Losting Identity of Sourashtra Weavers

Sourashtra community is losting it traditional identification as " Traditional Weaver "  (Veenkaar***) After some years, we are going to see our handloom knowledge in stamps, and photographs as a memorial one.

Old literatures says Rishi Bharadwaja thought the art of weaving to Sourashtra people.

Clothes constitute a basic requirement of human beings, protecting human dignity. Even the poorest of the poor cannot be without at least some form of clothing. It was with the intent of fulfilling this basic human need .

Weaving is a 'karma' which did not accrue any 'dosham' (fault) to the self. (Atma)

Though it employs a massive number of rural people, the handloom sector is considered a sunset industry. While some of the sector's troubles come from the relentless march of mechanisation, modernisation and sophistication, there's more to the troubled weavers' plight.

A 80-year old handloom weaver Nahandaan Rammurthy has no hope of relief from the drudgery. His is a struggle against age, ill health, low income and loneliness. This Sourashtra speaking man from Salem district in Tamil Nadu is burdened with a hernia, frequent stomach ache, failing eyesight and pangs of hunger. He has been working for the past 50 years with one master weaver, in a traditional system of cloth production in India, wherein an investor employs weavers for weaving clothes.

Everyday, Rammurthy has been putting in almost 12 hours of work. He has been earning in the range of a paltry Rs 3000-3500 per month -- major portion of which goes to pay for mounting debts and failing health. Despite lifelong labour, his worldly possessions a rented house, and limited vessels and cloths. Rammurthy's life epitomises the problems of handloom weavers and their livelihoods in India.

Weavers like Rammurthy toil for most of their waking hours to weave the rich tapestry of white silk dhoties that delight consumers across the world. Yet, their earnings per month do not exceed Rs 3,500. This is also the family income, as all family members chip in. Fortunately he did'nt have any Children.   If he had children he had bare the same income for their educating themselves, especially the girl child, who has to help in house chores and livelihood also.

How did this come to be?

As noted earlier, handloom weavers are facing severe livelihood crisis because of adverse government policies, globalisation and changing socio-economic conditions. The national and state governments do have several schemes pertaining to production inputs, market support and development, meant to safeguard the interests of the weaving community. Ineffective implementation of the schemes and the changed context of textile industry -- increasing competition from the powerloom and mill sectors -- has been largely responsible for the crisis in the handlooms.

Lack of information to weavers regarding various policies and schemes is no less a significant cause for the dwindling fortunes of the weaver community. Even government departments and implementing agencies related to handloom suffer from inadequate information and data resulting in a widening gap between policy formulation and implementation.

The formal education system (including research institutes) has not included teaching and imparting skills for this profession into its fold. As a result, any innovation and change has been left to the weaving families. In the recent decades, due to lack of information and fast paced changes, practices in handloom sector became static and apparently redundant.

This results the traditional Sourashtra community weavers to search alternate profession for livelihood.  In Tanjure for last three years more than 40,000 (forty thousand) weavers thrown their handloom job and engaged themself in various jobs like Tea-maker in Coffee-shop, Barber, Two-wheeler mechanic etc.  At Salem Nearly no weaver exist in Shevapet's 1,00,000 population and Salem Town's population only 3000 looms are producing fabrics. 

*** Veenkaar is the term to state weavers of sourashtra community.  Their famous silk weaving products is for royal families.  So they called Royal weavers also.  In ancient time, the Wage-Weavers are called " Mago Vinnaar " and the Superviros called as " Mago pAlkAr ".   Literally   " pAl " means ' Supervise or Rule or Manage or Govern " .   These " palkar " are highly skilled weavers and they teach, supervise the other weaver  called as " Veenkaar " .   Thus the major two division of weavers are the Labours & Supervisors.  ( Veenkaar & Palkar ).  Later by their teaching, the Wage-Weaving Loom is called as " Mago Tan'nathram " OR " Magathe Tan'nathram).   Today this word shrinked as " Mago " .  

Literally " Mago " means ' Ask ' in Sourashtri Language.  One who weave for Wage is called " Mago Vinnaar ".   The Supervisors (pAlkAr) used to call labours as " Magothko Vin'naar ".  (One who weaves for wage OR Coolie).   Later the word " Mago" gradually replacing its exact meaning and became used to mention a LOOM !.

Today in Telugu, Kannada, Sourashtri languages, the loom is called ' Magga, Maggam, Mago " respectively.   These Telugu, Kannada words reflects, the Path which the Sourashtra Migrants travelled towards South India from West India's Saurashtra.

South Zone Sourashtra Samuha Peravai Meet

Dec. 27 Tuesday.

A meet to honour achivers in various fields belongs Sourashtra Community held at Palayankottai, IIPE Lakshmi Raman HIgher Secondary School.  All India Sourashtra Madhya Saba and South Zone Sourashtra Samuha Peravai conducted this meet.

Mr. E. Santharam, President AISMS presided over the function.  Mr. S.R. Anantharaman, President South Zone Sourashtra Samuha Peravai, Correspondent of IIPE School explained the achievers in the field of Medical, Wind-Mill Power generators, Local body election winners of Tamil nadu, Journalists, Sourashtri Language development.  Mr. L.S. Vijaya rengan gave welcome speech.

What are the feature of Nomenclature of Indus Civilization?

There are two names that have been applied to ancient India's first phase of urbanization - Harappan civilization or Indus civilization. The first of these is derived from an academic tradition which uses a type specimen, or site, as the basis for nomenclature in archaeology.

Since the mounds adjacent to the modern village of Harappa were the first locality where the remains of this civilization were first identified, the name Harappan fits such a system perfectly. The second name, Indus civilization is used interchangeably.

Firstly because it refers to precisely the same cultural, chronological and geographic entity and secondly because it started from the river valley of the Indus River and the largest concentration of settlement sites are located along the course of this river sir John Marshall was the first scholar to use this term.

While both these terms can be justified in some ways, neither of them is without shortcomings. For example, the very notion of the Indus civilization in Saurashtra (Gujarata) is out of place in view of the fact that it is reasonably beyond the geographic bounds of the Indus valley, as are Haryana, Indian Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh, where the remains of Indus civilization were found. The term Harappan civilization, conjures up a notion that the civilization began at a site which best represents the ancient urban system of South Asia.

The Indus civilization belongs to the proto- historic period since it represents a phase in which people had developed a script and written records are available but the script has not been deciphered as yet despite repeated attempts.

Although some scholars are inclined to place Indus civilization in the category of chalcolithic state but majority thinks that chalcolithic groups were primarily rural farming communities with knowledge of copper, the first metal to be used by mankind. Technologically speaking chalcolithic stage applied to the pre-Harappans and many post-Harappans because they mostly used stone and copper objects, although they very occasionally used low-grade bronze.

On the other hand, the Harappans used bronze on a large scale and were urban in character. One might expect that left to its own resources, the internal development in the chalcolithic period would in due course have led to urbanization. So it is agreed that the Indus civilization belonged to Bronze Age, generally associated with city formation.

Source :
http://www.preservearticles.com/2011101915685/what-are-the-feature-of-nomenclature-of-indus-civilization.html

Certificate Distribution to Sourashtri Students

Sep 15 At Madurai Boys Higher Secondary School ceremoney held.  Sourashtra Madhya Sabha with Sourashtri Prachar Saba Trust and Central Institute of Indian Language, Mysuru are distributed certificate to the sourashtri students.  Students from various parts of Tamil nadu who learned Sourashtri language are came and got certificates. 

Certificate issued by Prof. RAJESH SACHDEVA, Director, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysuru.  Earlier Mr. P.G.M. Tulasi Ram, MC, gave welcome address.   Presidential Address by Sri. E. Santaram, President  of All India Sourashtra Madhya Saba (AISMS) and a special Address speech by Dr. R. Subbakrishna, Reader & Research officer CIIL Mysore and L.S. Vijayarangan,  President of SOULI trust.  Palayankottai IIPE Lakshmi Raman Higher Secondary School correspondant Mr. Anentharaman, Dindigul Mr. Gurumurthy, N.C.S. Acharya also parcipated.

Kalvi Thanthai. A.K. Ramamoorthy, L.M.E., was chief guest, Sri. S.V.S. Sivanath, B.E, of KLN Engineering college, Sri. V.P. Ramamoorthy, Secretary of Dhanalakshmi Engineering College, S.L. Jawahar Secretary, of Sourashtra Arts college, Theni, Sri. T.S. Eswaramoorthy, Secretary, of Esha Engineering College, Coimbatore, Sri. K.P. Radha Krishnan, Seceretary of KLN Polytechnic, Madurai, Sri. S.R. Jaganath, President of Sourashtra College Madurai Mr. R.V. Sheshachari from Maduri are participated.

Vote of Thanks given by Sri. A.K.R. Subramanian, General Secretary, All India Sourashtra Madhya saba.

The Organisers of this Sourashtri Certificate Issuing ceremoney are Mr.
L.S. Vijayarengan, Veeravanallur,  Dhata Subramanian Madurai,
C.S. Dananjeyan Madurai, S. Sarathy Madurai , T.R. Bhaskar Salem ,
K.R. Krishnarao Madurai, A. Krishnan, S.B. Krishnan Paramakudi,
Prof. Santaram Salem, Smt. Sumati Chennai and few others.

 

In the history of Sourashtri language, the FIRST Programme of Central Government Organisation CIIL gave Certificate to Sourashtri Students.  This achievement is a pro for Sourashtri minority language.

Sourashtra Samachar - Magazine Released

A magazine entitled "Palkar Sourashtra Samachar ", aimed at divulging arts,  culture, community, literatire, ceremonies, get-to-gether and functions  was released on Saturday 19th June 2001 in Tanjure.

The magazine belongs to Sourashtra (pattu nulkarar) community of Tamil Nadu.  Speaking to Audience, the publishers said that this magazine will be published every month.

According to him, the magazine is intended to seek for information about cultural music rhythms of Saurashtra Land and South India's Sourashtra peolpe.

The first issue released by All India Sourashtra Madhya Saba President Mr.
E. Santharam, and M.S. Ramalingam, Foremore All India Sourastra Madhya Saba General Secretary received the first copy.  The releasing ceremoney took place at Navanita Krishnan Mandapam, Manambu chavadi, Tanjure.

All India Sourashtra Madhya Saba - Election

The All India Sourashtra Madhya Saba, 2011-14 Managing Committee members election takes place at Tanjure Navanita Krishna Mandapam, on 19th June 2011.  This committees meet frequently to discuss matters of importance and submit specific proposals and recommendations to Community people, Government, and Branch Saba of various places for consideration and action.

Members of various places filed their nomination.  After final vote counting, the new Managing Committee announced by Electrol-officers team.  The elected committee is :

Mr. E. Santharam -  President
Mr. A.K.R. Subramanian - General Secretary
Mr. L.S. Vijayarengan - Vice President
Mr. T.M. Surendran - Vice President
Mr. K. Prem - Vice President
Mr. V.G. Ayyan - Vice President
Mr. K.R. Surendran - Vice President
Mr. K.R. Janardanan - Vice President
Mr. N.K. Parthasarathy - Secretary
Mr. A.R. Jeyaseelan - Secretary
Mr. G.G. KasiViswanathan - Treasurer

The newly elected committee take in-charge at stage and previous committee's General Secretary Mr. M.S. Ramalingam, Tanjure and E.Jawaharlal and others greeted them.  Some VIP like Raya Govindarajan of Kumbakonam, Narasimmachari of Madurai also present at election hall. 

Mr. M.S. Ramalinga, Tanjure, Gen. Sec. of AISMS, released the newly elected members in-charge list.

A large number of community people sat out side of hall, and standing at street because of over-crowd.

White Silk Dhoti - Salem Sourashtra Weavers

Over the ages, India has conjured up different images at different times, but one constant through the centuries has been its textiles and one region, which has always been in the picture in this regard, has been Tamil Nadu. Uraiyur/Karur and Madurai, situated close to the cotton fields, were major centres of weaving. They still are the most prominent centers for the exquisite weaving products. Tanjavour is well known for its cotton weaving with several centres around the state. Cotton has long been the mainstay of the textiles of Tamil Nadu and one sees a wide range here. Madurai specialise in Sarees especially sungudi and cotton sarees.  And Salem specialise in fine gold-bordered Dhotis.

    The White Silk dhoti ( VENPATTU VESHTI) produced by handloom weavers of sourashtra community is unique.  It  produced only at Salem.  Thus " White silk dhoti " creates a textile orinted identification to Salem District Tamil Nadu.  Traditionally Sourashtra weavers engaged in production of pure silk dhoti varities in town area of Salem district, Tamil nadu.

 

The Dhoti is the original and timeless garment of men's wear in India. A rectangular piece of unswitched cloth, it is wrapped in a simple manner about the waist and legs. It is usually white or cream in color, although colourful hues are often used to create more vivid ensembles.

Description: Tradition comes to life with this majestic pure silk OR artsilk dhoti with zari border. Best Ethnic wear for traditional functions, weddings or special occasions.

 Its approximate size :

Length	3.6 meters(4 yards)
Width	48 inches / 121 cms
Fabric	Pure silk / Artsilk / Pure silk & Art silk mixed
Colour	Cream/White

The MayilKan variety is very sutable for wedding and special occassions.  Dhoti and Angavastram weared on religious and wedding occassions.

The highest number of dhoti wearers are found in the western states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Dhoti wearers are predominant in the states of Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal and Orissa too. In the northern parts of Gujarat and southern parts of Rajasthan the dhoti is worn with a short kurta called kediya on top. In northern India and West Bengal, the garment is worn with a kurta on top, the combination known simply as dhoti kurta. In Tamil Nadu, it is worn with an angavastram (another unstitched cloth draped over the shoulders) or else with a chokka (shirt) in Andhra Pradesh or jubba (a local version of kurta).


Mahatma Gandhi in Dhoti



Actor Rajnikanth in dhoti

Actor Ajit in Dhoti

Amitab bachan in dhoti

Co-operative weavers societies lik Salem-pattu Co-op society, Rajaganapathi pattu Co-op society, Sourashtra pattu Co-op society, Super pattu Co-op society and many Individuals are producing these white silk dhoti.