CENSUS OF INDIA 1981
Part - XD
SERIES 17
PUNJAB
HANDICRAFT SURVEY REPORT:
PANJA DARI
DRAFTED BY CHARAN SINGH INVESTIGATOR
EDITED BY R. K. BHATIA DY. DIRECTOR; OF CENSUS OPERATIONS
SUPERVISED BY J. Co. KALRA. JOINT DIRECTOR CENSUS OPERATIONS PUNJAB CHANDIGARH CE~Sl:S OF INDIA-1981
.\ CENTRAL GOVERNMENT Pl:BLICATTO~S
The 1981 census Reports on Punjab will bear uniformly Series No. 17 and v.rill t1l' published in following part:-
Part IA Admir.istrat10n Report- ·Enumeration (for ofllclal use only). Part IB Administration Report-Tabulation. Part 11.,\ General Population Tables-A Series ::'"l.g:e Vohme. Part TIB Primar:,>' Census A bs tract. Part :II General EC')flomic Tables. Part IV Social ar.d Cultural Tables. Part V :vIigration Tables. Part VI E'Ntility Tables. Part VI: Tables on Houses and Disabled Population Part v:u 1I(;useh()!d Tables. Part :X Specia: Tables on Scheduled Castes and Schedu!ed Tribes
Par~ XA Town Directory.
Pa"t XB SJ~ vey Rppt'rts on Selected TO\\ ns Part XC" Survey Report<; on Selected Villages.
Part XD Surn'~' Reports un Selected Handicrafts Par: XI Ethnographlc Notes and Special Studies on Scheduled Cast('s and Scheduled Tribes Par't XII r.,'ns:.ts Atlas. ., B STATE GOVERNMENT PCBLJCATlO);S
Part AlII District Census Handbook for each ~; .,·~rict ~'ar. XIlIA .:lage and Town Directory
Fart XU:B 11 iW' and Towny. I" • :)rimary Census .\b')tra .... ~.
l! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FieLd Work Charan Singh, Investigator and Malkit Singh, S.A. Tabulation Raj Pal Pathak, A.C. First and Revised Draft Charan Singh Photography, illustrations Ravinder Pal Singh, Draftsman Cover design Kulbir Singh, Artist Editing / Supervision J. C. Kalra, Joint Director R. K. Bhatia, Deputy Director G. S. Gill, Assistant Director
CONTENTS
Li::;t Df Illustrative Figurps
List 01 I'lates \11
F'orl'word ,x
Preface xi
Chapt£>r I History of Origin and DE'Yt'loplllt:'nt l)f the craft
Chapter II - -Craftsmen in Their Rural :::.etting 8
ChaptN In -Procesli of Learning 2S
Chapter rV--Manufacturing Process 3
Chapter V-Markpting
Chapter VI- Craft and Employment ::>3 5)) Chapter VII-Conclusion tts'r 6ff ILLUSTRAT10N~
1ll ustrative Description 'Pages Figure No. l. Traditional Tam (Bow) and mogra l (wooden hamn)er) I 2. TakaH (Spindle Whorl) I 39 3. Teran for preparing Skeins J 4. Stretched Taana for weaving l > 41 5. Panja or Hathhi (comb) for beating Wefts J 6. (a) Web 'and, Rachh (heddle) in beginning l >- 43 (b) The central shed shifted to extreme left J 7. A portable A-dda (frame) with details l 8. (a) Side view of single heddle web. Tension I released when shed stick is in horizontal >- position I 44 I (b) Side view of single heddle web .•Tension j
created when shed stick is in vertical I position I I 9. Basic pattern of weaving I>- 45 I 1p. Panakh or gaj (Breadth regulating too!) j
11. Outlines of some prevalent designs of daris in the villages • 47 LIST OF PLATES
Pl3te No, DescriptIon
1. Busy at traditional Vel lla (cotton ginning machine)
3. Traditional Clwrkha (Spinning Wheell 4. Woman busy in spinmng s(}')t (yam) at Charkha (Spinnin~ Wheel) 5. Woman preparing skeins with Teran 6. lJrying 01' d~t['d sllnt (yarn) for \NPlt strands 7. A ful!y strptched TaaTla (web) s. PU71ja or Hathhi (a pronged comb). as wpl1 as Teran 9. Instructions to young girl for dan \Vf'aving creating the shed and beating of wdt is also seen 10. Females busy in weaving daTi at portable Before page ';l) arlaa (framE') 11. Single female attending to weaving operation 1::!. A geoinC'trical design rcachmg cOlllp1etion in the dad 13 Lehalia (wavy) designs in woven daris as required by Khadar Bhal1dar 14. Other Leharin (wavy) d(.'signs in dafis J5. Daris of various other prevalent desif(ns in villages. 16. Daris indicati11g rabbit and Leh{lfla destglls 17. MOfe intricate nesigns on daris 18. Arrival and departure with headloaos of soot (yarn) and woven daris 19. Transactions-giving and taking oj material at Khadar Bhandar vii FOREWORD The Indian handicrafts are known the world over for their rich variety, grace, elegance and skilled craftmanshi-p. Nevertheless, a number of handicrafts because of their stiff competition with factory made products, non-availability of raw materials, exhorbitant increase in the manufacturing cost, lack of proper marketing facilities for finished products or due to a variety of other reasons have either become extinct or have reached the moribund stage. After independence, however a number of schemes were introduced by different government agencies f6r their growth and development but still this sudden impetus has helped only a few crafts to flourish and thereby become spinners of foreign exchange for the country. Despite the unique position being enjoyed by the handi crafts especially in the realm of national economy, the general awareness among the people in the country about our crafts and craftsmen had been deplorably poor. Nothing was practically known about the commodities produced, techniques employed for the manufacture of different objects, raw materials used, their availability, methods adopted for the sale of finished products etc. An attempt was therefore made in connectjon with the 1961 Census to study about 150 crafts from different parts of the country with a view' to provide basic information on those crafts which were selected for the study. At the 1971 Census, the study on handicrafts was not taken up but this was again revived in connection with the 1981 Census. There has been, however, some difference bet ween the studies taken up in connection with the Censuses of 1961 and 1981. While the 1961 studies have covered both rural and urban crafts, the 1981 studies have focussed their attention only on traditional rural based crafts. That apart, the 1981 studies besides touching upon those aspects which were covered under the 1961 series, have laid emphasis on matters that are vital for the revival of rural crafts and thereby for the rejuve nation of the economy of the region particularly the villages. This is in consonance with the policy of the government to give due importance to the rural sector with focus on employ ment intensive strategy of development in which next to agriculture, the small scale industries and handicrafts playa significant role. The formats required for undertaking the study were iormulated by Dr. K. P. Ittaman under the able, guidance of ix Dr. N. G. Nag, the then Depufy Regis'fiar General, Social Studies Division. - Dr. Ittaman who succeeded Dr. Nag as Deputy Rfigtstrar .General, Social Studies Bivisi'on co-ordinateq the study undertaken in different States/Union Territories by the 'Dir,ectorates of Census Operations. The -reports received fr6m the Directorates wet;e examined by Shri M. R'. Jain. Senior H.es~arch Officer with the help of Smt. Suman Prashar, Assis tant Director of Census Operati6ns and the staff working under thenl. I am grc.\teiul to all of them 'for organising this study. . , Tpe pre~ent report is the outcome of a study undertaker1 Gt;1.P(.qlja. ~ani by. the Directorq_te of Census Operations, Punjab. 1 Qfly'e .immense pleasure in ackpowledging the services rendered by Shri 3. <;:;, Kalra and Shri R. K. Bhatia, Joint Director and Deputy Director respectively and their colleagues in the ,CellSUf:i Directorate for bringing out this publication. New Delhi, V. S. VERMA, the 1st June, 1988 Registrar GE!neral, India PREFACE The study was conducted in three villages : NIajri in Hl~pn()ga" District. Samgoli in Patiala District and Sanghol·in Ludhinna District of the state during the first half of 1986. The workC'rs in thes(' villages were prt·dominantly from culti vator households. Even so, some of the women folk practised PrOljn DaTi weaving when frt>e fronl other work. Spinning and weaving were performed entfrely by women. Lack of Cl)lllmensurate monE'tary return. want of adequate market l'iH'ilitics and difficulty in procuring raw materials pose some problems in the devC'lopnlents of the craft. The data for this study was collected in four schedules A, B. C and D~ Schedule A was canvassed through various oII:cc's to collect basic information about the craft within and outside the state>; Schedule> B termed as village schedule sOdght to collect variuus types at data on selpcted villag<:'s; Sdl('dul(· C was tC'rmed as hous('hold schedule, which sought to collect information from households practising thE" craft in the villagps; and SchedulE" D was canvass('d amongst house holds who had since left the craft to ascertain their attitudC's about the craft. Photographic illustrations and sketches have been includ~d to elaborate the techniques and stages of processes involved in the manufacture' of the dari. Certain d('signs available in the village have particularly been added to provide a realistic pictur(' of the craft. The Social Studies Division of the office of the Registrar GenL~ral India, offered useful suggestions to improve thE' draft report which were incorporated accordingly. I am thankful to Dr. K. P. Ittanlun, Deputy Registrar General (Social Studies) for his guidance and Sh1'i :!_\/[. K. Jain, Senior Research OffIcer and his tealn of officers for scrutiny and valuable COmm<'Ilts which made the monograph see the light of the day. Shri Charan Singh, Investigator, assistE"d by Shri, Malkit Singh. S.A. condueted the field work with zeal perS0verance und tenacity during the turbulent times in th(' state. Shri Charan Singh prepared the draft of thf' monograph. S/Shri IVlalkit Singh, S.A. and R. P. Pathak. A.C. prepared the tables going into the study. The photographs, sketches wen: prepared by Shri Ravinder Pal Singh, Draftsman. The cover design was prepared by Shri Kulbir Singh, artist. The whole work of xi inquiry and drafting has been carried out under my control and supervision. Shri R. K. Bhatia, Deputy Director and S-qri G. S. Gill, Assistant Dir~ctor have seen the monograph and assisted ·me in its editing and bringing out in the present form. S/Shri Vinay Kumar, A.C. and Ashok Kumar, L.D.C. typed the draft of the report, and Shri Harcharan Singh Sudan looked to the printing of monograph. I thank them all. J. C. KALRA, Joint Director, Chandigarh. Census Operations, Punjab, 16th August, 1988. Chandigarh. CHAPTER I f-IISTORY OF ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CRAFT Introduction and history. Technique of spinning a'ld wea'ling of Panja Dari has been transferred from pa!l'ent to C}_lild The study of rural arts and crafts in the thro ~gh generations by word of mouth. Publish state has remained a subject of callous interest ed material, on this aspect of the craft is hardly to the art historians. Even the scholars of available. Under such circuplstances it is diffi folklore gave a passive attention to such aJte cult to trace exact time when and how this facts. Unlike in some parts of the Country, craft actually originateJ. It is thus pertinent to Panja Dari a beautiful creation of women of have a bri~f..discussion 0'1 the hlgtory and inven Punjab, is a bit steady craft. It is woven by' tions of the art of weaving in general as spinn women in many a households in the state when ing and \veaving of ranja DaTi is ~ connected they are free from their household duties. and evolved process of general weaving. It is Primarily it is surviving as it forms a part of said that weaving is as old as spider's web where daj (dowry) articles in rural areas according to from the primitive man learnt the technique and traditional custom. Also handwoven cotton/ reached the present stage of sophisticated tex· woollen daris made by village women are a tiles by process of evolution. Weaving thus has source of pride for the women of Punjab as its own hIstory. Cloth was woven out of flax, these are liked even in foreign countries like vegetable fibres, wool, hair; baskets out of reads U.K. and U.S.A. Analogous to this Phul1cari twigs and bags from various fibres. The primi (embroidered sheet) is another charming crea tive man started protecting himself against cold tion by the women in northern India, though it and sun by using dressed skins of animals. is on the verge of decline. Various designs of Later on garments woven out of linen or later these artefacts are exhibited in state emporia wool also came into vogue. as wall hangings. It is worth mentioning here that in village Majri under study the Sarvodaya "In the first place a suitable material was leader, late Vinobha Bhave paid a visit on :)1'0 needed, a fibrous substance that would yield May, 1959. He came here on foot and exhorted long threads. The neolithic villages on the the people to adopt spinning and weaving crafts Fayum lake were already using flax. They and do their best for making every village a selt must have selected this from all other plants sufficient unit. In the pre partition days Muslim and begun to cultivate it deliberately in addi Julahas (weavers) of this village used to weave tion to growing cereals. Another variety of flax Khaclar (coarse cloth) and also Panja daris on may have been discovered and grown in Asia. order. After partition of the country in i947 A local European flax was cultivated and utiliz· the craft suffered a set back from the commer ed in Switzerland in neolithic times. cial point of view as the Muslim skilled weavers migrated en block- w Pakistan. Now the females Other materials must have been tried. have taken to Dari weaving at the instance of Cotton was certainly being grown in Indus Khadm· Bhartdars. Valley soon after 3,000 B.C. Wool, as already noted, was used in Mesopotamia about the same With a view to promote handicrafts, village time. Before wool-bearing sheep had been pro and other small scale industries, Boards and duced by selective breeding, the hair of sheep Commissions such as 'Khadi and Village Indus and goats may have served for the production tries Commission'" 'Handicraft Boards', 'Central cf a sort of cloth, since hair can be woven. A Silk Board' and 'Coir Board' were established by textile industry thus not only requires the know· the government. Apart from monitoring pro ledge of special substance like flax, cotton, and duction and sale, these Boards/Commissions wool, but also the breeding of special animals endeavour to arrang2 credit. training, marketing and the cultivation of particular plants".l and export facilities for those engaged in handi crafts/small scale industries. Though the field Weaving is actually associated with advanced of activities of the said Boards/Commissions is cuI tutes and "Cotton is King" so goes a popular c. ~ite ,,,-ide, the craft 01 '[Janja Dan' hardly finds saving. Raising of silk is a further advance· " significant place in the total set up of these ment. It was after sixth -century A.D.· that institutions. Greeks succeeded in raising silk and road of silk ------1. Gordon Childe, V., "Man Makes Himself" p:94 Watts & Co. London, 1956. 1s l'egarded a road of civilization. Previously . The spindle and spinning wheel have been strips of cloth say 5-6 inches wide were w'wen shown pictorially by sketch and photol;T'aph in and sewn together to form cloth. Now cloth chapter IV ahead (Fig. 2 and plate 3.). 4- -6 feet wide or even more can be produced by using recently inttoduced looms. Thus a uni For a regular and continuous weaving the formly twisted continuous long thread is a pre eiist'l?nce of thread better perfected than old requisite and no regular weaving is possible shorter one Le., uniformly twisted long one was without better perfected thread tha'n the short'0r n'ccessaty. To meet the challenge 0[ the time twisted one. Weaving is pricipally associated the tool spindle was invented which helped to more or less with cotton growing belts, and, iis produce long an,d fine thread of uniform thick diffusion, takes place from sueh centres at least. ness. With the passage of time spindle became It had been only occasionally adopted by forest an indispensable tool in the process o[ weaving. cuI ti va tors. Nameless inventors might have contributed to wards the craft. Later on loom became a ~airly elaborate contrivance in the textile industry. It "Weavil~g is found among the lower cuI ti\7a is indeed a great triumph in industrial field. It tors on the fringes of higher civiliza.Jiorrs. In is generally believed that at this point of time, grass-lands) and even in arid regions, it is' fa'vour when loom became fairly popular in the field of ed by the opportunity of" growing textile Tl'lateria'l textile, the weaving of dari (carpet) came into itself or for gathering the fibrous parts of wild prominance. Da1'i weaving is an evolved process plants and trees. The relations with the N6rtb of matting, where woof had to be passed over African and Mediterranean areas of higher civr·· and under each warp either mechanically or lizations implied. by cotton groping and weavi'ng with fingers i.e., it was inserted with fingers. in the western Sudan and those of the Pueblos Patterns were made by using thread of different and some other cultivatorS' o' the south"west colours. Panja Dari, is in-fact, is result with southern Mexico illustra to sueh exteilsions of a process of weaving on a particular and the diffusion involved"2. kind of gadget with a particular kind of fibre. Etymologically the name 'Panja' is derived from For a regular weav'ing the dire need of long human hand and is applied here for the tool which continuous thread was felt and this neceo\sity Jed beats the wefts amongst the warps, while 'Dari' to inventing of spindle (Fig. 2). stands for the mat. Whole processs of Panja Dari weaving could be split into three major "The desire to obtain a long fine thread of stages as preparing the yarn, setting the adda equal thickness required the invention of a new (frame' for Web) and weaving by beating wefts tool- -the spindle. The simple stripping and by 'Panja' or 'Hathi; (Comb). The whole process is carried but manually. cleaning of the fibres 0(', more technically, their scutching, and their loosening and straightening out, or carding are known to many cultures,r3. Craft certtres The Panja Dari handicraft is canied out almost in all the districts of the state, but the With the passage .of time the spindle bC('[lme main centres have been reported in Hoshiarpur, an important 'tool as the people began to settle Bathinda, Jalandhar; Ludhiana, Patiala, Rup down, which further led to the invention of nagar where 'Khadi Mandals' have set up there spinning wheel, a cardinal contrivance in weav network of Bhandars (stores) to provide 'Dari' ing industry. weaving material to village women and to collect daris so prepared for disposal through emporia. Elsewhere the craft is carried out by A spindle is a sort of appliance having a village women mainly for their own domestic small straight salai (necdle) havihg a hook at uses rather than as a means of livelihood. up pet <:'tll':1 and a weight at lower. It is suspend ed to the spirining thread. By simple revolving l'he information regarding the places where of the needle the twisting of yarn becomes craft centres are located in the state were collest easi~r. After tw'istihg certain length of yarn it ed through Director of Khadi and Village Indus is 'WbunCl in the form of a r(;e1 at the lower end tries Commission, who in turn procured the same towards the whorl. It is generally known as from Khadi Mandals at Adampur, Nakodar ana Takali. In spinning wheel the spindle is revolv Dera Bassi vide the craft schedule. Craft ed mechanically by means of a belt and pulley. centres producing Panja Dari alongwith tahsil 2. Datyll Forde, C. "Habitat Economy and Soci~ty" p. 383 Methuen & Co. London, 1953. 3 Lips, Julius E. "The origin of Things" p. 130 Geotge G. Hal'rap & Co. London, 1949.- 2 and district in which these are located are their women folk ,helped in preparation of yarn furnished below:- by spinning wheels. In many a villages ~di Dharmi, Ravidasi and Dhan?k Scheduled ·eastes Name of Name of Tahsil N.ame of District have also taken to the job of spinning and Place(s) weaving as a means of earning ,liveHhood. It is relevant to mention here that· weaving of coatse Bathinda Bathinda Baihinda cloth is their main Job, but Panja daris are pre Hariana Hoshiarpur Hoshiarpur pared only whe,n there is a demand for this. The mill made products, however tend to ·thwart Adampur Jalandhar Jalandhar their attitudes towards weaving. Penja another Nakodar Nakodar -do-- community associated 'with the craft, was in,volv Jamshed Jalandhar -do- ed in carding of cotton for 'preparation of yarn, but pr:.~s~ntly cotton ca,rding machine .has come Bilga Flhillaur -;-do~ up in the villages. In fact ,peQple belonging ·to Phillaur -do- ·--do-- these communities are landless viHage .dwellers Goraya --do- -do-- worl\ing as agricultu\,al labolirers during peak Sanghol f:' ::unrala Ludhiana seasons of sowing a.nd haI'v~sting of various crops and ,during lean ,period ,when· th~re·.is .no Dera Bassi Rajpura Patiala work in the fields to do they weave cloth/Pqnja Kharar Kharar IJupnagar ,daris to support their members of family: .Intri Kurali Kharar -do- cate patterns prQduced by crafts-men ·t)f thftse Sohana --do- -do- comn).l,m.iU~s qr~ ~tHl~aXq4ap~e which l'!oYv'·ap'p~ar to be the object of antiquity. Like in every Rupnagar Rupnagar -do- walk of life c;han.ges in attitudes of commJ.lIlities , are taking place. Lipj.{age. by. pucc.a road, ·to These centres primarily deal in cotton ,yarn urban centres, availabilty .or electri9ity, ql!ick products including Panja Daris. Th,ese Ma~dals mode of transport, market, import of novelities, have, thek Bhandar branches or depots in qrdered administration haye rap. " 3 majority is engaged either in agricultural pur 'dari gulcharry,an', 'dari 8ulphpr', 'dari gaUr.ha', suits viz. cultivation and agricultural labour or 'dari gudda', 'dm·i jaIdar', 'dari tassor', 'dari as other workers. Only 6 females were recorded panja' and dari chittarkari', all except first one to follow the household industry. are used for bed. 'Dari farsh' is usua1.ly meant for use in religious shrines for seating persons For the present survey a sample of 6(-) and also on special functions such as marriages households all having some Dari weavers in and other social ceremonies. Another forrr of them has been taken. These households com~ 'dari taPP'2r' is prepared ~or use in schonls. The prise 204 workers. All the 87 (38 per cent) names of daris arc significant by their use, female workers are found engaged in Dad material utilised and design or pattern prepared weaving whereas the remammg 117 male or technique employed in their weaving. The workers are engaged in different occu- different patterns and quantity of production of pations. Child labour is conspicuous by daris procured by the Khadi MandaI located its absence as none of the either sex at Adampur during 1985-86 is furnished below the age of 14 years is reported as a below :- worker. This female participation in economic pursuits contradicts the census figures which iF'. Different objects of Dari A pproxima t.e perhaps attributable to the counting of females quanitity as simply household workers at the time of enumeration as tbey take up the job of Dari Dari Gulchaman 5761 weaving in their leisure time after Flainly Dari Farsh 3081 attending the household chores. Rajput com Dari Tassor 2746 munity is the most dominating among the com munities pursuing the craft undEfr study. The Dari Tapper 2147 castewise break-up of female workers engaged in Dari Chittarkari 1969 Panja Dari in these three villages jointly is Dari Panja 910 as follows :- Dari Sulpher 814 Name of caste/community No. of females Dari Gudda 808 Dari Jaldar 518 Rajput 66 Dari Galicha 30 Brahaman 7 Tarkhan/Lohar 4 As· reported, the production of ch1ttarkari Nai (Barber) 2 daris has been reduced by 15 percent as com pared to the previous year d1lC to inc:;-eased de 4 Khatri mand of mill made carpets. The daris got pre Balmild 2 pared by Sutlej Khadi MandaI (Nakodar) in its Teli 1 jurisdiction were more or less similar but the actual number of daris prepared was not Clvail Bharbhunja (grain parcher) 1 able, however, the money value of the objects approximated to Rs. 10 lakh. It is reported Total .. 87 that the preparation of Panja Dari IE; on the decline as loom made daris are replacing tht:! traditional one. Some other names of aaTis The above statement rev(~als that the castes traditionally involved in the craft are no as 'dari fancy' 'dari borderdar' 'dari gulbahar', more pursuing the craft. The Rajput and 'dari gulnar' were reported to be woven. The Brahaman castes who are now pursuing the length of dads varies from 180 ems. to 210 ems. craft are dominating in number and they both are and breadth varies forom 90 ems. ,to 120 ems. known as 'twice born castes i.e. higher castes. It proves that there is hardly any stigma now Disposal of Dari Products associated with this craft. It is treated as dean occupation. Out of these 87 females 69 are in The daris prepared by the rW'al weavers the young age-group 15- -34, and 18 in the age are sparingly carried to market or emporium group of 35-59. directly by them. Nor are there private ;l~en cies in the form of local shopkeepers, 'a r hti:1s' Craft objects (commission agents), exporter or any C'!)-c'p<:>ra tive society. The Panja Daris woven by n;·ral As per the Kha,cli MandaL at Adampur ciffe females are disposed throuph Khadar Bhandar I rent types of daris produced are 'dari farsh', Khadi Mandals financed by 'Khadi and VJllage 4 Industries Commission' with its head office at villages once a week to conduct transactions ·i.e. Bombay. Under these Khadi Mandals t'NO distributing raw material and collecting the types of daris categorised as 'Panja DaTi' and finished products. 'Panja Dari Special' are more commonly pre pared in the villages under study. 'rhe "Khadi Attitudes and opinions of weavers Lagat Parta Chart" specifying the schedule of rates and measur~s pertinent to Punjab, Haryana, The bunkers (weavers) in these v.mages Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of were emphatic in reporting that the reml:nera Chandigarh is strictly adhered to' within their Hons are far inadeuate as compared to cost of respective jurisdictions, The finished products dyeing the yarn and labour involved in weav are collected weekly by workers of Khadi ing the dari. Accor.ding to them the Khadi Mandals/Khadi Bhandars and brought to their Lagat Parta Chart (schedule of cost rates and sale depots. There the products are sold to cus measure) have not been revised in relation to tomers on retail basis oy the Khadi MCl,1dal. the cost of living. The weavers were also dis Bhandar/Emporium. The Bhandars reported couraged when the yarn spun by them was to derive commission at thp rate of 9 ner cent graded with an element of bias which affected in the transaction. The finished products up the amount of remuneration being paid to them to an extent say 90 per 'cent, as reported by by ~handar workers. Compelled by such the Bhandar authorities, are di<;posed by them. biased g.radation some of the spinners had left the job. Similarly at the time of matching Terms and transactions with weavers for pro the Dari with specifictations of the chart the ducts element of bias is also reported. A dari having the deviation from the prescribed standard, . is The dari weaving women are supplied the liable to be rejected, which the weaver has to raw material in the form of cotton varn bv the dispose by other means or is compelled to keep Khadi Bhandar authorities. 'T.'he w~men ~eturn for domestic purpose instead of getting appre the newly woven daris to Khadi Bhandar and ciation for the standard type of craftsmanship. get their remuneration as laid down in th" These weavers were of the opinion that if re "Khadi Lagat Parta Chart" i.P. the rate r-re munerations are raised adequately in parity scribed by the Parman Paitar Samittee (Attest? with marked prices the production can be mul tion Committee) 'Khadi and Village 1ndustries tiplied .and more workers can be attracted to Commission' Bombay. Some of ~ t,hem shu·t wards this job. In one discussion they argued right from cotton, while others r:;b.rt fro~ the that a standard dari prepared by them is sold spun yarn. Obviously thosf> who weave the in market bv Bhandar authorities for Rs. 175 for whirh the labour charges including the cost dari starting from cotton, ~et more reblrns ;1<; the process of cardin~ and spinning is also in of dyeing was only Rs. 49 and Rs.· 90 was the volved. The material in the form of cotton or cost of y.arn. ThllS th~re is. 5 appreciably accepted to be an adequa~e 're speciallsed development facilities are reported muneration by the weavers. This system was in the state. In' Haryana the District RUl'al reported to have worked for some ,time and Development Agency has set up their training this wa1l thwarted due to certain reasons. Con centres at Bighar, Nagthala and Durjanpur sequently the weavers became idle. Now several villages. Similarly dari weaving training facPi of the weavers are reluctant to take up the ties are available at Nahan (H.P.) where an,in work again through Khadi Bhandar ,as the rate stitute is run by State HclDdicraft and Hand of labour is hardly comparable to that provided loom Corporation. None of the Khadl Mandals 'by that firm. They were of the opinion that if responsible for getting the work done in three adequate remuneratIon for the labour involved villages of this study could give information in weaving are restored, more females can be regarding such developmental work being attracted to take up the work. Some steps nn0d carried out in the state. Howevpr, it was re to be taken lest the handicraft workers nre ported by them that they face 'the problem of discouraged to take the work hal£-heartedly and shortage of bunkars (weavers) and Katis the handicraft faces a set back, (spinners). Inspite of that the attitude of the artisans doing Pa,nja Dari was accommodating Channels of disposal of finished products though at the same time there was a general complaint against low rate of payment in 'COrl ,As reported by Khadi MandaI Adampur parison to labour involved. about 70 pee cent of daris are disposed of with in the state, 10 per cent each in Chandig!'\rh and Co-operative societies associated with craft 'Himachal Pradesh whereas 5 per cent each in Delhi There was hardly any co-operative society and Haryana, and their export to foreign coun associated squarely with the Panja Dari work. tries was insignificant. The Khadi MandaI at The ;village women weave the daris of their own 'Nakodar reported that about 50 per cent of the accord. Some of them weave for their own use dari,s were disposed of within the state and whereas some weave 'to 'earn and augment rest were disposed of in states of Uttar Pradesh, household income just on simple contract with Maharashtra, Rajastpan, Himachal Pradesh. Khadar Bhandars. The females do this work Iiaryana and Union Territory of Delhi ,and noth in their leisure hoors. Agriculture is the i'nain ing WqS exported outside the country. How and primary occupation of majOTity of the housp. ever, it was indicated that the production in holds under study and others are'secondary ahd the state }Vas just enough to, meet one fourth of leisure time occupations. Apart this being the demand from outside. The demand ior secondary and leisure time occupation, the Pan,1a Dari is somewhat c.hecked as the factory number .of women engaged in this craft is small or loom made product is a bit cheap~r. H0w and that too is widely scattered. These are the 'eyer the panja Dari being d,,1rable and fancy is main reasons -of non-existence of co-operati'Ve al~o. liked by the COllsumer,. Nonetheless pil societies in, the state accociated with the craft. ing up the product, with the Bhvndar authori ties has not been reported from anywhere. If Training Centres- the production is increased there will be hardly -any probl-em towards disposal. As mentioned already, there is hardly any training centre for imparting training in Panja ~ge'naies engaged in development of craft Dari weaving in· the state either in rural 'or urban areas. The art and pattern of weaving 'There are number Of organisations to safe has been transmitting from mother to daughter. :guard the development and functioning of Though there are some centres 1n the neigh various handicrafts in Qenera1. So far Panja bouring state of Haryana and Himachal Prade<;h dari craft is concerned there is hardly any yet the villagers would not like to send the:r 'agency in the state working exclusivelY for the daughters to the far off trainin,(~ centres. It 6 ~akodar (Jalandhar)", "Khacli Gramudyog These Mandals were established having muitl Karyakarta Sangh, Railway road Bathinda" and farious objects in view, but it is observed that "Gramudyog Karyakarta Sangh, Dera Bassi most of the objects remained as paper for (Patiala)". The first two were reported to mality only. have been established in 1969-70 whereas latter two were started in 1959-60. The branches of -The present monograph is thus a sort of these production centres .function in some of the study of the rural household craft. It .has been surrounding villages where they endeavour to observed that Khadar Bhandars give impor get Panja Daris woven by village women. The tance to production only whereas other aspects institutions are termed as M andals (divisions) like training etc. remain almost ignored,. Open having the primary object of undertaking village ing of training centres can throw up avenues development rel-ating to promote Khadi Indust for more employment and can help in w~ping ries, hand spinning, hand weaving, to foster out poverty from villages to a considerable mutual co-operation, removal of untouchabili ty, extent. There is a great demand for Panja Dn:ri; open production and training centres, inculcate If this craft i.e patronised by the government in co-operative working spirit without all~giance the villages it. can surely elevate their Living to any. political organisation or trade lUlion. conditions by providing wQrk to the p~ople. ~ . CHAPTER it CRAFTSMEN IN THEIR RURAL SETTING General Particulars of villages-Location and office, telephone, banking etc. exist within the amenities village. The village is connected by all weather pucca road to the urban centres and neigh For the purpose of present study the surveY bouring villages. It has got a bus st·)P from was conducted in three villages viz. Majri fall where Punjab Roadways and Chandigarh Trans ing in Tahsil/Sub-Division Kharar of Rupnagar post Undertaking buses play. The nearest rail district, Samgoli in Rajpura tahsil/Sub-Division way station is at Kurali. The village has got of Patiala district and Sanghol in Samrala the supply of electricity for all purposes. In Tahsil/Sub-Division of Ludhiana district. Apart addition to hand pumps and wells piped water from representing Panja Dm'i craft the £elected supply is also available to the villager::;. The villages vividly reveal landscape pattern along middle school is located in the adjacent village with socio-economic set-up of rural Punjao. Sialba, half-a-kilometer away. For secundary The economy is predominantly agriculture education children have to go to Kurali Town oriented. The cultural ethos and techniqu2s or Khizrabad village. The nearest degree college and tools employed are basically the same in for females is at village Padiala at a distance of these villages. The salient features of tl).e 14 kms. The facilities for higher education both villages under study are given below. in academic and technical fields are available at Chandigarh and Ropar. Village Majri Village Samgoli The village Majri for distinction known as Sialba Majri, with total area of 444 hectares is The Samgoli village, having a total area of located on the link road branching off towards 663 hectares including 9 hectares under its north from Chandigarh-Boothgarh-Kurali road. habitation, comprising a population of 1715 as It had a population of 1761 as per 1981 ~ensus. per 1981 census is situated at the border of It lies on the easteorn fringe of the district and Rajpura tahsil towards the east touching its distance approximates to 18 kms. from Haryana State boundary. The village is con Chandigarh and 28 kms. from Hupnagar. It is nected by link road with Dera Bassi and is at located on the eastem bank of Sisswan stream a distance of about 13 kms. from there. It is separating it from village Sialba usually pre over 30 kms. from Ghandigarh and about 42 kms. fixed with it due to close vicinity to Sialba from Rajpura. Patiala, the district headquar village. Situated in the plains the village is ters, is situated at a distance of about 70 kms. distantly locateq from effective urban centres from here. For the purpose 01 maintaining law easily approchable. Like other parts of Punjab and order, it falls under the jursidiction of the seasons alternate from winter to summer Dera Bassi PoliCe Station. 1.'he terrain is un and the climate is usually temperate as is for dulating, bounded by a gorge at the eastern the region. Monsoons generally set in from the side. For agricultural pursuit, the area is end of June or early July and usually continue almost barani (rainfed). It is situated away till the end of September during the year. Some from the urban centre. In the matter of edu winter rains are also experienced in the months cational facilities the village has got a govern of December and January. Though the village ment high school with primary wing' function is situated in the foothills of Shiwalik yet area ing separately on the prerri:;es. The nearest under forests is almost neglible. degree college is at Dera Bassi. A local dis pen~ary renderes medical facilities to the For maintenance of law and order the villagers. Postal facilities have also been made village falls in the jurisdiction of Kurali Police available recently. The village is electrified. Station which is ]0 kms. away from the village. Facility of railway station is available at Lalru 'I'he Block Office, however, is situated within 14 kms. to the villagers. Telephone and bank the village. A local panchayat also functions ing facilities are also available at Dera Bassi. A in the villagE'. Facilities such as primary school, local panchayat looks after the affairs of the dispensary, maternity child welfare centre, post village. Zemindars have to go to Dera Bassi to dispose of their agricultural produce and here. The excavations were started in 1968. purchase goods of daHy consumption. As else Some of the archaeological remains are exhi where, in the regi.on the water supply is met bited in a local museum maintained by the by means of well, handpump and tap. Low State Government. The archaeological survey irrigational facilitlC:s and undulating terrain are of India has also opened an excavation site to the main obstacles in the way of progressive wards north of the village. farming. The village has a wide net work of in frastructural facilities like irrigation, electricity Village Sang hal and transport facilities for agriculture. It is situated at a distance of 10 kms. from Morinda The village Sanghol with its agrarian struc and 20 kIDs. from Khanna towns with which ture of economy and oulti-ethnic character but ft is connected by pucca roads. Both have having some functional difference, with a total their impact on socia-cuI tuml 111 a trix of the areas of 854 hcctare1 lies towards south of State village. The bus stop facility is locally avail highway, leading from Chandigarh to Ludhiana, able. The block development headquarters for at about one kilometer away on Sanghol-Khanna the village is· located at Sarnrala at a distance of link road. This village is bigger both in size of 20 krns. on the highway. Ludhiana City the area and population than the other two villages district headquarters, is about 45 kms. way fl'om selected for the craft ~tLldy. The area marked here. For maintenance of law and order people for village habitatior approximates to 15 hec have to go to Khamanon Police Station at a tares. It has a population of 3-125 as per 1981 distance of 7 kms. A local statutory panchayat census. Tl;1e habitation is lo~ated on a mound. looks after the general affairs of the village. The village is also known by a synonYin The educational facilities from primary to "Ucha Pind" (upland villagE). The mound is secondary school are available within the believed to be the rcnain:; ot an ancient culture village which has two high schools. The of the Haras, the people flourishing contem nearest degree college is at }i'atehgarh Sahib at porarily and later "With Harapan civilization. a distance of about 15 kms. from the village. It was reported that the deposits of Bora cvl Medical facilities are being rendered by a local turc were dug at SanghCll for the first time hospital. Post office and telephone facilities lending support to the view that Sctngh(JI was are also availaole within the village. The tele the centre of this cult.ure. 'T'hE ceramic remains graph facility is available at Morinda. Banking were also found here. "The ceramic assembl facility is however, locally available. The age consists of Bal'a-ware"4. Further "The nearest railway station is at Morinda. The deposit above Latf' Harappan (Bara) habitation terrain is plain having tubewell and canal IrrI seems to be a pit havipg nixed up pottery of gation facilities. About 90 per cent of the land Bara ...... The percentage of Bare-ware goes on is under irrigation. For marketing of agricul decreasing as we 11l0ve up. .."5 1t is also worth tural produce people make use of th~ local mentioning here "the period is contacted in market. Some take their produce to Khamanon all the cuttings and there is ample eviden~ that market. The thi.ngs of daily consumption are during the period of Late Kusanas and available in local market. Tractor repair and Guptas the ci'ty developed into a metropolis. servicing workshops are also functioning locally. There is clear eVIdence that during the time of Some of the villagers own vehicles namely Guptas Sanghol was the capital of some feuda trucks, cars, motorcycles, scooters, tractors. Some H6 tory king or a provincial governor • From the of the people have installed television sets. archaeological remains found here, it appears that River Sutlej flowed nearby in those days which is now about 12 kilometers away from Demogmphic particulars oj the villages here. The dried bed of the river is still seen. Lateron, a more prosperous culture, perhaps The basic demographic particulars pertain of Kusanas 111 whose time- Stnpas (monasteries) ing to the villages selected for the study are were built, is also said to have prevailed here furnished in table II.l as per the 1971 and" which is eviden,~ed by Stupas recently dug out 1981 Census data. 4 "Coins Seals and Sealings. from Sangho!" Deptt. of Cultural Affairs, Archaeology and Mu~c. ll~Punjab. p-3. Associated Printers, Chadigarh, 1986. b. (Ibid, p. 5.) 6. (Ibid, p. 6). tABLE II. 1 Distribut.ion of population by sex, number of households, Scheduled Caste and area of the village at 1971 and 1981 Census. Number of Households Population Scheduled Caste Name of Village Area in 1971 1981 1971 1981 1971 1981 Hectares M F M F M F M F 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 Majri 444 238 288 768 646 940 821 107 65 3~ 267 Samgoli 663 206 279 717 591 903 812 296 216 378 338 Sanghol 854 444 554 1499 1398 1780 1645 395 375 468 429 The basic population figures of the villages such us growth rate, sex ratio, average house may be seen from above table which revealS hold by size of population are furnished in the increasing trend over the decade 1971-81. Further the salient derrfographic indicators table II. 2 below TABLE II. 2 Sex ratio, Growth Rate and Household size Sex ratio Average household Size Name of the Village Growth rate 1971 1981 1971 1981 2 3 4 5 6 ---.--- Majri 25'54 841 873 5·94 6 ·11 Samgoli 31 ·11 824 899 6·3$ 6'14 Sanghol 18 ,23 933 924 6'52 6 ·18 The figures reveal that during the decade census. The percentage of scheduled caste tne villages have shown a tendency towards population of Majri and Sanghol were 33 and high growth especially Samgoli village which 28 respectively. The increase in population IS attnbuted to an influx of some scheduled seems to be fairly in consonance with impor caste households and some male labourers to tant postulate that population growth rate the Villages. The low sex ratio might have been varies inversely with literacy rate and income .. due to immigration of male labourers to the The hypothesis that higher the literacy rate or villages and also due to natural factors. Amongst income the lower is the population growth rate and vice versa holds good. In respect of literacy these three villages, Samgoli had the highest 42 and labour force participation the relevant per cent scheduled caste population, as per 1981 data is presented in table below 10 -o o (',CI C'l M "., 00 M ,~ I ,._- I~ 'o OJ E I Z'" 11 1'" _I I!:! ,2 ~1 I I j o ,Po. 00 I o.... ~ \ .- 1.0 " o o o 00 ." <:> o \0 o ." a-...... , N ...... '" o o o Vl ..,. \I") ...... '" It- 00 N ",I V'l 00 00 00 'Of' j~l o 00 ..... - ,...o C c 00 .....'" N N 00 ...., N o N o o o c .-. o o <:> 00 M N V> 00 00 ..... 'Of' N '" o M M c I-I' ..... - ...... N M N 12 The above figures reveal that Sanghol the under the law. Social distance between differ biggest of the three villages has Ravida:,i/Chamar ('nt communities has considerably narrowed scheduled caste as numerically dominal1t. 'l'll\:: ll' 'W 1. and no social fracture is observed in the above data corroborate the trend as shown bv villages. The villagers from all these villages 1981 Census figures to a considerable c Lent. r\::turncd Punjabi as their mother tongue. . The villages are composed of seven cor 1- munities/castes as indicated above. Furihpl Occupation-iraditional / Non-traditional Ravidasi/Chamar, Rajput, Brahmal1, Bdmiki/ Chura and Lohar /Tarkhan are the ma_ n With the expansion of infrastructure, es groups returned from the villages and females pecially in the Jonn of net work of transport of these communities usually undertook th. ra"ilitics, villages are no longer isolated. The handicraft of 'Panja d01'i' weaving i.e. thE cr , 'hanged contextual setting has its own bearing women belonged the mixed groups irre ;pedi "C on the village communities.. The communities of any monopolistic caste boundaries. Brnadh as far as occupational structure is concerned speaking the remammg communitIes arc are d,-manic rather than static, Traditionalism smaller in number and except Kahar, 1\ a1 is giving way to modernism resulting in (Barber), Penja and Kumhar th€' rf'r airing ideological and cultural changes and this pro communities are sparingly availablE. in t~e threp cess is assuming considerable dimension. Occu villages simultaneously. The enquiry into the pational mobHity both horizontal and vertical is set.tlement pattern of t.he villages with resp"'pt quite p{"fceptible. The old culturaJ trends t~nd to ethnic composition revealed that Ba7mikt/ to follow new patterns and the ethos of social Chura, RavidasilChamar, Baziqar, Mi.rasi TVaf structure is tend in g to weaken the caste sys etc. were residing on the outskirts (If the tem which is primarily based on inequality. villages on the northern fringe in Majr und Previously the caste individuals were tied down Sanghol and on the western fringe in 'i:>l11goli. t.. community or family occupation as moral The other communities called SWal''I1a dstes imperative. In theSe villages occupational were however, conglomerated in ~he villaP'P. 11obil1ty awav from the traditional occupation The houses of crafts-women arc sC'a :tf'reil of the caste/community has been observed throughout the villages WithOllt qnv de<;i gned \,ljthout provoking any moral jolt. It is seen to settlement pattern. Further, out of 1320 ho']';p be going out of traditional orbit manywhere. holds in three villages 321 household" l-;,·lnn I!ed Women. of those engaged in agricultural pur to Sikh religion returnini4 thE'ir castf' / C'()ID emits were observed to bf' resilient to adopt munities as Jat, Ka.har, I,oha7·/Tar1chfJn. Ro?';, dari. weaving which is non-traditional for them. dasi/Chamar and Balmiki./C'huro whereas 4:) These female dari weavers have been drawn households beloJ)ging to Islam relicion c'm( of out from their traditional occupation of cultiva Julaha~ Mirasi, Penja and Teli cflnmunlti·,. tion, whereas several traditional weavers have Remaining about 72 per cent hOl.lseholcs hpl ">1"lf5- 'lltogether left the iob and taken to other occu ed to Hindu religion. The shackles of s0rij:ll d! - pations such as labour or other services etc. abIlity have very much loosened 85 con-1]l::lrp d Coming close to the nath of modernization a to the past and people are aware of thp ff'lct. functional transformation is seen to be taking that untouchability is an offence pu:p.ishable place in the villages. 13 N I~ I ~ I t , .... c N IN "., ...."., '"o v 1 I ~ '"'X> ._ 1 0 .... V'> I~ o +> Ie: g " ~I ,t"l I'E '''5 j u '0/ ,§ o V'> N t N V'> o N N It"'l o ~ ..... <'"\ "" N N !/,S!) Q I N 1 oj .0 E '~ :.2 .<:: U '~ N t"'l ~ t- 00 o .... N V'> ~ 00 0\ o N r"l .... r"l "" I~ .... - .... - - ...... N N N 14 \~ o 'u., 15 I ..... f"1 I'" ex> eo V\ eo I I .:::E I'" <". I~ z 0,1;;:; eo >'- .8 -< 1 ~ I~ c .s '" l : I~ 0 1 «'1 r M ~IN (: I I 1 I 16 The distribution of workers into tradi It was found that five out of 87 female tional and present occupation reveals that 9;} workers were weaving Panjada'ti on seasonal males and 67 females were traditionally ll1 basis whereas the remaining 82 females were agricultural pursuits. Break up into other occu doing on perennial basis. pational pursuits is apparent from the table. People are observed to be adopting some other Occupational diversity occupation than thl? traditional one if that I'lppears profitaole. A horizontal mobility in occupation is perceptible though traditional The diversification of o~.c4patio1?- ~q!l qyite occupation is stUI the flllcrum of their liveli perceptible in case of 56 households out Elf a hood. Out of 117 male workers, 35 in age total of 60 house~ofds. Eviq~ntly ~iy~rsifica group (15- -34) and 50 in age group (35-59) and tion existed in households havipg ty.rp or fIlpre l{) in age group (60 and aboye) still pursued workers followin,g ~:lifferent oC~1Jpat~o).1s. The their traditional occupatiol}. From the age households with better econol1}ic set-up ~nd groups (15-34) qnd (35-59) tpe persons who educated 'members W€fe obserye,d to be epgqged got absorbed in services were 13 and 9 respec in diversified pursuits as they are prone' to tively. Noticeably from th,e ::).ge group (15-34) deviate from traditional norms. The natlfre of and (35- -59) years the fem~lcs numberin~ 69 and occupational div.ersity amol}g househoJ,ds h~ying 18 respectively had taken up Panja-dari handi dari weaving occupation in corp.,mop. is ~llrn-isQ.ed craft being a gainful PUf's.uit. in the table II.9. Serial Desc.ripjion of-Occupational Diversity No, of l'fature of No. households combination M F 2 3 4 5 6 7 No occupational Diversity 4 Single 5 5 2 Cultivation- -D.ari .weaving 29 Double ") ,3 Service-Dari weaving 6 Do " 4 Shopkeeping- -Dari weaving 6 Do I ,~ 5 Village worker (Watcb.i:n.an)-Dari weaving Do I 145 80 65 6 Atta 'Chakki- -Dan weaving Do " ( 7 Repair of sewing machine-Dari weaving Do I 8 Pi! Ghani-l;>ari weavjng Do J .9 Cultivation-servicp-Dariweavin~ 8 Triple 10 Carpenter- -Service-Dari weaving 1 Do ) 54 37 17 11 Hair cutting- -Service -Dari weaving Do J 12 Agricultural Labour -Service- -Dari weaving Do J . , Total . . 60 204 117 87 From the above table it is apparent that in- - workers in a household if engaged in the occu- 45 households two different occupations were pation followed by the head Qf ~he household pursued by the members, in 11 households three shows that such households have no occupational different occupations were pursued whereas diversity. From the 60 sampled households in cultivation was the dominant occupation other the survey amongst the three villages, in all than dari weaving craft. From amongst the there 'have been recorded exclusively 87 female remaining 4 households dari weaving was re-' dari weavers whose c;Hstribution by age-group turned as the main occupational pursuit. The is furnished in table below TABLE II. 10 Workers engaged in iPanja DaTi by ag~-groups. Age grOUD Female workers 0-14 15--34 ,69 35-59 18 60 and Above 'rotal 87 ____",_ --__.....---~ ---~------. .17 it is evident from the above tabie that the Demographic projile oj craft w07'kers house- Panja dari craft is an exclusive preserve of the holds females. Child labour is conspicuous by its The population of 60 household:;; havir g absence and no elderly women from 60 + age some member(s) doing panJadari work was group were doing this job probably due to weak recorded to be 467 persons comprismg 229 males eyesight of old women, though they rende\' hdp and 238 females giving thereby a s,~x ratio Ul in dyeing of yarn for weft strands. 1,039 females per 1,000 males. As this craft IS carried out exclusively by females It wa Settlement pattern observed that this craft is pursued generally 11l those households, where the number or fep1ah:s Distribution of houses of craft worker was is comparatively higher. S, much so in some not found dHferent from general settlement households females outnumbered malef pattern of houses in the Villages. In the settle Highest sex ratio was returned in the age )n~ ment pattern the bond of caste/community terval 15-19 having 30 males and 45 ternales but group is found more stronger than that of occu after this age-group number of fema1Ls IS pation. The so called clean caste groups were usually lesser than male counterparts. One usually scattered and conglomerated and usually hundred males and 99 females from this seg~ inhabited highe;r' portion of .the village habitat ment were recorded to be married. None wa!:. whereas the scheduled castes were usually on reported to be "divorced or separated" and hav the lower portion on the outer-fringes of the ing an unspecified marital status. However, 4 village habitation i.e. they were traditionally males and 11 females were recorded as widowerl segregated. The houses and layout of the' In the segment of sampled pOpl la+lOJ:1 under villages rarely followed any design or pattern. study 62.74 per cent were recorded as literates In social hierarchical order. Brahman caste whereas for the total population of these village!> group is recognised at the upper rung of the the corresponding literacy percentage wa: society, followed by Rajput and Khatri almost 43.38 as per 1981 Census. The reason for hightr equated at the same social level. Then come literacy in sampled households is that these the Lohar/Tarkhan, Nai and Bharbhunja social households comprise a major segment of sociallv groups. They rarely suffer from any social advanced group of people {.e. Swarna Caste who disability. Inter-commensal relations were seem. to be struggling to compete with current observed to exist amongst these caste groups. tide of education in order to elevate their stan Earlier Balmikis were kept traditionally at some dard. Separately amongst males and females social distance in the villages from so called the corresponding percentages were 65.06 and clean castes. They were observed to suffer from 60.50 respectively. some amount of social disability but now it is perceptibly changing as compared to the past The distribution of workers and non and the stigma of social disability is steadily workers classified by sex and educational level evaporating. is given in Table II.11. TABLE TI.11 Distribution of workers and non·workers by sex and educationalle\'el Total Workers Non·Workers Educational level ------M F M F M F __ -.L. _._-- 2 3 4 5 6 7 Illiterate 80 94 ~9 22 41 72 Literate without educational level 2 2 2 Primary or Juniot basic 61 101 15 38 46 63 Middle 49 24 34 10 15 14 Matricu\atibn or Higher Secondary 34 17 25 16 9 Graduate and above 3 2 Total 229 238 117 87 112 151 ------.-----~~~=----=~~-==~~~~------~------~ 18 I ,0.... ,e! ,0 ""::; ~ , ,S!:::0 1~ !~ I .. I -... .2 ..2! ~ 1:'2 I~ I I I i I ....Q l"- .... ] I I ,I ,11,0 1M I ,I, I IV') l" I N 1 N i I ,,~ I~ I ,I 1, i ._ I , I~ , .... '2 'coV') :> ~ i ,I 1M \..) 1 I I I , I " 1 1 I I I- I 19 Out of these 60 households one head of case of remaining 56 ij.ouseholds the heads were household of Tarkhan/Lohar caste in Sanghol invariably males. Amongst the 60 heads of village belonged to Sikh religion, one to Muslim households 32 were illiterate, 2 were literate religion and the remaining 58 households be without educational level, 5 had attained the longing to 7 different communities as men level of "Primary or Junior basic", 13 had tioned earlier, were professing Hindu religion. studied upto middle standard, 7 had studied tlP Ex'cept 2 heads of households in Majri return- to matriculation standard and only one head of ing Hindi as their mother tongue, the remain household in Majri Village had studied up to ing 58 had returned "Punjabi" as their mother "Graduate and above" levr1. The composition tongue. Two heads of households each in of selected households by age and sex of heads Village Majri and Samgoli were females and in of households is furnished in table below. TABLE 11.13 DlSuJibutio'l of houS"ebollls by age and sex of heail of household and its composition by numher of mcmber~' NlIJIlber of heads Number of households having members of household by sex ~se.GroJlP of head or ------nou!lehoig M' P Single 2 4 6·7 8·9 10· -12 13 & above 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Below 20 20-29 3 30--39 4 2 3 40--49 23 4 13 4 2 50-59 12 3 2 3 2 60 and above 14 4 2 4 ~ ------_. ------Total 56 4 4 7 4 21 7 7 The composition of selected households female head fell in the age group (40- 49) vears. with respect to number of members in them re 12 male heads fell in the 'age interval (50- -59) vealed that there was no single member house years, 14 males and one female heatis fell in hold. One household in Sanghol had two mem the age group (60 and ·above). Seven male and bers. 4 households comprised 3 memoers, 7 2 female heads were in the -age interval (20-3'9) had 4 members, 4 had 5 members, 21 had a com years and none was in the interval below 20 position rangihg between 6,·7 members, 9 had years Le. the main concentoration was at the (8-9) members, 7 had (10-12) members ~md 7 interval (40-49) years. had 13 and more members. From the four households where females were the heads of households one each had 3,4 and 5 members in· The compositiop of household~ oy nat.ure dividually and fourth had 10-12 members on its of relationship of members to head of thr- hO'.lse strength. As many as 23 male heads and one hold was also examined in respect of the GO households under study, which is furnished in the ta1:11~' II. .t4'. TABLE II.14 Distribution of household~ by nature of relation of members to htad of household alld number of m~mb(!f~ ~.----- Serial Nature of relation of m~mbers to head of household No. of No. of No. households members 2 3 4 -----~------~-----' Self 2 Self, spouse 2 3 Self, spouse, unmarried sons and daughters 26 162 4 Self, spouse, married sons an4 sons' wives with or without unmarried [cm 2nd ·~aug1-.ter~, sons' unmarriell sons and d~teN 20 199 5 Self spo~e, mlrrietl bro'ther, -brother's wife, with or wffhout'unmarrieti-soos anti \i!(~httt~ 16 6 Self, spouse, marrielH1rotber;brother's wife, married son, son's wife with' or without married sons/or daughter 7 Self (male) unmarried son/daughter 3 8 Self (female) unmarried son/daughter 3 12 9 Self, spouse with or without unmarried son/daughter and widowed father 3 10 Self, spouse, with-or without unmarried son/daughter and widowed mother 8 11 Self (male) in unmarried brothers/sbter~ 12 Self, married brother, brother's wife, unmarried brothers sons/daughters widcwrd brother's wife 12 13 Self, spouse, married brother, brother's wife, sister, widowed mother and unmarried fathter's brother 2 16 14 Self, spouse, married brother, brother's wife, sister widowed mother 14 t 5 Self (male) unmarried brother's ~on/daughter 5 J6 Self, spouse, sons and daughters, unmarried brothel, brother's wife, brother's sons and daughters, widowed mother IS Total 60 467 ---_ - ----~.- =---~.~.~-- Frolll the above table it is apparent that another one had migrated from rural area of maximum number of 26 were the nuclertr Ludhiana district within the State, whereas one families comprising 162 members, followed by female each had migrated from rural area of 20 vertically extended families cornprising 199 I1aryana and Uttar Pradesh States respectively. members. The households with combination of relations other than nnclear families OJ" verti Alienation from the craft-non-practisillfl house cally extended families were sporadic and holds scattered few. The trend was dominant for nuclear households anti lineally extended hOUSf~ The data in respect of 5 households from holds. There is also noticed a t:rel'ld to'wards each of the three -selected villages who had fission of larger joint families. Aft€r the since abandonetl the craft was compiled and marriage the son ten'ds to set-up his mciepel'ld"'ent then consolidated. It is mentionable here that . household. The households with IUl'ger ntunhcr at 'least one member from these households of members find it difficult to pull on. pl'act1sed the craft under study in memorable past. The 'distribution of population of th.ese The analysis of 60 heads of hou~h61ds wi'l:h 15 households with reference to age, sex and reference to the individual's place of birth re marital status revealed that in age group (0-19) vealed that 5£ were 'born within the village. years -aU 22 males an'd 18 females were record Out of 4 fema.Je 'heads 6f nouseh61d Ol'1e htt{l ed as 'never martied'. In the age group (20--44) migrated irom urBan 'area within the district, years, 16 males -and 14 females were enjoying 21 married life and 4 males and one fernale:-.wer-€-< The composition of households 'Jjy nll'mber of recorded as 'never married'. Ii'urther in i.he age members in them reveled that -1 hDl.t ;eholds group (45 and above), 1 male was recorded as eac~ had ~6--7) and (10-1~) members, t\.vn h0use 'never married'. g males and' 9" 'f~l.'llales ,,;,rere holds each had got 4 and (8-9) members and 3 recorded as married, whereas 1 inale and 3 households had 2 members. -Further 6 male females were recorded as widowed \Vhich heads of households were in the nge sroup (60 accounts for the total 53 males and 45 femal~s. and above), 3 male and 2 female heads were in Out of the 15 heads of households who the age group (50- -59) years 3 male h"':'1ds were abandoned the craft due to one reason or the in the age group (40-49) year and only one other, 13 were males and 2 females. Three be male head was in the age group of (30- -39) longed to Ra;vidasi Scheduled Caste, 4 to Raj years. put, one each to Brahman and Kahar castes all professed Hindu religion. 'l1wo 1?elon~~Q to Further distributim,l of these 15 hVllseholds Mohammedan religion. Two heads of house holds belonging to Tarkhan/Lohar caste" o.ne' by .nature of relationship 01 members to head each to Kabirpanthi/Julaha and Ravidasi s<;he was examined which is.. furnished in the table duled castes professed Sikh religion. II. 15. TABLE 11.15 Distribution of households by nature of relationship of members to head of household and number of members Number of Serial Nature of relationship of members to head of household No. Households Members i 3 4 Self 2 Self, spouse 2 4 3 Self, spouse, unmarried sons and daughters 4 4 Self, spouse, marr.ied ..son and son's wife with or without unmarried sons ani daughters 7 61 5 Self (female), unmarried son/daughter 2 6 Self, spouse, with or without unmarried son/daughfer and widowed father ., 7 Self, spouse with·or witl10ut unmarried son/daughter and widowed mother 6 ·s Self, male, married brother,'brother's wife and brotner's sons/daughters 4 9 Self (widowed female), married sons, soo's wives, so~'s sons and daughters 10 ------~ Total 15 98 The composition of households by nature born in the villages where study was conduct of relation of members to heads of households ed. One female head had 11igrated from rural reveals that maximum of 7 were the vertically area of Rupnagar district and another female extended families. Other types of combina-' head had migrated to th0 vlnage from rural tions of relations were soHt-.~ry few in these area of neighbouring Haryana State. The households. It was observed that largi~r fami reason for migration in both these cnses was lies were breaking up into smaller nuclear -or marriage, and their stay here had exceeded vertically extended nuclear pnes. twenty years. The study of .15 households with reference The study of househcrlds who h.,.d left the to migration status of heads r~vealed that 13- , craft with respect to their tradi Honal occupa male -heads were the non-migrants i.e were tion; religion, 'castel community of the head!> revealed that 4 .househoids of .Rajput one eacli Workers I Non-WorkerS of Brahman and Kahar communities ,profess ing Hinduism were, traditionally cultivators. Out of 'total 98 persons comprising t3 males Three households of Ravidas1. (HindJl) and two and 45 females iri these 15 households as many as households belonging to Islam were tr aditionally 32 males and 2 females were workers whereas, bunkars (weavers). One household of J1llahal Kabirpanthi professing Sikh religion was again the remaining 21 males and 43 females were re a weaver. One, household belnnging to Ta?'khanl -corded as. non-workers. In the age gro!.~p Lohar caste and professing Sikh religion was (0-14) years all the 14 males and 13 females traditionally a mason, a~d another of the same were non-workers. The break-up of working ethnic group and religion did the job of sinking handpumps. One household of Ra'tJido;;i Sikh force in the higher age groups by'sex a;nd castel was traditionally agricultural labourer. community is furnished in the taole II. 16. TABLE II.16 Distribution of \Vorkers by Caste/Community sex and broad-age groups' Workers in age group Serial Caste/Community' Total ------~------No. Workers 15-34 35-39 60 t M F M F M F M F ------~------2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 Rajput 7 4 2 1 2 Ravidasi (S.C.) 13 7 1 4 2 3 Tarkhan/Lohar 6 4 1 4 Brahman 1 1 5 Kahar 1 1 6 Mohammedan 3 2 7 Julaha/Kabirpanthi (S.C.) 1 _------~- _---- -...;:. ------,--- Total 32 2 15 1 11 6 Further the analysis of workers and nOll workers returning cultivation as traditional occu workers among the 15 households by sex and pation were alsoi engaged in the same at the time enducational level showed that 15 male and 1 of survey from whom 2 were in the age group female workers and 14 male and 32 female non~ (15-34) years, 4 in the age group (35-59) and workers were illiterate. Only one male worker one in the age group (60 and above), From the 3 was classified as 'literate without education:1l female workers with 'cultivation' as traditional level'. Five males and 1 female workers, 4 male occupation, 2 in the age group (15-34) years and 10 female non-workers had studied upto wete still cultivators and one in the age group 'primary of junior basic' level. Seven male (35-59) was engaged in dairy :farming. From workers and one male and female each non-wor~ the 3 male workers returning masonry as tradi kers had attained the educational level as tional occupation one each in the age group 'middle'. Three male workers and 2 male non~ (15-34) and (60 years and above) was still workers had studied up to 'matriculation and pursuing the same occupation whereas one in the higher secondary' level. Only one male worker former age-group was a factory worker. Three among them had studied upto 'graduation and male workers, 2 in the age group (15-34) and above': one in the age group (35-59) were pursuing their traditional occupation of sinking hand~ An insight into the distribution of workers pumps. Further it is interesting to note that by traditional occupation and present occupation from 17 male workers returning the craft under by sex and broad age-group revealed that 7 male study as their traditional occupation, one each "~ 23 in the age group (i5-34) and. (65~) years had and Vinobha 13have preached for bringing this adopted the loom for weaving checked 'Khesis' household craft to the villages. In those days Five in the age group (.15------3'4:) years,and ~ in the Khadar (coarse cloth) was woven more ~rom the age group (35--59) and 3 in tQ.e ,age group self spun yarn. With opening of Khadi, Bhandars (60 +) had shlfted to labour work. One each in some village girls/women haVe started weaving the thre'e bttlad age groups was engaged in tailor Panja daris for augmenting their household in ing, :postal get-v.a.ces, :an~' masont'y . W'Ork. '!i'he rome. Rajput rommunity is l.()und to be more single fem~e worker in the .age groupl(i;!)j~M) dominant amongst the village communities whose earned her livelihood bS weaving ~l\hesi8' with females have started weaving dms, as the the help of ioom. A diversified occupational females of Rajput community traditionally h~'ve mobility is 'appareht which is more horizontal an inhibition to go ,cilUtside -their houses for tha-n vertical. earning livelihooQ. The ather castes vrnose females are 'less reluctant ·to go out for earning, Growth and development of craft in villages are comparatively less associated with the handi A general view of history of weaving can "Craft. With the fast pace o[ urbanization accom be had py recapitulating' the ·aocoum· -gi'lJen lin panied .by increasing .cost of living _and having the previous chaRter. Regarding history of the no other option they have been attracted by origin of craft in these villages nothing particular this job as it can easily be carried on indoors. If has been revealed except -that ·-'the teohnique of the returns for the labour involved are :;uitably enhanced more females w~ll be attracted to panjadari w~aying has bee? transmitted since generations from mother to daughter. In the wards this craft. pre-partition days Julaha/Kabirpanthi and some Mohammadan -communities were 'mainly assooia-t 'Facilities in the form of any co-operative ed with weaving handiqraft. It was reported in societies or ,training-cum-production centres are Majri village that weaving as household industry lacking in the villages. Their creation will was at its peack in mia-40s. Mahatma Gandhi definitely give a boost to . this craft. CHAPTER III PROCESS OF LEARNING Basic requirement. (comb). Perfection in this field rests on skilfu1 and accurate movement of the fingers. Finger The weaving involves the fundamental ele dexterity is skill which has to be learnt. The ments, spun yarn, an adda (frame) to stretch smooth sequence of thumb and finger movements warps, a device called Rachh (heddle) for sepa when automatic and habitual becomes a basis rating and lifting alternate warps at one time for varied manipulations and design formation. for insertion of weft then beating of weft yarn All this depends on fundamental human trait. directly across the warps by Panja or hathi The ability to move the fingers and thumb in (comb). The interlacing of warps and wefts at varying co-ord.ination and the tendency to vary right angles is the main process of weaving. uses of acquired skill largely in the spirit of play The straight line geometrical and square graphi makes the whole technique fructify. The designs cal designs are easier to weave than curved ones have been seen to be followed in memorised which proceed by minute steps across the re·· sequence without any written charts or catalogue. ctangular web. The panja daTi as obl>-erved has mainly remained women's occupation a stay at "Trial and error" is the main step involved home activity. Only where weaving of dari be in learning process. The mother imparts in came a gainful pursuit as an industry has been struction. The child finds best response or the taken over by men with the help of loom and way of acting and then concentrates on that step shuttle. i.e. the learner repeats particular action. By tll'ials the child finds right response that is, she Learning and acquirement of skilL learns to do things in right way. Through more and more practice she acquires familiarity with The process of learning of this handicraft the skill and ultimately becomes habituaL Thus has been passing on from mother to child both learning process has been a matter of selection in group and individual sense broadly on the of response to a situation which gives best conservative principle. The form of skill and results. Similar way of learning is true in realm knowledge which undoubtedly proved to be of of any handicraft. For developing the skill importance to the people has been taught to the (convenience in doing something) the process in succeeding generation. This skill has been pass volves important elements· succinctly explained ing onwards through space and time and as. is an important constituent of civiliza tion. In case of human being psychologi The mother or elder sis fer acts as a teacher and ~ally the mind has the power of con rouses the urge of daughter or sister to use her :ervation, a fundamental attribute essential instinctive energy. In a way aided by a purpose ror learning any skill and by virtue of which' or goal or incentive the environment gives her )ast is retained. The informant.s reported that the stimulus. By instruction imparted to her, she ldolescent girls were more receptive to learn the is motivated to act. The stimulation :rouses her kill of weaving panja dari and the practice made to action. The learning girl selects the hopeful :hem proficient in this art. The learning process and best purposes. Having seleded the purpose ;tarts from cotton ginning, carding, spuming, behind, the girl acts for herself. She attempts Iyeing making 4- -6 ply twisted cords for something practical. It is just learning by doing :tretching on adda, 4-6 ply untwisted weft bobs practical simultaneously. She learr1$ to insert or interlacing, preparing heddles for raising and the wefts with fingers as instructed. She judges ~ressing warps, beating the wefts with panja if her practical action is right or wrong. If she :comb). Making different designs on the dari as considers that her practical action is wrong, then ler certain specifications is the final stage of she makes' new selection and fresh attempt. New earning. All girls in this craft invariably were action ensures until, she has right response. The 'amiliar with basic skill of spining though they novel response which solves the problem is ~et the ready made yarn through Khadar adopted and established. The mother's help whd Bhanoiu. Their main jobs are preparing dors is instructor for the skill is always available till :cord:), weft strands stretching the warps on she learns rightly. Having finally· achieved the Idda, beating the inserted. wefts With' panja'; right response, she has then to exercise. She 25 l~aml to hold the panja (comb), insert the When they prepare the da7'i, it brings them satis wefts of various colours in the sheds and beat faction which is an important factor in learning. them uniform and tight. The practice goes on The things or designs which they have learnt under. the superyision of the mother or sist?F.. mqst r;ecently, they can reprOduce easilv. It The gIrl then performs the skill independently was reported that a teenaged girl learns-the without much effort and even without much, W(;ii,-!ipg process within a duration say 3 to 4 thinking. As reported by experts if some wr~ng months. There were hardly any females in res,Ponse is mape the whple process hps to be these villages who undertook the training lr gone over again. dari weaving from an Institute, neither any such facilities, in the area were reported' to be avail Tt sometiPl~~, becpmes qiffir.;ult tQ r_ectify able. The girls we:r:c observed to be intatested wron$ly ,aone jpb,. p,o a true sense, of pUlipose in tmde.rgoing_ specialised traimilg especially for has, tq be i:qfu.s,Eld oth~r.wi~e qp adol~,scent· girT learnil1g nflw decorative d~signs. to be p'reparod may pl'\ve t(/. be c~iqipd ,qr forp~p. inJo wprk by them if some arrangel)1cnt for impartlllg j" She ha~! t.o be p:t;epareq to under:take work even were mach, locally. single handed. Period engaged in cra.ft. Furt~eI.', the learning of the ora"ft· depends on' girI:s awar~:qess and: sensation. The better Hie sensation" ,the bet.t~r the perception of s1m in her An inquiry was made as' to how long the mind. From her perception, she broadens her 87 female dari W8aVef'S ",'ere en"gaged in the intell,ect ClP.q inv~1fts, new qe,sig,ns for hel' work. craft and how ttiey had acqCiii'E!d the si{iij witn The knowlt:age g~ined by her is, t~s_tt?d in. action'. respect to relati6hsl1ip to the head of the house Slowly ~nd steaqily it g~t$ ipto lIer mind and hold. Out of 34 females engaged in the craft the ~powJedge ~~ ,a~i'ir!1il.a,t!=d and ~ltimately for a duration less thai} 5 yeats, one was herse'If bec,q~es a ,part of h,er lljlenta! ,~~qfk! An accurate head, another one was wife of a head, 16 wete trmplqg oJ s~n,ses: is. aJso in:tpol'tant. A'cQurate related as daughtecs of heads, 7 were the son's observ~tlQn, nqt· wi~~ eyes 'lloIJe" Qut, wit.h. all wives, 4 were son's daughters, ono wtrs bf'c the sf(ns€s ,\~ essentif-l ~n, ~ sattsfactol'y' )earning. ther's wife and 4 were brother's daughters and proc~~s., J}.ll ~ol.d, .t~qt. those. ~lHng~ whidf. do lill these .34.. had \~amt the sldU invariably froJi1, not aRPe.al, to: ps a~~ hav~ npthing tp dp \\~ith us, their mothprs. Out, of 40 feina-Ies engaged in we let gQ. The ':purpose" does influence this the cJ'.1f,t £Qr. about 5- ·9 years, one was again whole :Rl::~~.es~ 9f l~qrn!ng. T.he s~n ,of weaving h(,l'~~~l! he<\d, 9, w.e.re v.Qves, 17 were daughters, Pan]eulq.Tl mvolpe9 .~I ~9r~, of. praW~lt~~ leatn~ng 6 were son~s wiv,es, 3· were son's daughters, and i.e., l~;ar.~il1~ thrqugl\ p,l'actical d9ing what. may 1 w~e sistel'S of th~ head~ fiurD' these, 38 be ciJll~rl tr:Ja+ ,an~ ~rl'or. l}.p~r.t ir,om "trial had again been imparted trai1'ling by their and error" some skills being pursued as part of mothers ~.vhereas one son's wife was trained by culture in another society, are introduced by the her sister and another. f~males being related ~!> introducer ~o a ~iff~:rent society. It i\l th€ln sister tp t!le head had been imp"arted training just bpri-~~ing tl1~ ~~~tl r~'om .(me pgpple by by l:!rother!s wife; Gat of t\veive engaged ifl another. The intr..q~ttic!2r, is not actu~lly ,its the cr '00 ~ ,I ,i r-- , i , I ~, I , I I , II"> , ..... 00 ,'''I' \0 M 1M, ""'Ir 00 ,00 - I .~ girls were said to be unintelligent and drearny nation by the new entrants to this handicraft. to learn this art and they were unable to achieve .4ssessment oj tmining. neatness and accuracy, in their work. A neat and accurate work is assessed as upto the mark An inquiry regarding assessment of trainil1g by Khadar Bhanaar authorities in comparison to re'ceived by the persons related to the period a slipshod job which is sometimes rejected by engaged in the craft and intention to recelve them. Clearance of Panja DaTi by the Khadar better training was made which is furnished in Bhandar authorities is treated as a sort of exami- the table below:- TABLE III.2 Distribution of trained persons by period engaged in the craft, and intention to receive better training Training is considered Favouring Not favouring better trai:ting due to Period engaged in craft in years No, of weavers Adequate Inadequate Better Much cn Old agc engaged training gagement in the craft in house hold chores 1 2 3 4 ------5 6 -----.- ----7 Less than 5 34 33 32 5-9 40 40 37 2 10-19 12 12 10 2 20+ 1 ------,..,_ -- ... _------_ ------Total 87 86 80 2 - 5 ------The attitude of weavers towards training i3 much of ..their time was spent in household apparent by a glance at the table. In the chores. Five were unwilling to underta"k-p first instance they showed contentment with better training due to old age factor. None of whatever they could learn in traditional way. the parents favoured sending their females for Only one female had reported the training- Uf training outside the village as they had stL"or IS inadequate as she was fresh entrant. A further inhibition for that. They show:ed ignorance probe whether they favoured receiving better about availability of better training facilIties in training, as many as 80 out of total 87 showed the area. A study :revealing the incidencp of a preference to undergo better training if made rr;strictiol1s for imparting training to the persons :.wailable to them in the village. Two expressed by duration of engagement of household in the unwillingness to undergo any better training as craft is given in the table below:- TABLE III.3 Distribution of households reporting restrictions for imparting training to persons by duration of engagemellt of h?usebolds in the craft ------Number of hOuseholds reportC!1 Period engaged in the' craft (in years) No. of households Restriction to No restriction impart to i'll~l~t training i;tStructioa to other castel community members ------~------~- 1 2 3 4 Less than 5 13 3 J(} 5-9 24 5 19 10-19 21 2) 20--- 2 2 ------Total 60 11 49 - ... - -~ _------· . r:r:he .11 households expressed that they had designs, she reported, were Leharia (wavy), lllhlbltatlons in imparting training to female patti (stripe), phool..;patte (floral), chi"ian da member(s) of other caste/communities. Th~se janl (net of iSparows), chital1kari (checked), were the so called twice born caste households birds and small. animals (refer to sketches in who were reluctant to mix . with members of fig. 11 Chapter IV) or as laid down by KhadaT households thought by them to be of lower Bhandar authorities. She has also learnt the social status. Neither they want to learn the skill of dyeing. the yarn. She rarely has any skilI from them nor to teach them. Such house catalogue of designs. She follows weaving holds were recorded in villages of Majri and various designs in a memorised way. Samgoli. Majority of them were aware of un touchability Act but they were conditioned Through repetition all the sisters have by age old social structure. About one 'fourth gained suftldent experience and practice. She of Swarna Caste households were recorded to is confident that now they can even take up follow such restrictions. However it was observ woollen dar'is if required. This skill has fostered ed that these Testrictions are fast evaporating. in them a feeling that by this they can earn All the females, however, had an appreciation their livelihood. She took pride in saying that for neat and accurate work accomplished by an her work was assessed to be quite upto the mark indi vid uaI irrespective of her caste / comm LIni ty. by the Khadar Bhandar people. She reported The prevalent pattern of acquirement of skill is that by weaving daris, they are augmenting the also revealed by some biographical sketches family income. She was planning to have a port recorded during the survey. 'able folding adda (frame) for stretching t!:te web. She was however hesitant to go out for Case-I other job Qf undergo an advanced training in the Detailed information was asked from a few profession. weavers concerning mainly process of learning. An unmarried girl weaver named P belonging to Case-II Rajput community was contacted at random, who was born in village Majci of Tahsil Kharar in Another weaver contacted for detailed infor Ropar district. She is the son's daughter of mation again happened to be a Rajput girl named head, a retired school teacher. At the time of P daughter of Mr. M. of same village. She survey she was 21 and had passed her matricu joined the school in her childhood and left it lation a couple oj years ago. She has two after passing middle standard examination from sisters elder one being 23 and another of 18 years .. the local middle school. The parents were Her father's sister was 22 years. All these girls not interested to let her continue higher studies. were yet unmarried. She learnt the skill of After leaving the school she helped her mother weaving dari in her own home mainly from in household chores and dari weaving in the mother and sometimes from father's sister as house. She learnt the skill from her mother. well. In the beginning she used to prepare 4-5 In the beginning she used to spin yarn and then ply warps from ordinary spun yarn. Her started preparing warps and wefts as instructed mother imparted instruction to her alongwith bv her mother. Then she alongwith her mother other two daughters to stretch the warps on u~ed to sit on the adda and beat the wefts. She adda i.e. stretching the web. Then the daughters inculcated an interest in the job. Through were taught to insert weft in the shed created mother's frank and free guidance, devoid of any by raising and pressing the sets of warps and fear, she picked up the skill after a couple of then beating the wefts. There was hit -and trial months. Her mother taught her the movement in the beginning for learning various pictorial of 4 fingers for inserting wefts. She never designs. Sometimes mistakes were made and attended any training Centre. She has purchas thus there resulted variation from the desired ed a portable adda (frame) of galvanised iron specification of a da.ri. She, even by slIch a set pipes. She takes the yarn from Khadar Bhandar. ilack rarely allowed her interest extinguish. In She prepares 5-6 daris a month with the help due course she acquired the skill as her mother of her mother and augments the income of the wished her. She admits that her mother was family, by earning about Rs. 3DO a month. She untiresoroe to bring the lesson in her workable is doing. the job for the last three years. Her memory. Through her mother's continuous house is a kacha as well as pucca mixed and efforts for about six months all the three facility of electricity is available. She can daughters acquired the practice to do the job weave various designs as laid down by Khadar independently. Now she is quite proficient in. 13handar. Leharia (wavy) and Chiturkari dari weaving. She helped by her other sisters (checked) as indicated in sketch in Chapter IV sometimes weaves 6 da.ris in a month. Various are the popular ones. Green, red, yellow! white ~29 are the predominant colours used in the daris. Case-IV She was not much interested to undergo any advanced training ,in the art of weavirrg by One rhtlCe 'Weaver incidentally again an un· gohg out of the village. .she J1as tl'lso. '"composed married girl name'd U daughter of S belonging a few songs ~hich ~he sings while :dQing the ,job. to Ealmiki Scheduled Caste was contacted. She She felt contented with Ithe job. Only .thing she 'Was born in Sanghol village. She jOlUpd the was complainillg Wa'S the- biased .grading of ~the local school, but econpmic stringencies of the work an~ low rate p-f payment as c0mpared to fa'llily did Rot allow her to continue her studles the amount of labour involved in the job. any fUl:.ther and she was compelled to give up educational pursuit though she was aware (If Case-III Jlacilities pI'o~ded ~y tlIe government to the scheduled ca'Ste students. She was 17 years at In village Samgoli Miss -K daughter of the time of survey. She started learning dari widow P belr'nging to Rajput community was we-aving handicraft unc~er t4e sympathetic ins .recorded as Fitterpte. She, ·from her early teens truction of her mother. Tqe learn'ing in the started halping hp.r mother in ginning of .cotton home while doing practic.al work added to hpr and spinning sObt (yarn). She occasionally help gams in the skill. She started from dye in q of ed her mother in twisting of warps and dyeing the yarn. She can also spin fine yarn with of yarn for weaving dari and cross-weaving cots. speed though, she uses mill spun and factory She learnt the preparatory steps to b~ taken in dyed yarn for weaving daris. She expressed order to stretch a da1"i web. The mother taught her that usually all the adolescent girls are capable preparing colours hom the bark of trees and 01 learning the handlcran but learning to incor also the quantity of chemical col,ours required :£or porate various designs is a bit difficult and reqUlr dyeing soot (yarn:) , Similarl-y her elder sJ:&t,er es time and sharp m'2mory to remember the had learnt .the skill from her mother. She had combination of warps and wefts. The main the bepefit of having two teachers i.e. me'ther tE7chn~que taught tq her was the use 01 four and elder sister. She acquired the skill of stret fing,~rs pf left hand for in: :rting wefts in the ching the taana (web) in 1980 alongwith her she.d. ~4c att~p.ded to dari ,"ork alon !with elder sister who has since been married. They other hou:;ehold work. She reported that she were the first two sisters who uru;iertook to also prepar~d daris of .other household~ 101' pre weaving .daris for h,ousep0ld income. Econorric senting, in cia] (dowry~ by them irJ exchangE> (it stringencj.es forced these sisters to take. the w,,~nv mc:;leratc remuneration ranging from Rs. 35 to ing work from K,hadar Bhand~r within viIiage Rs. 4.0 .a pjcce. She is able to weave four dar is on contract basis. The !iaris wOV,en _by Miss K a mon'th. She has got a .pucca room with faci were simple pattidar (stripY,) we~gping about. l~ty .of el~ctricity for doing the craft. Furthp.r 3 Kgs. in wei,ght having 3-4 colours only. She, she was. ,of the opinion that winter season is had learnt the job witp interest, but ~t could .not more suited {or the job and it ca_l be attended last later than 1985. The interest 5.1olbsequently even at nigl).t. She can incorporate designs as faded ,away on account of Jow xemuneratio;n in Patti (Stri,pe) Ie haria (weavy or serpentine) compatible with labour involved. Sh.e was Chitarkari (chec;:ked), birds and animals (as doing the dari work pnly half .heartedly ,and referred in figure 11 in Chapter IV) as required was thinking to ablpldon it altogetsf:'.r ,as she ~Y. c,ustomer. ~he is qui,te conversant with the could mqke more mo;oey .by attending to ,milch skill of weaving dari. She also showed tha t cattle. She express~d that her zeal in the job shanfE;!l w~f~s cO\:llmg forward to tak,e v.:ork from vil,lage ,giris. at sha,neel v.:efts .was very 59ft to touch. She stated suitably enhal).ced rates for the lap9ur jnput. that she co~ld take up dari weaving on con She has the potential to W9rk .an,d is, capable gf tI:act 1i~sis from Kb,adar rBhandar provided the weaving 4 ~tandarq, daris in a m,onth whic,h in~entiv~s jn terms of labour charges are in atleast f;hou,ld fetch );l~r about ,Rs . .250 p. m. keepip.g w.ith the work. In her neighbourhood, Several other .girls of the village v,yere also there 'Yere some who \}'ere e,perating looms weav facing the same pr<;>h!em. Ber activ,ity j~ ing K,'i?es b.y tlIe J11echa;nical contrivance using limited to own home. She neyer attended any sh~ttle for in~erung w€fts. ;She also possesses an training schoOl, extra .knowledge an.d can also work on the looms. ~o CHAPTER IV MANUFACTURING PROCESSr Place oj work th€ ,ria-ri. Th'e weavers have sometime to move around the web for certain intennediary process, Tbe weaving of 'Panja da'ris most commonly [n case the web is strekhed on a portable adda has been seen to be women's occupation and is (frame) it can be shifted to any suitable place, ~ stay-at-home activity. The whole technique may be t;mtslde the room, ln the shade of a tree lP confined to the four walls of the houses. in the courtyard or backya:rd. Un~ike t~e past, the m~ll ~pun yarn is readily avaIlable m bazaar. so the local spinning is giving A gicmcc into the data periaJl1ing to house ,~ay to the machine- spun thread. Daris vary In h.11ds and per30YlS eJlgaged in the craft as rela·ted SIze, but are generally masle :Qig. eno~!gb for f;l t I place of work revealed that out OL 87 total bed. For stretching the 'taana (web)' of a daTi, weavers, 83 were usi~g a portion of tbdt dwcl~ the weaver requires a fhrt smooth space on the Urrg house ~fs place of work i.e. their· activity· ground slig'htly brger than the size -of in tended was confined t() the premis€fI itseli. Four dnri. Usually a mom of size 8·10 sq. meters weavers were found engaged in the craft jn area would suffice for an Age group (If Heads Sex Total M/F 0--14 15--34 35-59 2 3 4 5 - --~~-~ ~-.__.------_------'-"- M 3 39 14 56 F ·2 1 --"__ ....-....--J.- __ ..... _--___ ~_ ...... ___ .... ------ Total 41 15 oJ It 'was observed that out of GO heads of of the weaver. is protected by tiie governin>ent or h/),Iseho)ds, 56 were males aHd {our V;lere ~·enales. any other trust'\\Iorthy body" the ,craft can pro Heads of households usually belopged to elderly ceed to prog:t:C'ssive threshold. The study 01 grOi Ip of persons as extepting ~ all th'e rem.\ljjl dutation period of thes[' w01'kers \vho are engaged jng 56 were in the age grbul:) 35 an'd '}ibove. Some in the craft revealrd that they picked up the of the weavers were seen .to be wDrkihg 'in their craft mostly tiuring the pr~ceding decade because daTi<: ana dingy rooms under unhygienic condi. 7'l: of the·workers were round to be engaged for a tions. Their interest can be roused by provid duration (O~g) years and 13 from these had pick~ ing congenial working conditioiis. 1£ the interest ed up the craft over a decade ago. 31, rurther it was aiso examined as fo how far their work. Further an inquiry was conducted to the place of work was from the house. The 83: know the extent Of congestion in the places of weavers were recorded to work on the premises work i.e persons engaged in th~ craft by area of their own dwelling houses and 4 were record- occupied and number of persons working there ed to do the craft in the nearby• dwellings owned in. The break up of households owing the place by them or by their neighbours but these places of work by area occupied and number of persons of work were less than one Km. from their resi wCll'king therein is furnished in table IV.2 dence. So )10 specific mode of transport was either required or used by them to attend to below:- TABLE rV.2 Distribution of households classified by place of work. area occupied aft. Dumber of persons working therein. ~- Number of bousehollis baving workiag area and worken Place of work Number of occupied J-.y the Households 6-10 Sq. meters 11-16 Sq. meters 17-24 Sq. meters 25 Sq. meters household (Worker) and above --~------Si:lgle (2-5) Single (2-5) Single (2-5) Single (2-5) ------1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Part of dwelling house .. 56 3 17 11 10 9 3 3 (83) (3) (-) (17) (25) (10) (18) (3) (7) Next door neighbours house 4 2 2 (4) (2) (2) ',' Total 60 3 19 11 12 9 3 3 (87) (3) (-) (19) (25) (12) (18) (3) (7) It is revealed that out of 56 houseHolds Coltl sons attending to the craft jointly exceeded 5. prising 83 workers 3 households having 3 workers Two each of the four households not having occupied -an "area 6-10 Sq, meters 17 households their own place of work in their dwellings were having single weaver and 11 households having working in partnership with other household in 25 weavers in combinations of 2-5 persons were areas 11-16 Sq. meters and 17-24 Sq. meters res possessing 11-16 Sq. meters as ·place of work. Ten pectively and these four households had single households having single workers in each and 9 weaver in them. The lack of proper space for households having 18 workers in combinations of the handicraft was a hurdle for these four 2-5 occupied a place measuring 17-24 Sq. meters. female workers. Three households each comfJrising 3 and 7 we'av Problem regarding place of work ers the later in combina'tions of 2-5 possess~d spacious w~rking area measuring over 25 Sq. Apart from the above, the opinion of weav meters. It is to be noted that none of the weav ers regarding the place' of work and related pro ers was found doing the' craft in-space less than blems, were also recorded which are furnished 6-10 Sq. meters and no where the group of per- in Table IV.3 below: 32 -o 00 ! ! 1 r"I I I I 1 100 I ! 10 NIN I I N f 00 I 1 I I I ,I ,Nr' 1 I 1 r I I , I .... [ 10 1 I I I I I NI~ I 1 " ,1' I I~ rN I I 1 I I I I I .... ~ 1 I I I I I I I I I femaies in their day to day life. The men are whiCh it is prepared is to spread. it on the cot. engaged in varied occupational pursuits. The The daris prepared by hand are regarded best-. e_lgagement in craft hardly shows any impact to and durable because 'in them the warp and weft disturb status relationship of the society. Neither are beaten quite compact ~ith Panja - (comb) there is any stigma of pollution associated with its and even water can't percolate easily' through technology, handling tools or raw materials. The them. The designs on daris are of various cate~ vertical social position of caste groups is somewhat gories; geometrical, floral, plant, birds, fish, traditionally determined irrespective of this ('raft. human figures and animals and other pictorial The socially layered groups have their predefined representations of hypothetical na~ure usually rig~ts and- ooHgations in the society. This ,Craft with symmetrical borders. Some designs are is collsidered a' clean occupation without slightest represented in figure 11 ahead. Duris called taboo against it. pattidar (skipy) with simple multi-coloured Informan ts' views regarding puri ty / poll u~ stripes are more common as they are less time tioh associated with the craft by their religion, consuming compared to ,complicated designed caste/community ang head of 'he household ones. Other popular designs are dari dabbidar revealed that all' the 45 households "Of Rajputs, and dari panja special as I?er Khadar Bhandar 4 each of Khutris, and Brahmans, 2 of Tarkhan/ nomenclature. Some other local names of designs Lohar, one each of- Nai, Bharbhunja, ,Balmiki were marabba bandi, (squarely demarcated) belonging t6 Hindll religion, and one each of tukari (pyramid) Ghobiphul (Cauliflower) and Tarkhan/Lohar .and' Teli befonging to Sikh ahd belanwali (creepers). The soft daris are Isi~m religion ·n~"spectively ,hardly reported any preferred to coarse da1'is, though the latter are purity lpollution };leliej' associated ,with, the craft. more durable. Some girls in Sanghol village They rather reported! that it is a 'clean job and were seen using shaneel cloth weft and these the dari is an 'irnpbTtant artefecl: to decorate the daris are softer to touch and feel. By the tech sage (bed). Heads of households irrespective of nique of Panja daris some girls had reported their age·group rreither reported any .. belief that they prepare simple bags by folding and ,associated with -pollution/purity nor performed sewing a small woven piece at the borders. Some anY'-,ceremony in this regard. 'However, irres~ others reported that assan (dari piece for seating pective of their c~ste or community some of a single person) were also prepared for Use in weavers refrained to start a fresh dari taana worshipping while propitiating or mollifying (web stretching), on Tuesdays though there was their gods and goddesses but these were for given no' scientific .basis for this. Arr in other their personal use. In the villages of Sanghol walks of life they rather prefer to_stretch it on and Samgoli majority of the daris were prepar· Wecilnesday, which is thought to be .an auspicious ed for domestic purposes wh~reas in Majri ahd enlightenIng- one's "(isdom, "A lucky person)s village a higher proportion was woven for di~ presence while starting .the taana (web) and posal through Khadar Bhandar on contract basis. taking the first pick then and -there is preferred, and -1hese are their own be1iefs. Items manufactured in a month and seasonal variations Handicrafts objects Uflder the handicraft "Panja dari" the nfain A probe Was also made regarding number of and s01e,object or article is .dari, which :\ve come items manufactured in a month. impact of across in these villages, The dm'is however varY' season as related to the educational level' of the in deSIgns and size, but a.re usually made big head of the household. The relevant data are ~', enough for the bed Le. the main .purpose for furnished in table IV.4 below:- 'TABLE IV.4 • ., DIStribution oC house6ohls' llianuCacturing 'dafis by 'umber 'Of items manufactured 10 a month and VIews about Impact of -season at r'lated to educational level of head of household __;:_ ------_ Educational'level Nd.of No. of daris manu- No. of households reporting the houes- factured in a mllnth seasonal Impact as hblds. manu- Less than 5-9 Winter Summer No . , facturjn~ 5 favourable favourable seasonal daris variations "-_----- 2 3 4 S 6 ---7 I llit~rate 32 26 6 11 1 20 Literates without educational level 2 2 1 1 Primary or Juuior BaJii;: j j 4 1 Middle 13 'i" 6 7 3 10 Matriculation or Higher SecondarY 7 5 2 3 4 Graduate and above 1 Total 60 44 16 22 1 37 ,_ , 34 Of the ~32 heads. of households being illite Ra-w matel'ial rate 26 reported to weaVe less than 5 pieces in a inonth, 6 reported to weave 5-9 pieces in a The main raw material consumed in panja month. Eleven reported winter season to be dari craft is cotton yarn. Chemical powder colour better suited for increase in production whereas is another material used in this craft. About one favoured summer season for increase and 100 grams. of soda (sodium carbonates) or suIt the .20 did not report variation in production as (sodium chloride) is also required for dyeing result of season. Of the 2 heads of households a soot (yarn) for one dari. In the past the yarn being literates (without educational level) and colours were the local material, which are reported to be weaving less than 5 pieces a now being considerably replaced by marl{et month and only one favoured winter season for material. Now mill spun yarn is easily enhancing the production and the other one did available in bazaar. The local processing .of not report any variation. All the 5 heads cotton, and the indigenous spinning is 10sing its having studied up to primary level reported to base. However. spinning was seen going on in weave less than 5 pieces a month and 4 of them a few household. Khadar Bhandar authorities are favoured winter season for increase of produc playing the major role of providing the spun tion and one did not report any change by season. yarn to weavers and ginned cotton wool to the Of the 13 heads having middle as their educa ,villing Kattis '(spinners). Yarn is imported to tional level, 6 reported to weave less than 5 daris the villages by Khadar Bhandar. For the warp 1:1 month and 7 reported to weave 5-9 daris a wet twisted yam of 4-5 counts is used and for month and only 3 reported winter season to the weft again strands of 5-6 counts are used. increase the production and 10 did not report If the weavers get the raw yarn from -Xhadat' effect of season. Of the 7 'heads studied upto Bhandar they have to prepare the requisite wa-rp matriculation or Higher Secondary 5 reported to and weft material themselves. The mill twist weave less than 5 pieces a month and 2 reported ed warps are also available in half ltg. reels. to weave 5-9 daris a month and only 3 reported The synthetic chemical colours are purchased that winter seaSOn was favourable for increase in from the market. The dm'i weavers purchase production and 4 did not report the impact of these in small quantities as they can't afford season on pl'oduction. Only one graduate head expenditure on bulk quantities. Requisite quan- of household reported that the production of daris varied from 5-9 a month apd kept silent tity of sodium carbonate is also available with about the impact of season on the production. the local shop keepers. Blue, green, red and Thus in all 44 heads of households reported to yellow are the main prescribed colours. The wl!ave less than 5 daris a month and 16 reported warp is invariably 'White in preparation of all to weave 5-9 daris. Out of total 60 households 22 favoured winter season to be better for in daris, and they become invisible by way of crease in production whereas one favoured thorough beating. Consumption of approximafe summer season and the remaining 37 scarcely proportion of colours and dyed yarn used for a reported any variation by virtue of s~ason. It .is standard daTi of about 4 kg. weight as gathered .somewhat discernible that with the mcrease m educational level the heads of households tend in discussion with the weavers is furnished to produce more number of daris a month. below:- Weight of Colour Colour (in gram~) .Weft strands (in Kgs.) 2 3 - - ~ -;:------lllue 30 1 '250 Green 10 0'500 ~ed 20 1 '000 yellow 10 0-500 Total 70 3'250 3~ iii .. , ...... •'_ Apart from the dyed 3.250 Kgs. of weft the great' stress and tension during the weaving strands, warp weighing from 700- -800 gram. is process. It is to be noted that preViously the used in one piece, thus approximating the total weight of chemical colours was recorded in ~olas weight of dari as 4 kgs. Minor variation~ how and one tola approximates to 10 grams of ever are permissible. The weavers reported we~ght. The quantity .of colour varied from that yarn of traditional variety cotton gro~l!l in village to village depending upon its quality, these villages was far superior to that available in the market and they joculary compared it as Some of the salient specifications marked in desi ghee is to hydrogenated vegetable oil. The the Khadi lagat parta Chart (Khadi Schedule thread counts in weft and warp are also 'deter Cost Chart) for a couple of popular daris which mined by the degree of fineness of spun yarn. were operative during 1985-86 as prescribed by The superior quality of yarn is preferably used Khadi and Village Industry Commission authoci for preparing warp as these have to withstand ties are furnished below: COLOURED DARIS Kind of Cloth Length Breadth Warp weft yarn No. Yarn Total in ' in wei~ht, weight centimeters centimeters in Kgs. (Kgs.) (weft/ Warp) ------r.------...... - --.---2 -- 3 4 5 6 _----7 2'500 Ddri panja special 202 110 9 9 g·IO 3 0'500 3 '300 Dar; /)abbidar Panja 110 120 8 8 8 ·10 4 0'700 The cost of the daris is said t9 undergo Average monthly consumption of raw material revision subject to price of yarn and colours and similarly the rates of remuneration are also The details regarding average consumption of affected. In villages of Samgoli and Sanghol raw materials and number of daris manufactured more of the' daris were prepared for, domestic in al month classified by educational level of head purposes whereas in Majri a higher proportion of household, in these villages are given in the was woven through Khadar Bhandar. table IV-5 below as reported by informants. TABLE IV.5 Average consumption of raw material and number of daris prepared in a month,classi{ied by educational level of head of house}1olds Average monthly consumption of each raw material Educational level of head of household Number Number of of daris Colours (in gms.) households woven manu- yarn Blue Green Red Yellow TO'll factUring warPI daris weft Kgs. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ------llIiterate 32 118 410'000 4780 880 4090 290 10040 Literate without educational level 2 6 21 '000 240 30 210 30 510 PrimarY or Junior basic 5 17 68 ·700 710 70 500 70 1350 Middle 13 55 212·500 1940 340 1540 340 4160 ' Matriculation or Higher SeqondarY 7 30 102 ,DOD 660 115 485 80 1340 Graduate and above· '6 24'600 180 60 120 60 420 ----- ~------Total 60 232 838 '800 8510 1495 6945 870 17820 36 II In all 232 daris were prepared in a month by called tara (Fig. 1 and Plate 2). The stretched the 60 households spread over three villages. string of the bow is a dried intestinal thong of It is to be noted here that daris prepared in goat which is repeatedly struck by mogra Majri village approximated to 4 kgm. each in (wooden balled hammec). The carded cotton thus weight whereas in other villages daris of lighter fluffed is taken into small pieces and rolled on weight than this were also woven. It was com pencil like rod by ha.nd on a flat surface to pre plained that the colours were not always fast pare poonis (cocoons) measuring about 20-25 and they faded away by sun or got blurred after ems. in length. These are then spun into ficst washing of the daris. Sodium carbonate is thread reels. The traditional ta1cali (spindle), used but it is a partial remedy against complaint. (Fig. 2) having a spindle whorl at one end and a "notch at 'the other is losing its use. Charkha Procurement of material (spinning wheel) as seen in plate 3 is still in use for spinning and winding of yarn concurrently. A probe was also made regarding places The spinning wheel is such a contrivance in from where the requisite raw material is pro which a moment of twisting is followed by an cured and the mode of its transport to the other moment in which the length of yarn already villages. The main item yarn/ginned cotton spun is wound on the, spindle (Plate. 4). It is used for dari weaving was collected by the a sort of spindle fitted horizontally between bunkars (weavers) from Khadar Bhandar stores three vartical pegs ·on frame having a slit in the set up in the villages and carried to their homes central peg for the passage of cord functioning as head loads (Plate. 18). The Khadi Bhandar like a belt passing round the wooden wheel in branch of Punjab Khadi Mandal, Adampur vertical plane and at the central cushioned part Doaba (Jalandhar) at Kurali was feeding the of the takala (spindle), which is absolutely weavers in Majri and surrounding villages by straight with shining surface lest the thread regular supply of material. The material is should stick to it. The two spindle charmakhs carried by horse cart or sometimes even by (holders) are simply made of reed or grass Bus. The Khadi Bhandar branch of Sutlej which are occasionally oiled or greased for Khadi MandaI (Nakodar) at Samrala was the allowing free revolving of spindle. The takala supplier of yarn at Sanghol and it was transport measuring about 40 ems., in length has got a ed to the village by Bus. Similarly "Gramudyog damkara (whorl) either of wood or card board Karya-Karta Sangh" main branch at Dera to support the wound up reel of thread. The Bassi supplied the material to its branch in thread so spun goes on reeling. The cocoon or village Samguli for onward distribution amongst sausage of cotton wool is held in left hand. weavers and the mode of transport was bus. (Plate. 4). The wheel is revolved simply by The problem faced by the weavers was that right hand by way of crank. The wound yarn sometimes fine quality of yarn was not available takes the shape of conical cob on the spindle. with the local Bhandar (Store) and in such case The cob so spun is taken off the takala by sli~htly th"!y hud to visit the main branches in urban sliding it out-wards. From these cobs are then centres which was hOle consuming and a costly made uttis (skeins) by using teran (reverse affair. double T) instrument (refer fig. 3 and plate 5). A dozen of such cobs are wound in one utti TeChnique-tools / equipment (skein) till the teran is fully loaded. For pre.. paration of warps the threads from 4-5 uttis The technique of weaving panja dari includ (skein) or cobs are drawn together Le. it is made es preparation of yarn stretching the taana 4-5 larns (counts) and this multiple strand is again (web) Oll adda (frame), weaving and removing wound on the teran. It can be made directly the woven aari. The stages and tools used are from cobs even. It is: then removed and twisted described in the paragraphs to follow: wet by use of spinning wheel after soaking the skein in water and then the bobins or cobs are (1) Preparation of yarn (warp and weft) prepared for taana (web) to be mounted on the adda (frame). These days ready made warp Originally cotton ginning was done in reels ar2 also available in market. villages by local velna- (plate. 1) which is being abandoned these days as ginned cotton is availa For dyeing the yarn for weft, the 4-6 ply ble. The contrivance consists of one wooden skeins already prepared are immersed in a boiled roller me,shed by an iron roller by a gear which solution of desired colour to which a small quan is roiated in reverse direction by means of a tity of sodium carbonate or sodium. chloride is crank fitted to wooden roller. The old women added to make it fast. After a couple of hours usually do this job. The ginned cotton is carded the coloured strands of 4-6 counts are stirred by local penja (cjlr<;ler) by flicking with ~ bow well, and taken out for spreading apart in the 37 TARA (BOW) . l MOGRA(WOODEN HAMMEr FKi. ~ TERAN (INSTRUMfNTfOR PA~~ .39 ~(WARP) FI~ 4 STRETOHEt::> TAANA FOR WEAVING ~G.!l PANJA OR I-tATHHI (COM~ 41 shade for drying lest the colour should fade and back "tarps cross at centre to form the first away by sun ~lp.te 6). \Vhen they are dried, sandh (shed). The number of warp cords were the weft is ready to be used. They are Dlade recorded to fluctuate from 150-200 on either side into small guttis (bobs) for easy passing of weft of the taana arranged parallel to each 'other into the sheds by means of fingers. approximately 6-10 mn,s, apart. The shorter the distance between warp the more compact is (2) Stretching the taano. the dari. No shuttle is used in Panja dari handi craft. The warp cords may be under:;tood to be The adda (frame) ba'rdly has any complicated divided into two sets forming the series i.e., structure. It has four fixed posts to hold warp 2, 4, 6, 8 and 1, 3, 5, 7, and these combinatiorls beams covering a floor area of about 2.75 x 1.25 operate as lower and upper sets. The main step meters in lhe form of rectangle. First the warp here is the preparation for shedding. A.bout 2-3 bea,ms are fastened to these pegs or some iron decades age each of the front and the back sets hooks cemented in the ~all or floor. A layer of of warp were tied with loops fastened to two piece of cloth is rolled Qn these beams so that different bamboos to serve as heddles, locally the warp may not wear away under regular called rachh. The loops have to be kept uni tension. These b.eams al"e kept about 20 ems form and the length of bamboo is slightly more abDve the ground level in horizontal position than width of the dari. These two heddles have (fig. 4 and plate 7). First the two karmis to be kept in tension by another bamboo fixed (marginal thick warp) ha..ving .6-3 w,a.rp cords between these two heddles at a height of about twisted to-gether are' str.etc~~ii' -parallel at an 2 feet from the ground. This bamboo is support equal distance to the ~ired breacith of the dari ed at each end by two legs along the length of at both· ends of tl)e adria. The each set of kanni the warp. It is locally called a ghor-i. (mare) as is run diagonaYj' so as to create sandh (shed) at it has four legs as a mare has. But nowadays the centr;.. f.rext to this warping is taken up in it has been made simple where each warp of upper set is made to pass through the loops simil~ 1aal,)ner•. ~n¢J:~t is continuous. Here is fastened to rachh (heddle bar) just after stretch needed- the- a:ssisJ~nce of a companion. The helper may be a"sn1::rlJ..girl or a boy. They both ing the taana and before inserting shed stick. This heddle bar consists of a number of loops, sit on either side of the-~.p beams with warp each loop encircling an individual warp cord, reels or balls, and warping is s:t:rr-tc;,d from one through its eye, so that the whole layer of warp side. The warp is stretched keeping in view the cords remains in tact for regulating the moV{, central sandh (shedding) i.e., the wal'p like ka.nni is also streched iagonaUy lFig. 6(A)]. The front ment for creating the shed. ~EDDt.E UPPER SERIES WARP WAAPBEAM' AG 6.(A) WES ~D I3A~H.(HEDDI:.EJJI\I,B$INNING .. ~ FIG. 6 (B)'ltHE CENrRAL SHED SHIFI"ED TO.~EME LEr fIere in case of single bar heddle, there is of even and odd warps to crea te shed and pleticul'Ous1'Y) a special lease-rod or shed stick of· counter sbeg< If it is circular: bar its- to- and fr-o pbout 1} ems thtckrw.;s (it is usuaHy a r;ectan mevement wi-t-h respect tG- fh~ beddle, serves the gular bar)iimmediatelj\'oQ"fter the heddle bar and same purpose. The weft is guided' by fingers central sflndh (shed) ben~'ath .the free cords and through the shed of warps and each successive over those which pass thcough the eyes of the weft is termed as pick. This is brief arTimge heddle. With its p.e1p the central shea.is sni.fted merit required to produce shed and counter shed towards edge for first pick [Fig. 6(B).] The for inserting weft and then beating them which rectangular shed stick in horizontal and vertical is illustrated in above figures. Insertion of V!~ft po§it~on ~~P!:i to A:G.1I:reRT'ABtE PDDA6~&) and plate 8). By passing the weft through shed created by up and down·m The above figure illustrates the weaving shed stick is in nat position the layer of warp with single heddle viewed from side. The threads falls down the odd threads and tension heddle remains in constant position. Whe!"l is released. \Vhen tile shed st.kk is raised Up" 44 SHED Sl1CK~RllCALPOsmoN wards the layer of even threads is picked up the position of shed stick. The relative position creating a counter shed. Each time the shed of two sets of warp can also be changed b:)' stick is raised or released, one pick of weft mechanism of two heddles by using a ghori through the warp is shot. The main technique (mare) in centre. In simple daTi weaving the involved is to create shed and countershed for warp and weft pass over and under each other inserting the weft, whether it is by raising or (fig. 9) as in woven cloth illustrated below: lowering of heddle(s) or by relatively adjusting hi The weaver has guttis (balls) of different dari is woven and desired design is achieved. coloured strands of yarn. The strands of weft The panakh or gaj (a wooden adjustable strip) are threaded through warp with fingers and referred in fig. 10 having metallic tooth on its every time the weft are beaten by panja (comb). either 13ide is used to maintain uniform breadth The process continues till the requisite length of of the dari. '::IG '0. PANAKH OR GAJ (BREADTH REGULAnNG fOOL J After weaving 3-4 inches it is moved on "Much like a subtle spider which doth sit, further parallel to the weft. After weaving a In the middle of her web which spreadeth wide; length of about one foot a wooden board is 1f aught do touch the utmost thread of it, placed beneath the woven portion supported on she feels it instantly on every side.'" bricks and touching the lower surface of the da1·i. There were revealed certain songs which The weaver girl sits on it comfortably. This the weaver girls usually sing or murmur while board is used lest the woven piece or stretched spinning cotton yard and weaving daris which web is torn off. She remains consantly watchful reveal the attitude, and notions associated with of every warp and meads it instant aneotsly, jf the craft. A few of these are cited as:- any of the threads breaks any where, in a manner "ct3 cl3 u~h!t -ear At aCTo'lnii - =' similar to a spider. Similar idea has been ex- Fiui f~ PATIIDAR (STRIPED) ORNATE rr.* J • ~~~ Qv AA- rumrt ~ fS£\'1SIOh TllKMIS (PYRAMIDS, PEACOQ( ne·ll 47 Plate No.1 Busy at traditional Velna (Cotton ginning machine) ?late No.2: Traditional Tara (bow) and modern machine for flicking cotton' wool. Plate .No. 3 : Traditional Charkha (Spinning Wheel) ~ ..4f~.,; I •• ~ •. 1« ",,;.y. _d~2, .• ..4§~~~''#-.l;.~\ .. ,. y,»>j_;;~"''''''_-4ii'h;~;--¥;f);dId.i~~ 6.,1t~, > .~ :Pl~te No! 4 . Woman busy in spinning soot (yarn) at Charkhq. (Spinning- wheel) Plate No.5 Woman preparing skeins wth Teran rlat~ No.6 D rying of d yed soot (y arn) for wef t strand::? Plate No.7 A fully stretched Taana (web) Plate No.8 Panja Ot!' Hathhi (a pronged comb) as well as Teran --, Plate No. 9 Instructions to young' gfrl for dari weaving. Creating the shed and beating of weft is also seen. Plate No. 10 Females busy in weaving dari at portable adda (fraine). Single female attending to weaving operation, nate ~o. 12 A geometrical design reaching completion in th~ dari. Plate No. 13 Leharia (wavy) designs in woven daris as required by Khadar Bhandar. Pl~te No. 14 Other leharia (wavy) designs in dariq• Plate No. 15 : Daris of various other prevalent designs in villages. Plate No. 16 Daris indicating rabbit and Leharia designs. Plate No. 17 More intricate design on daris. Plate No. 18 Arrival and departure with headloads of soot (yarn) and woven daris. Plate No. 19 : Transactions-giving and taking of material at Khadar Bhandar. The version of the vernacular coup1et is "I are also removed. The warp beam in the begin~' prepare the dari by spinning sausages of cotton ning is also l'emoved, the warp is cut and the wool, so as to,spread it for my handsome brother fringes of the warp are left loose. to be seated". While weaving the dari another gril was heared to sing another couplet in ver All the 60 household heads reported the use nacular as:- of tools namely charkha (spinning wheel), teran (double T reversed) instrument adda (frame), rachh (heddle or loop bar), shed stick, Panakh "~"'~ f~;~ 49 CHAPTER V MARKETING Terms and condition,~ oj preparation/transactions being an item €If paj (dowry) given at ·th~ time of marriage ~f dal1ghter and it is ~anfi.ned to The da.ns woven in the surveyed villages home. Fun time professionals are only a few. are sparingly t.aken to market by the weavers The .b.andicraf.~ is mo:;e a voJuntmy and leisure themselves. Khadar Bhandar in these, villages time task than a full time profession. Manual get bulk of the daris prepared on contract basis power 'is harnessed for this job. Their produc and procure the daris from the local weavers. tive capacity i~ considerably limjte.d due to the In the beginning the Kattis (spinne;l'~) and use of hand tools such as Charkha, Panja, Adda weavers have to deposit the money by weight and a limited type of specialisation in the job. of cotton wool or yarn taken from the Khudur The effectiveness of their tools, durability of Bhandar at the prevalent rates lest the individual their houses, serviceability of their streets, paths, should get slack in returning the spun yarn or is also limited and they directly influence the woven daTi. The name and adqress of the wor~ production of craft They scarcely dictate in ker is entered in the register with signature for precise manner, how their economy can prosper. record. At the same time a Pass-Book of the ~xcept the etQphasis·tJ:q p"lace 011 enhancing the account is issued to the worker. After pre labour .charges aaequately. By virtue of their paring the daris the weavers bring them to tbe skill they toil to create an environment which is Khadi Bhandar and get the labour charges a function Of. weaving te{!hnique and meagre a~coTding to the rate chart certified by the resources at their disposal. The quality' of dari Parman Pattar Sammittee Kh~di and ViU a g-e a1so varies from village t.o village according to Industries C()rnmission Bombay. About 2 per cent different type of yarn at hand and individual's of the labour charges are withheld in the Kharltw proficiency and skill. The mill made or 100m Bhandar office and entered into the pass book at woven daris are less durable yet these hamper such transactions. In lieu of labour charges in the progress of panja daTi weaving. cash, they may get mustard oil, washing soap or Khadaf (coarse) cloth or Khesi as they like. In As already mentioned ther~ is neither any this way the contract goef> on. The Khadar weaving centre nor co-operative society in the Snandar ,repqrted that 90 per cent of the product surveyed villages. The craft is jllst a household they dispose through retail sale outlet of their craft, whereas agriculture is the .primary occu Bnanclars. They carry these for further disposal pation' of majority of' these weavers. The craft at their emporia or Bhandars in the urban is just an ancillary or peripheral one carried out in spare time as they are preocc1:Ipied with daily centres and thus- cater to the local as wen as outside demands. There is reported a great de and seasonal work. Accumu]ation of daris mand for products of this handicraft from outside whatever they weave is also difficult as there is l)ardly any long term planning. Energy and which is difficult to meet fully. resour~es available are also not fully exploited rAs far,as market in urban areas is concerned; with existing techniques. The male members it is wide engugh ,:llith a network o£ rapid ar.d a.f households rarely participate in the work .of universal cCtmmunieation and banking and credit ferr_;~~es doing c!ari weaving. Only, the female facilitv now-a-davs. It is actnallv t.he mar~{.et go to Kh~da:r -:ah ..(!"nil.a;:T to settle the trans~ction which" facilitates. 'consumption of vrhat gces into ~':ld aecOtmts, 'rh~, retur::ls, for tr_e ~'l}rk scarcely commensurate with labour involved. Trade production. Principally, the market has a. car dinal and determining infiuence on the affairs whatsoever goes on is only through the Khadur Bhandar, The Khadi Mandal branches provide relate8 to any production. If the produce ceases t() be distributed among the cusl.jmers through raw material to dari weavers and yam spinners. the market channel, properly, the pl'Dduction They return the finished product to Khndi may" have to be stopped and the worker may Bha.ndar for further marketing, The weavers in lose the- livelihood, 'the dari weaveYS of these ~Jajri gave a good response to Khada"l" Bha'l'ldllT villages are not much allured by seeing a chance but in other villages the functioning was not so encourag:ng. This may be due to good behaviour to make profit but pursne it primarily .9:S it has a and effectiveness of workers historical and traditional value associated v.rith it, Khada.r Bhandar visiting village Majri. Markets, hats (shops) or spinners and weavers have abanuuned the job. melas (fairs) whether periodical or seasonal [lre The weavers informed that if the work is suit~ not held where the weavers may exhibit and sell ably rewarded and remunerations are adequately their products. . raised H can attract other fem.ales to this craft. It was reported that a standard dari was sold for Time spent vs. labour chm'ges Rs. 175 at sale depot out of which Rs. 49 were The hired labour is scarcely employed in this paid as laoour charges including cost of dyeing and Rs. 90 was reported as the cost of yarn thus handicraft. The question of dari weavers under~ going a loss does not arise. Their margin of revealing an appreciable margin. Katti (spinn profit however depends on the rate of payment er) was paid Rs. 8.85 for spinning one kg. of for weaving a dari. It has 'been observed the soot (yarn) and the spun yarn was sold at the payment is lesser than other types oE labour rates rate of Rs. 21.85 per kg. and cotton wool was in the area i.e. it is incommensurate with time available for Rs. 12 per kg. Slight variation was spent in the job. The working cost of a dari observed at different places. weighing 4 kgs. including cost of dyeing (say DisposaL of finished products Rs. 10) approximates to Rs. 47 as paid oy Other things being equal they rarely came Khadar Bhandar. On an average it takes 25 wo~ across problem towards disposal of the standard man hours of labour of a fully trained weaver product. Major proportion of dari product is without rest. Thus it just approximates to disposed within the state itself. Outside demand Rs. 1.5D per hour, which is lesser than an ordinarv ·is there which is difficult to meet. The weavers labourer's wages. A less competent weaver ca~ from the selected households or others as well take even more time. The occasional help by hardly weave daris exclusively for sale. They another companion is also given in this work. also weave for their domestic purposes. Those They are therefore anxious for a proper wage who see some profit and are available to attend system. to weaving job, do weave for augmenting the The Khadi Bhandar Mandals are financed income of household. It is therefore difficult to by Khadi and Village Industries Commission with actually estimate the income derived by weaver(s) its headquarters at Bombay. The weights and and village(s) individually or collectively. They measures of dari are also prescribed by Khadi :rarely keep any record of quantity of finished and village Industries Commission. The sche products if any sold directly to local villagers. dule of rates of preparation of dari is given in They do not maintain any account of margin of uThe Khadi Lagat Parta Chart", (The khadi profit with respect to the channel through which cost schedule chart). The Khadi Mandals have their goods are disposed of. However an inquiry their own sale depotsj emporia. These are was .made in the three villages amongst the reported to charge a commission of 8-9 -per cent weavers in the 60 households regarding details in the transaction. The transactions are usually relating to production of dnris. A table V.I giv~ on cash basis. The weavers have a general com ing the quantity of dnris produced by the house plaint that their work is not adequately reward holds is furnished below for the reader to get ed and sometimes a dari is rejected due to minor an estimate of earnings derived by the weavers deviation from the specification laid down in ~he by way of weaving the daris in their spare time chart. Discouraged by such practices some at home and disposed through Khadar Bhandar. TABLE V.I Number of hllusel11)]ds manufactnring quantity of Panja Daris during tbe year" 1985-86 by castclcODnnunity and religious group . Ca~tcr('ommunity Religion Number of Quantity households (Pieces) manufactu ring the Pallja dari 2 3 4 Rajput Hindu 45 2.112 Khatri Hindu 4 120 Brahman Hindu 4 240 LoharfTark.ha'1 Hindu 2 60 Lohar/Tarkhan Sikh 1 60 Nai (Barber) Hindu 1 60 Bharbhunja Hindu 48 Balmiki (S.c.) Hindu 48 Teli Islam 36 Total of all 60 2,784 51 The' ~bo'\7e' table is S'elf explanatory; ,]he like yal'n, beth r,aw .and rnlll mage w~rp land 2,784 pieces prepared in the year 1985-86 include dyed ·~eft to· the ,we~v:ers. .TJae ..woven dar is daris of variolls dimensions and d~signs (plates should -be -colle~te.d ,);ly -paying proper remunera 1·2-17) and figure 11. The daris weighing 4 ~gs. tron on the spot. A bit enhanced -and ,instan each were said,to be more than the lighter ones. taneous cash payment arrangement was followed Ih village NIajri the heavier piece was more in village Samgoli foOr a .coupl'"e (j{ ,1ntmths by .a prevalent fetching Rs. '47 as labour charges. In pri\tate ,agency which practically poo~ted the Sanghol both types of daTis weighing 4 kgs. a'hd product hut ~he agency .d.i~coI).hnued it after less wete woven fetching labour 'Chal'g~s 6f sometime and -m,aay weavers .again \apsed in.to Rs. 47 and Rs. 37 respectively. In Samgoli the idl~ness, .as nobody else came to .keep the tempo lighter piece Weighing ,2.5 kgs. to ,3 kgs. fetched of 1progress on ,simil~r lin·es. ~he importance Rs. 27 to Rs. 37 ~s its labour, were pr'e of the halil,dicr:aft spo,uld be r.ec9gnised· by the valent. The weavers themsel vIes atrang-e f6r! the governmen't ~.Il~d. development @f jts base in r,ural disposal of insignificantly few lighter wei'ght areas can pe helpful ,ip. wipiJ:ilog out ,poverty to ,a daris in the village. The actu{ll number of daris G.oJ;l~iderable, extent. Improved quality of Panja sold to communities of 'craftworkers and other p,ari is c.onsidered better than t.l;le ioom made could not be ascertained. When the dari's in produc,t. 'Consefluel).tly -there)s e:Jqlecte,d ·more de certain villages are not accepted by KMaar ro.and for th~s"d,ur.al;>Je q.rtefaCt by those who c~n Bhandar, l:>ecause of incon~uity ~ith spe'cl. afford. ficat~ons ttie ,weayers find dt,fficulty ~n marketing the }?andicraIt product as they rarely na'\(e any @uestion 'of demtrntl djr~ct contact with ~mpo:tj.a or exporters. It will give.a ooost to the cra'rt, if some agencies 'Come All the 'Khadat Bliandar depots in the forward and. agree for mq_rketing the aaris wove'n villa'ges reported that there is a rgood demanrl for in the villages. Faced by inadequate marketing Panja dari both from within and outside the facilities unfavo,urabJe ~o tbem rqany a:girl pre state, wl).~ch is difficult to be met due to lim~ted fer to yreave daris 'for family use only. 13ut'they pt: eRA~ ~ND EMP~OYMljjNT Association of households with er;a.ft the soci,al Pl1lstige 'Of ~he weaver. AmGmg$t the t,4ree ;vilLages 87 females bel<::mging to various In chapter onE' we have su.cchactly given .,an cas~es ,were fQund Aoing the ~raft at the time of account of history of origin, d~cay ,anii rev1v,(,l1 Qf surv€y. Sixty-six @r (three-fQu.rth) of these be the craft. The dari is woven almost in,.q.ll vilLages k>Qg~d to RajPl.lt -caste alone. The remainin,g 21 of the state, though not necessl;lrily for der.iviJ;lg w~vers belonged to other seven caste .groups income. The dari has been. cQming throJagh .ages and only one belonged to Balmiki scheduled caste. as an artefact of traditional gift ,gi;ven in aq,j In all 60 households were selected in three (dowry) at the marr~f,lge of da:ughter for domes- villages .where dari weavi.IJg craft Wias being car tic use. rjed out, at tbe -4me of survey. A~al't from the ~.ected hOiUseh.oJ.;l;is. there were some more houf:,e Recently the rural wom~!l o.aye starte,d treat holds pr.actifillg 4;his bandic:r:aft in these vilbges ing this craft as a SO,urce of incOn;te j),.tst,:tp ~a,dd, to at the time, '()f s~rvey. the economic pool ,o£ the h0useJapld ~fter attend Unemployment in sampled households ing to their ho.usehold chor~s. Tbe.y came to associate with this r;raft, wb~l1 t):1p.y yjsual.\sed Probing inquiries w.(:!re ,made r.egar.d~ng un it as a source of income alJd l Were .l).er~).l.a.Qed by em.ploye,d perSOl;lS in these households in three the 1{hadi Mandals in the st~te. So.r,ne of tl;tem, vmages ,~lQ.ng.with relevant attributes for 'IIln compelled b¥ ecoL1omic .st:r~l).gepcies" topk .to ,r,1.q,ri enw1Qymen t. ,PartJc,ulars of lIlneXJ;lf>lQyed per weaving. The baundar.ies of ol.\8.ft ,with r.t;spe.ct sons by ,age-gr..o1.l'p,. dl,lr.ation IJf un... empl..oyment, to associated castes are not. rigi.d bl,lt wr,lU~q.bJ,e e~erielilce .,apd rt:)Jafjo~sbip ,with. head .of house and fuzzy. The a(\Qption of "'nih rare'y lQw~JZs hol.d.,ate, furnishe$l -in ~p~e VI.! ~low T~LE vl.l . Djstributions- df ·lIlt))mployed ptJ;SQns ill tl1e;bbusehoUls by reJ.1t1otMfi j) .JtQth. !tlae. hsall r agoaigr;)1I), ex jl'm:fe Ie-e ani "ilil$'atiIJIl.of unemployment Number of persons unemployed 8in~e, with and without Age group of Relationship of Nurn'b-t!r ot un- experience a)1d training. unemployed unemployed person employed persvns ------persons with heild 1-2 years wi thout 3 -5 years without 6 years, without experience{trainit1g experiel.}ce/t,raining experience/training --:---::- _--+--::-- ---:::::- -- -..,.--:-----.-~,. .. ----.--...,...---- .... _------__,. -- 2 4 5 6 ------_---..- ---~---_..:.,__-:-~--- - .... --_ ...... - -_.------__.__------0-14 1:-·34 SeT'S ~6) Sons ($) .Son !l) B,rothet's .sons m 'Son's sbn tl) 9 Son's sdn (I) lil3rother'& sons (£) 35· Total ,sons (6) Son's son '(1) 9 Sons (5) "tBrother·!g, sons ('2) Son's,son (1) Son (I) -B,rother:s sons (2) It is revealed that in all-19 \perSQns in 'the age idle for mOl:e than six years and all group 15--34 mere reccmieti.,as .:unemployed. Six were invariably unexperJe.need and untrained. of tbem were sons, 2 W-€Fe ·brother1s 'SOns, .anti Educationally, of -the six recorded as sons one one was son's son oy relationship to head. ;Six each was primary and middle .whereas remain of these were idle for 1-2 years, one ing 4 had studied upto matriculation or higher was idle for 3-5 years and 2 were secondary, two recorded as brother's sons wen~ 53 illiterate and the one recorded as son's son had age group again reported more than 10 house- attained matriculation or higher secondary level. holds in the craft at the time of survey and per- All 9 persons recorded as unemployed reported sons engaged also exceeded 20. Out of 41 heads that they had least hope for getting an employ- of households in age group 35-59 years, 8 re- ment as they rarely received any call for the _'--ported more than 10 households, doing the job same. It is to be noted here that by employ- during 1961-70, 32 again reported more than 10 ment they meant to be employed in some private houseQ.olds: during 1971-80, whereas one house- or government establishment on monthly salary hold again reported more than 10 households basis. None of them got any employment at the time of survey and reply regarding num- earlier, so question of discontinuation dOes not oer of persons d'oing the work at the three con- arise. They, however, might be attending to s.ecutive periods was invariably more than 20. miscellaneous jobs at home i.e. they were in'a Out of' '15 heads of households in the age grqup sort of disguised employment. They were, how- 60 and above one reported more than 10 house- ever, available for certain type of employ.ment holds engaged in the craft during 1961-70, eleven for which unfortunately the opportunity waS reported more than 10 households engaged in lacking. this work during 1971-80, whereas 3 reported more than 10 households engaged in the craft at Probe relating to the genesis of craft as a the time of survey. The number of persons en gainful activity in different corridors of time gaged in the craft at the three consecutive periods particularly prior to 1965 by number of the was ~lso invariably more. than 20 in each case. households and persons engaged in it was met All expressed ignoranCe about the engagement with somewhat blurred picture. The young of households and or persons in the craft prior weavers could not reveal the corridorw;ise past to decade 1961-70. It is evident from the re events spaced by decades properly. We even met plies of informants 'that the nwnber of house vague and evasive replies on this aspect. One holds and number of persons engaged in the thing on which a 'general consensus was reached craft during the past two decades has remained is that majority of females adopted the craft more or less static. Through discussion it through dekha-dekhi i.e. seeing and amulating emerged that some alienation is taking place other weaver fellows ot' the ·vi1lag~. The econo from 'the craft. The number of girls leaving the mic stringency factor acted as a catalyst in the job is said to have an edge over the new onE'S process. Copying by seeing others and economic adopting the job. The algebraic sum of the two stringencies are the two sides of the coin in thi~ shows a negative sign. The increase in num case. Some girlS' reported that the craft stood in oer of households and or persons is not appreci good stead to rid them of-idleness/unemployment :able -due to low remunerations'" -as well as non- and engaged them in gainful' activity. "'[,hey availability of better quality ready made raw were affirmative that the craft is a sort of trigger material in the villages. The lower prices of loom for providing some economic uplift. made daris also adversely affects the growth of the handicraft. Craft through previous decades The inquiry into the way Imethod by which An attempt was made to assess the poten different households came to be associated with tialities 'of the craft for gen~ratil'lg employm"ent. the craft revealed that weavers in 29 households The majority of weavers r.eported that they adopted the craft through dekha-dekhi i.e. seeing adopted the craft after 1965 for tne sake of earn members of other households doing this craft, ing something as motivated by Khadar Bhandar. weavers in 16 households adopted the craft forced None of heads of households reported to have by poor economic conditions, weavers, in 12 house taken the craft before 1947 as a source of income holds adopted the handicraft by motivation to due to absence of motivation and absence of add to the income, whereas 3 households which marketing facility. Enquiry was made about the had no male member were attracted by this number of households and persons as well "en handicraft as it was easily adoptable by female gaged in the craft in different decades thus the members as compared to other pursuits. two indicators go hand in hand. Statistics in this respect reveal that out of 4 heads of households A probe was made regarding duration of in the age group 15-34 years, 3 reported that period engaged in the craft since the memorable more than 10 households were engaged in the start of craft in the village as sort of gainful craft during 1971-80 and the number of weavers activity which is fumishe Distribution of bousE\holds by pedQd engaged in the craft since start of craft in the villat.te~ ._;_-~---~- -- Households reporting start of the craft in the villages since Duration of period engaged in craft (in years) Number of households in .__------the'craft 1956-70 1971-85 86 and Period not onwards known , ' ~-----~--~-~------~-~~------~--~-----~------3 4 5 6 ---.------=_:.._------=--- Less than 5 12 10 2 5-9 35 33 10-19 12 6 4 2 20+ Period not known - ---'------,---., ------'------. . Total 60 8 47 2 3 It is evident from the table that the eraCt have gone costly. The disintegration looms is primarily adopted after 1970 and as many as large due to inadequate remuneration compared 35 out of 60 households were en'gaged in it for to amount of labour involved more than to other duration· ranging from 5 to 9 years. It is thus factors. From the above revelation it may be of recent adoption. At the time of survey iff inferred oriefly that the disintegration is due the beginning of 1986 it was found that only ~:- ' two households had adopted the craft indicating lack of interest. It is also discernible from the (a) Inadequate· remuneration for the work table tha1: as many. as 57 households. reported the involved. start of the craft for the last less than 40 years (b) Difficulty in procuring good quality and 3 showed ignorance in this matter. raw material. Deteriorating I Disinfegrating trend (c) Lack ,of interest by educated boys and girls. An inquiry was made regardi11g reasons for disintegration of the handicraft by perigd. Views of non-craftsmen According to 34 househofds the craft showed a disiri't~grating trend for the iast less than 5 years, Households whose member(s) though in the 24 reported the craft to be disintegrating for the past coUple of decades or so practised the craft last 5-9 years and remaining 2 reported its bui were reported to have abandoned due to decline for the last 10·-19' years. For the dis certafn reasons, w.ere also approached d~ring integrating trend of 'the craft 39 houseHolds 're the 'Survey. Out of the 15 households so con ported that the earnings were inadequate and tac~ed the 6 households having given up the were not commensurate' with the labour involv·· craf.t for the last less than 5 years 3 further repar ed in the weaving process i.e. the returns were tf?d incompatible wages for the hard labou.r involv.... too less. Thirteen of the households reported, ed, 2 gave protracted illness as the reason for that their educated boysl girls showed indiffe fors~king the cratt ,and solitary household rence towards the craft and took it as just a pinch reported that the craft was no more lucrative. of salt. The remaining 8 households reported Frqm two households having abandoned the difficulty in getting good quality raw material craft fC?r tp.e clast 5-:9 years one each gave in including yarn and chemical colo~rs and attrl compatible returns and non-lucrative nature as outed the same towards disintegratIon of the the reaso:t:ts. trom 3 households having given up cratt. It is seen that the craft had somewhat the craft for 'the last 10-19 years, 2 gave 'in progressed during the preceaing decaqe and compatible ;retufns', and one advanced "poor showed a declining treno at the time of survey, rating or gradi:t:tg" of thf woven material by b'ecause the prices 'have 'shot up suddenly as Khadar Bhandar as' the reason. From the 4 compared to previous decade. Chemical colou~ households having left the craft for 20 + years, 55 2 gave 'incompatible returns' while one each 14 invariably gave "hard labour and less wages,1 gave "non-lucrativeness" and mi'gtatton. 0'1' as' primary' re~scm. fol' de'genracy or adversity of parents to Pakistan at the time of partition "as craft. From these 14, as many as 11 gave "lack the reasons for abandoning the craft. The of supply of material" one each gave "biased reasons like 'incompatible returns' aFld 'non ~sdation of WOVen sWiff' "inaptit\:Hiie of ycmnger lucrativeness' come very close to each other generation and "lack of market facility" as se conceptually. It thus precipitates that dege condary reason for adversity of craft. One head neration of the craft looms largely o,n lower, of hDusehold reported "smooth supply of ma remuneration not squaring with the labour in teJ'ial" and "fair transaction on spot" as primary volved and it is the major barrie't in its progress. arid secondary reasons for prosperity of the cra't though tIre honsenold was not practising' the Further, occupation of the heads of house eraft. All the 15 heads of households firstly holds was also examined. Out of 15 heads of suggested the measures as "increase in remune households 4 males were engaged in cultivation, ration". Secondly 14 of them suggested supply 2 males each were engaged in weaving coarse of "ready made yarn" and one suggested "on cloth (Khesi or Khadar) and Rajgiri (mason the spot transaction in cash" preferably by ry work), 4 males were doing labourer's government. The weavers were emphatic to job and one male was engaged in sinking hand declare that remedial measures be carried out. pumps, whereas 2 female heads were ~eported attending to agricultural pursuits. The break Pr.actising craft households up of heads of households by age-group showed that 7 males and 2 females were in the age The households who had taken up the craft group 35-59 years and .() males were in ,the !'eported- ·that it has 'resulted in ~n ,improvement advanced age-group of sixty and above y.ea:r:s. of their econemic statUS. Out of 60 heads of These households though had members .conver households 5J. xepor,ted to have ,derived extra sant with art of weaving yet were neither ;prac i:ncrome, 8 were of the view· that in addition to tising it due to aforesaid reaS0ns nor were .CCim extra income .iRe spare ·time was ,also gainfuPy ten'lplating to take up the craft as occupation. utilised, a so]J.tary widowed female derived her liv.elihood from this craft. Furthermore an inquiry was made· to ,find as to why heads of households were disinterested A. ·searching prQPe wa1'l a,lso made as -to whe in having their sons/daughters sticking to the tl;ler the heads .9f households wanted or not craft of dari weavtng and were' i1'lciirted to wanted to aAliorb ,their sons/daughters in the engage them in occupation of" their' liking. The craft with germane reasons thereof. They reasons advanced were more or less of' the same were un\villing t9,put their- S011S in the craft, type as mentioned earller, where lo,w income therefore, the replies ~ainly pertain to female'S. was the main theme of the reply. They rarely Out of tetal.60 lheads of households, 32 favoured lost sight of state of imbala_nce between work engaging them .in ·the cralt while 28 sho.wed involved and remuneration. Six heads of house un w.illingriess. Rrom 32 heads 27 reported that holds complained that the cra.ft was not .lucra the craft :he.lped in aqgmenting household tive for their children and five ·reported that ineom'e, ,4 repQt:ted ~that it offered a chaRce of tHeir' children cali. derive mo:r:e iucome from emplOY.l'lient to females for utilizing their idle other occupation(s), another one gave out 'less time .w.hereas one reported it to be the only in'come' as .the main reason Le. replies from 12 source pf .incQme. Of .the 28 l.lnwilhng for con:verged to the theme of 'low income' ..and absorption of their child,ren in the craft 12 they expressed a negative attitude' for· its con stated that returns were incommensurate with tInuance on this aC'count. They .were r.ath~r tl?-e .wQ1;'k, 8 r~pqrted that craft does not suit emphatic to cnannelfse na..tllrnl .q;ptitude 'lil-nd their educated children, as even .illiterate could potentialities of children for more gainful 'pur do it, ,6 re.pot;tejl that children reject the craft suits. The whole toiling is always, fociiss~d to as it requites g'L'eat J~tience and sitting capacity increase the income. One ea-ch reported that whi<;ll stunts· their phy.sical growth. Two heads there is great 'competition' between manually disfavoured it as they had no progeny Of the woven and 160m woven daris, and the ;job .is 60 households 2(} ·had taken up the craft for less 'monotonous and children hanker after whim than 5~,yeats,~ 27 for th:e last 5-9 years, 12 for the collar' job' where as one head of' househald had 1ast·1O-19 y.ears atl,d one had· taken up for the no progeny. Information on reasons for pros- last 20 .and .above .y.eat;s. The craft 'Was scarcely perity /adversity of'the craft ,was- also collected folla-wed b,yJ prev.t.ous generation(s) as a sauree froin nori-practisil)g households. ':they .w.En~e of eami~g. liv.elihood. It is thus manifestly asked'to advance primary and secondar;y:- reasons abvious that the- craft has.an impox:tant place in for'degeneratfon of'the craft. Orthe 15-households their economic life. Once the aforementioned harriers are removed the craft has the scope for An inquiry was also made from the house offering employment opportunities to a consi holds ,practising/not-practising the craft at the derable number of females. Concluding, they time of survey as to how the craft could be re have no idea of saying good oye to the craft. juvenated. All the households reported that for At the same time they neither have any other ultimate good of the craft the necessatry and plan nor think to hit upon any for creating som'e primary means were to enhance the labour other such village craft. It may be realised charges per piece adequately and secondly ready that the craft has an innate potential for em made material like yarn in the form of warp and ployment of females and amelioration of their dyed weft strands be regularly made available economic lot provided the remunerations are to the weavers in villages, thus corroborating SUitably enhanced. It is very likeiy that thos~ the above view. By these measures the obstacles WhO previously fail~d or could not succeed in in the way of development of the craft can be establishing the craft or abandoned the craf~ appreciably cou':n:te~aded·. The weavers them would be e?ger tb take up the crSlft afresh if s~lves were passive and they hardly made any prevailing conditions li~e inadequate remu attempt to expand o:r rejuyenate t1).e cz;aft. '~y neration, difficulty in procurement of raw ma virtue of these measures, if carriea out effec teri~l are remedied mutatis mutandis it will he tfvely and appropriately, many weave's haunted a gr~en 'pa~iu~~ CONCLUSION On recapitulating from the preceding pages unconscious and conscious minds. In the modi-' It is clear that dpi ll,1a!dnK, has~ its own grace, cum of reality, the handicraft has entered the eiegance and unique, draftsmanship but it suffers fringe of economic life of the people to a cer on account of inadequate remunerap.on, lack of tain extent. In the past 'a dari in accordance interest by educated children and non-availabi·· with views of weavers, hardly played any signi lity of raw and ready made material and high ficant role in earning livelihood as its weaving cost of inputs going into its manufacturing to was confined to domestic uses only. The females gether with lack of proper marketing facilities. used to weave and accumulate few daris in Scheme has been introduced by Khadi and advance to be given in daj (dowry) to their Village Industries Commission which has helped daughters at their marriage. The informants only marginally. It i.; found that the craft has admitted during the inquiry that they were scope for employment once the development ignorant of the aspect whether the handicnft measures like enhancement of. remuneration, is capable of augmenting the household income. procurement of raw and ready made material The economic gains were thought just temporary are undertaken. The study of Panja dari vvas and illusory. They were rather callous to taken to throw light on the life of village society cambat the economic backwardness through associated with craft. It also involves study of pursuing the craft vigorouslly. There were economic and social structure, marketing facili hardly any external agencies to provide them ties persistence of traditional tools, desire for economic security by persuading them to adopt adoption of new innovations as well as scope this craft or any other similar craft as a gainful for employment. Despite its being an impor activity. The individual struggle for reorienta tant artefact, the general awareness of people tion of the craft was also least marked. There about the craft had been poor. Nothing appre was no meaningful concerted pro~amme, which ciable was known about raw materials used, could at least reduce their economic burden by their availability, techniques and tools employed engaging the females in such household craft. for its manufacture. So these factors accounted Now it has been realised' how easily the craft for selection of dari weaving handicraft study can be pursued. This is an important change in by the census organisation. It has been charac this outlook. For the last two decades the terised as rural based craft offering some gain females in many a household 'adopted the craft ful activity to sizeable segment of female popu Visualising some economic gain but the pursuit lation and is capable of offering more employ has been stunted a bit due mainly to inconsis ment avenues to many others while discharging tency in remuneration and labour involved in household duties, subject to creating adequate preparation of dari. In entirety they have working conditions as mentioned earlier. The singled out remunerational incompatibility as aspect that it has a potential for generating the main reason for degeneracy of the craft. employment attracted the attention of the orga nisation for its detailed study. The study was Scope for development and potentiality to conducted during the first half of 1986. The generate employment change in the functioning of the craft though slow and less perceptible makes it a subject of They place more emphasis on increasing the study so as to find out effective ways and means remuneration for development of the craft. for its progress. Once this anomaly in remuneration and work involved is removed the future of the craft will Regarding views of craftsmen about the be bright, but how far the remuneration is to craft as a source of livelihood, we came across be increased requires a thorough calculation and two types of strata of informants, who expressed periodic revision of payment for work on the extreme views one disliking the craft without basis of units of time spent by different persons any concrete reasons and the otherS liking the involved vis-a-vis other such manual PFocesses craft upon certain cogent reasons. Both types to accomplish it. This topic has been dealt with of persons, however, have been found to have _ in detail in chapter IV also. The relative cost some symbolic connection with the craft in their needs to be measured and exact equivalents are 58 to, be found. There was a strong argument for more income oriented. Both internal and ex~ pr.oper wage system. This stimulus will keep ternal forces are influencing the weavers. The them working. Another appendage to it as disharmony between remuneration and work IStressed by the proponents of the craft is the involved in weaving is deviating them otherway provision of ready made yarn in the form of in the struggle for the more lucrative pursuits. warp and dyed weft strands to the weavers, There is scarcely noticed any re-orientation in to accelerate the development of craft their traditional pattern of working. They now radically as its preparation is regarded have a lust for jobs in some government or semi burden~ome. This raw material is a pre government department as there ,is no fear of requisite to weaving daTi and will add to the loss of pay, whereas in the craft they work by possibility; of producing more in leasser time. fits and starts and the income is consequently erratic and meagre. External forces in the form' Disiritegrating trend of influence of outside cultures is also resulting in occupationa: ~obility. Changes have been brought by outside civilization~ revolutionising The craft showed a disintegrating trend the \-yay of life and beliefs of the people. They since the past one decade. Its development, was realise that people are now evaluated in terms hampered by trifold obstracle (i) low monetary of mGney and consequently they are adopting returns, (ii) ~ack of interest by educated children, diversified fields of occupations to which they and (iii) difficulty in procuring raw rr.aterial in ""ere initialy averse. The economic compulsion the desired form, as reported by households ',as a great tnomentum to influence the adoption doing the craft. Out of total 60 h?usehol~s of new occupations rather than clinging to the practising the craft 32 favoured engagmg theIr old non-lucrative one. The reservation for em females in the craft, whereas 23 were unwilling ployment to schedu1ed caste communities under to absorb them in the craft. Firstly majority of the constitution is another favourable factor in those favouring the absorption in the craft stated fluencing them to take up diversified fields of augmentation of househo~d income whatsoever occupation through which they get regular in as the main reason, which appears quite logical come. New technical-know-how bringing the and genuine. They were :ess thoughtful about worker in contact with new markets, exploita the margin of gain. Secondly, apart from aug tion of new resources, calculated economic equi menting the household income, they had also valents for work are quite helpful in expanding reported that it is an indoor work suited parti the scope for worker and may also encourage cularly to Rajput females who are a bit frowned lineal occupational mobility. upon if they go out for work i.e. they have an inhibition to go out. It is also a socially reco gnised cultural trait of the ,:ommunit!. ~n Suggestions for development element of compulsion was also mherent m thIS aspect. Absence of co-operative society and The people practising the craft and belong training-cum-production Centre attribute to ing to various social and religious groupings wards degeneracy of craft. In contrast. those tended to label the craft a non-lucrative due to who were reluctant to engage their children in non-availability of ready made yarn and dyed craft were losers in earning some income what strands as well as rerp.unerational disparity. For soever on the main pretext of low returns though the development of the craft, enhancement of their interest was nostalgically introve·it. They the remuneration, "regular supply of raw ma were of the view that full reward falls short of terial", 'on the apot transactions' are some of the so much labour. It can be said with certainty cardinal aspects as suggested by them. The that they will probably rethink in the matter development will mainly stand or fall on these once remuneration is raised. The heads of determinants which need to be taken as a households \\rho had abandoned the craft report priority. Large number of the weavers had taken ed that they were disinterested in continuing up the craft when faced by economic stringen the craft as they could achieve only partial ful cies and to get rid of idleness. 'fhe start of the filment of their 'aims through this and invariably craft in the villages as a gainful activity goes 'low income' was the main theme of their back to last about 40 years, and it was not mainly replies. traditional profession. The, cr'!-tt un,<;iopJ?tedly has a' scOp"e' for otieHng':etTIplo''yrilent tb conside Occupationa~ mobility rable number of females. The people are unwill ing to get their male children diverted to this A horizontal occupational mobility was craft and they have a soft attitude towards fe apparent as they wanted their sons/daughters to males taking up the craft as it is an indoor work pursue occupations of their choice. The aim is,. without least stigma of contempt or pollution. I 59 Interestingly both segments of weavers one and spot transactions. Such steps would undoub exp,ressing satisfaction and the other to the con tedly add to the efficacious functioning of the. tracy were still 'clingin~ to it on the con¥enien~ craft as t.hey would save time and labour. Ad as~umptio~ _'~~~l~n? -4g batJf Jhatt nothing'. vancing sO,me financial loans, subsidies, for pur With the mductIon of proper wage sy~tem they will be mentally prepared to put in :rp.ore efforts chase of necessa;-y tqollil, pqr~ble ~ddas (fIarne~}. fqr e~panding t:Qe work in the absence of any othe,r Pa,nakh8. J c. would be some other steps for suc:p. craft in" these villages and it will prove to giving bV 31779 RG-poy,t: Rr~s~, :q.!I'., ~d1~" ~~~.------60