Odisha Review February-March - 2014 A Management Approach to Sambalpuri Sari with a Sign of Cultural Facets Nihar Mohapatra Introduction on child labour and use of certain dyes and Woven textiles are one of the oldest techniques chemicals etc will be posing serious obstacles to developed by people the world over. Earlier, the export, while opening the doors to import of woven cloth protected the body from the heat textiles. In the today’s world, changes relating to and cold, and later developed into a form of dress, globalisation have become inevitable and which expressed the cultural values of the people irreversible. Handloom industry is required to be and their identity. The art of weaving and dyeing strengthened adequately for meeting these of fabrics was practiced in India from very ancient emerging challenges by exploiting its inherent times. It was such an important part of the life of strength. the ancient times that many of its techniques gave Handlooms in India the name to philosophical and religious thought. Evidences of weaving practiced in India The global textile scenario is changing and are found in epics like Ramayana and gradually the production base is shifting to Mahabharata that speak in length about the craft. developing nations due to more than one reason. The Indian ‘sari’ has been in existence for more Trade blocs and non-tariff barriers will be among than 5000 years which is mentioned in the Vedas. the challenges that will emerge in the changed Some versions of the history of Indian clothing market scenario. The industry will have to trace the sari back to the Indus valley civilization, integrate itself and go in for vertical specialization which flourished in 2800-1800 BC. It is the basic to take on the challenges. Importance of wear of rural people of India. handloom lies in its ability in generating non- agricultural employment in rural areas. Phasing out India has a rich cultural heritage of of the multi-fibre arrangement (MFA) and handloom industry and world famous functioning of the World Trade Organization workmanship of hand-woven textiles. Fascinating (WTO) are likely to pose new challenges for the motifs and super design of the fabric assigned handloom industry. Removal of controls required special importance to the sector. India has the under MFA and WTO will increase competition largest handlooms industry in the world. The between developing economies while permitting handloom sector, with a long tradition of excellence the developed economies to retain protection over in craftsmanship, not only plays an important role their textile sector. Non-tariff measures like ban in preserving the country’s heritage and culture, it 130 February-March - 2014 Odisha Review also makes a major contribution to the economy. growing competition posed by the modern textile India’s strength derives from its traditional industry, the handloom industries has steadily production which commands premium value in deteriorated over the last decade, rendering the global market. The diversified fibre base and thousands of weavers to unemployed and under skilled manpower are the strength. Handloom employed resulting in large scale closure of several products from India enjoy international reputation societies and production units. and have a good demand in the global market, Position of Odisha in Handloom contributing a significant portion of the nation’s GDP. Sheer love of handloom products, its Odisha is a beautiful state enriched with cultural richness and heritage, and exquisite huge agricultural landscape and enormous forest designs and patterns have brought this industry products. Across the unending green fields and into global spotlight. Handloom centres also serve forests, the harmonic and rhythmic picking sound as tourist spots attracting a large amount of of a fly shuttle in most of the rural huts indicates foreigners. Thus tourism industry is also indirectly the importance of the handloom industry and it’s benefited. role in the economy of Odisha. The picking sound Historically famous few of the hand is waved from more than 1,20,000 nos. of woven textiles of India are Baluchar sari of handlooms and this sound provides livelihood to Varanasi, Bandanis of Kutch, Brocades of more than 5 lakhs of weavers directly and more Banaras, Chanderi saris of Madhya Pradesh, than this indirectly in cultivation of cotton, ginning Georgettes of Mysore (Karnataka), Ikat saris of of cotton and marketing of handloom products. Odisha, Jamdhani saris of Bengal, Karalkuddi The sari is a traditional female garment in the Indian saris of Kerala, Kora cotton saris of Coimbatore, Subcontinent consisting of a strip of unstitched Paithani shalu of Maharashtra, Patolas and cloth ranging from four to nine metres in length Tanchois of Gujarat, Rathwa loincloth of Chhota that is draped over the body in various styles. Udaipur and Temple silks of South from “Khandua” of Cuttack, “Habaspur” and Kancheepuram, Arni, Dharmavaram etc. India “Bomkai” of Kalahandi, “Kotpad” of Koraput, owes lots of cultural identity to its rich handloom “Parda” of Khurda, “Kusumi” of Nayagarh, heritage. But with liberalization of Indian economy, “Saktapar” and “Bichitrapar” of Bargarh and the modern textile industry has posed serious Sambalpur etc. are the unique traditional products threat to the traditional handloom industry. Still, reflecting the essence of traditional way of life with there are many advocates of handloom for expression of their unparallel depth, range, reasons including ideology, philosophy, sheer love strength and craftsmanship. In contrast to the for handloom products and economic arguments. mosaic like appearance of “Patola” of Gujurat, However, irrespective of the policies, projects and “Checkboard” and “Chowk” design of aspirations arising out of various quarters, the Puchampali, Andhra Pradesh and “Bandhni” of handloom sector is undergoing changes that are Rajsthan, the appearance of design and forms of impacting the livelihoods of handloom weavers. Odisha have a soft curvilinear effect. Odisha’s The weakening position of handloom sector in handloom base is made of two distinct types of the wake of global competition of textile industry products, the low quality plain fabrics that are used has posed a serious threat to the socio-economic for towels, dhotis and plain saris and the other of life of the traditional weaver communities. With high quality, design intensive tie and dye ‘Ikat’ 131 Odisha Review February-March - 2014 and ‘Bomkai’ fabrics. While the first category of ‘Bandhakala’, the Tie-dye art reflected in their low quality – low skill handloom production has intricate weaves, also known as Sambalpuri been facing the stiff competition from power looms “Ikat”. Traditionally, craftsmen created Baandhas at the price front, the other category of high skill- with images of flora or fauna or with geometrical high quality fabrics, which have brought fame for patterns. More recently, new types of Baandha the state, have not been able to reach out to the depicting portrait, landscape and flowerpots are desired markets in a sustained manner. being designed. The designs in the sari are derived from our culture, tradition and mythology like Sambalpuri Sari as a Presentation of Odisha Ramayan, Mahabharat, Jaganath culture and folk Culture tales of Odisha. Different kinds of arts are:- Odisha has a history of exporting Panchabati:- Resembles to panchabati handloom to south-East Asia countries like Forest, in which lord Rama had a Thailand, Java and Borneo. Sambalpuri saris are “Vanavasha.Konarka Chaka:- Resembles to the a symbol of tradition, culture and intricate “Art and Creativity of Konarka Chariot Wheel”. technique. They have long been an important part Asaman Tara:- Resembles to the “Shining Stars of the ethnic Indian female attire and have been of sky. Nandighosha:- Resembles to the “Chariot unadulterated in the present western culture of Lord Jagannath of Ratha Yatra”. Sankha:- inspired apparel world. Sambalpuri Sari is a Resembles to the “Mythological Use of Sankha”. traditional hand woven Ikat sari where in the warp Bichitrapuri:- Resembles to the “Variation of Ikat and the weft is tie-dyed before weaving. Today on Borders; the designs are repeated three or the Baandha fabric is popularly known by its more times”. Passapalli:- Resembles to the “Folk geographical and cultural name Sambalpuri owing Tradition”. Taa-poi: - Resemble to the “Story of to the pioneering efforts of Sri Radhashyam Taa- Poi and Boita Bandana, Festival of Odishan Meher, who brought about a radical improvement folk culture”. in the skills of the craftsmen and the quality of the products. Tie-dye weaving in western Odisha Before 1950’s the products mix of came in to existence during mid of 14th century Sonepur clusters were cotton saris and Dhotis. and borrowed from Raipur, Chhatisgarh. King During this period only natural dyes were used Ramai Dev of Patnagarh had invited 100 weavers’ this was due to unavailability of synthetic dyes. In families who were skilled in tie and dye art. These 1950’s, late Padamshree Krutartha Acharya weavers belonging to Bhulia community and their established a handloom unit in Sonepur by title is “Meher”. Sambalpuri saris are a symbol of installing 200 handlooms. In 1954, Dr. Acharya tradition, culture and intricate technique. They have converted his firm into cooperative society named Sambalpuri Bastrayala Handloom Cooperative long been an important part of the ethnic Indian Society Ltd, Bargarh, which is at present stand female attire and have been unadulterated in the as a leading PWCS of not only the State but also present western culture inspired apparel world. of the country. Synthetic dyes were introduced Sambalpuri saris are known for their by Padamshree Krutartha Acharya during 1960s, incorporation of traditional motifs like shankha some loom upgradations has been done. To (shell), chakra (wheel), phula (flower), all of provide protection to the weavers practicing this which have deep symbolism, but the highpoint of art, the handloom saris manufactured these saris is the traditional craftsmanship of the in Sambalpur Odisha were included in the India’s 132 February-March - 2014 Odisha Review Geographical (GI) registry.