry through their buying power. Making the fabric more user friendly, but at the same time retaining the traditional colours and motifs of the craft for the masses could be done to overcome this problem.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the challenges faced by the artisans are too big to avoid and left to a handful of manufacturers. Moreover, the little income that they get for the back-breaking work that they do is leaves no room for their economic development. Whereas there is an urgent need to cater to the antediluvian traditional handicraft practices. There is also a dire need for restructuring the policies and strategize for further planning to give back the artisans what they deserve.

BIBLIOGRPAHY & REFERENCES

A study of the handloom for the Ministry of Textiles – retrived on 11th October, 2015 http://handlooms.nic.in/writereaddata/Paithani%20sarees%20and%20Dress%20Mater ials635701517283000941.pdf

The Woven Silks of India – Published by Dhamija J

Research paper about sustaining the traditional Paithani Saree weaving of Maharashtra, India by Reena Bhatia and Deepti Desai

Inputs by:

Anandi Kelkar – Project Guide Garima Bhalla – Head of the Department of Bachelors of Design Arshi Ahmed Qureshi – Owner, Bashir Silk Factory Aarifa Begum – artisan Hemang Agarwal – Fashion Designer

Research Paper by Ruchi Shewade