CHANDANPUR,A HUB FOR HANDLOOMS

                                      CHANDANPUR, A HUB FOR HANDLOOMS

The most promising part of Odisha is the existence of handlooms in various forms. The tradition carry in a most beautiful way by the weavers of Odisha. The cotton hand looms are also a notable feature of weaving sector. Among all ,the weaver community at Chandanpur are very creative to weave the cotton materials.

It is very essential to make a visit there for the direct interaction with the artisans.Chandanpur is basically 10km distance from Bangiriposhi. There is direct communication from Baripada  by train or local bus upto  Bangiriposi. The distance between Baripada to Bangiriposi is 36km.One can hire taxi upto Chandanpur. But,it is always very enjoyable to travel by local transport.

Though Chandanpur is very small village amidst greenery and paddy fields, villagers are depending upon the farming of rice and weaving of various materials by their looms..

Dumuria Cooperative Society is there. Which is looking after the supply of raw materials 

among weavers and after finishing of the products they are handover to the supervisor of the Society.

Once reached there one could awestruck to see the marvelous working of the artisans. The senior weavers are very perfectionists to weave anything under their supervision.  The finishing touches are very fine and the traditional design display on the cotton materials.

Most of them are skilled artisans and their schedule of work in a day is very hectic and stressful. No proper facility is there by which they can do their work properly. 

I met with a numbers of people of that village who are associated with this work since many years. No options are there for them except this work. They wish good return of wages for their work. Alas,their hope and expectations  are remaining within their dreams only. 

They are feeling very proud to give 10 to 12 hours a day for weaving. Most of them are very senior in age. They are taking this opportunity as a destiny of their own and willing to give this art to young generations. 

While discussing regarding the various aspects of their work they informed that the raw materials that they received through cooperative society from Tamilnadu and Karnatak. 

Gamccha,Stoles,Cotton Sarees are mainly weaved through their the looms. Designs are created by a sections of experts.The smoothness of the fabrics and the organic colors are the favorable point which attracts the customers demand.

The patterns and designs that they bring from their traditional art.  The flower motifs,animals and the wheel of konark temple they depicts on the clothes. Stoles are so beautifully woven that one cannot resist oneself to bring at least a set of dozen.

While roaming around their villages it's a great relief to see their support to each other. The village itself is very organically producing everything for themselves. 

The cooperative society is giving training to the young ones and providing stipends also. Still few people expressed their plight for not getting any good return of their work.

If opportunity available then I wish each one of us must visit to this beautiful village where so many artisans are living and they are the main backbone of our traditional art.

Give them opportunity to be a part of this revolution.  The art can get great exploration by the popularity of their weaving skills. Use their beautiful Gamccha and Stoles and proudly say this is our best bet for the future  styles for fashion .

Sapna Acharya
Travel Writer
Dt-21.4.2020

                           ERA OF GOLDEN THREAD
I vividly remember the time when my maternal grandmother carried herself every morning with gracious and opulent way. She flaunted her terrific handwoven saree with traditional jewellery. Neither she required any fashion designer nor she took any guidance from others . Always took reference from the local weaving community and goldsmiths . She possessed the most beautiful collections till the end of her life. While flaunting her silk hand woven sari she kept the loose end of sari openly and veil her face nicely. The border of the sari set on her shoulder in such a way that the design itself visible in a beautiful way. The terrific combination of  her jewellery to sari project as a ostentatious manner. All these imprinted in my mind perfectly and later it helped me to analyze it.

Then began the journey to find the authentic weaver sections where the  so called golden thread means Tusser silk saree would available.It took little inquiry from my in -laws side who are residing at Baripada  which is one of the most beautiful town of Mayurbhanja district, Odisha.After interaction with a numbers of local people and family member's then i came to know that the tusser silk saree is weaving at nearby villages. Then the journey began to find out the place and the artisans work.
Though the time was the month of January so the climate was suitable to take local transport . It is always a great benefit by traveling through local bus. Traveling itself is a great learning process to know about the culture ,language,dress, life system , food and the way the locals carry their life . 
So, i took local bus from the bus stand of Baripada to Udala which is 42km distance and it took 2hours journey to reach at the destination .Curious increased when other passengers took their seat within the bus. I interacted with them to know regarding the local views about the weaving communities who are expert in the weaving of tusser silk. After reaching at Udala i did not wait for other local bus  to reach Dihirakula because no direct transport is there to reach at the remote village. One option was open for me to take auto then after conviction with one local driver he agreed with me to visit Serifed center of Dihirakula.
The distance from Udala to Dihirakula is mostly 11 km distance. The unpaved road with hard surface is narrow and the pedestrians
are not much concerned for the other vehicles. The paddy fields at both the road side are very beautiful and greenery. Once i reached at the cerifed center i came in contact with the staff of that office .

At the courtyard few women were busy for the extraction of silk threads through their hands from cocoons.                                        

Producing tusser is a local art. The women of the rural areas get training for cocoon processing and the extraction of silk

 thread.Most of the women were busy with their work without taking any distraction from their work. After working 9 to 10 hours they receive minimum payment from the society of seri culture. Which is giving them to make  financial independence and improve their life condition.                                                                      

The faces behind making the fabric is very strenuous.The women sections take their powerful role for making all this work. This serifed center set up a long years back around 1962 at that same location. Young qualified candidates are getting training from the co-operative society by getting stipend Rs 3000 per month.Odisha co-operative tusser and silk federation is a state level apex organization.

I did not meet with the supervisor of that center so unable to get chance for the selection of my choice of color combination . With my request one weaver named Kamalkant Behera came and met with me.Both the weavers posed for me to shoot one photography and explained their way of life at their profession still they felt happy due to the way they carried all their work.I stunned to see the designs and the smoothness of one tusser silk which i took from them.                                                                                            

 

It was very tough for me to convince myself that even after such high intensive art of our own we are running from here to there . Our tradition and culture are full of fabulous beauty. It need only to carry forward . Even staying so much close to that location such rich art of tusser silk is not much more popular among mass.Give more strength to the local artisans whose life depends upon this work.Our little support help them to carry their art for further generation otherwise this may not develop . At this crisis time we all unitedly take steps to motivate the new generation to learn this art so that they can not migrate from their village to metro cities in search of work . If we carry one with distinctively then the beauty of the sari must flaunt in an extraordinary way. The fabric is cooler then any other  variety of silk .The luster and the shine of sari is just incomparable with other .This is highly valued for its natural gold colors. Without thinking twice i think this radiant texture sari must be a winner of an era due to its golden thread weaved out of tusser silk. And i remember the reason of aura of my grandmother's beauty and i try to carry this legacy further. And, this is applicable to all the beautiful ladies of this generation who are shining their beauty with brains. 

Sapna Acharya

Travel Writer

Date-16. 4. 2020

 

 

                               

                                                      EXISTENCE FOR LIFE

The state of living turned sporadic change on the onset of Corona Virus at the nook and corner of the World. Policy changed to save the life of people. Government took drastic steps to control the pandemic virus so that it could not widely spread.JANTA CURFEW# declared on 22nd March. For a moment public remained quiet without thinking twice. Again Lockdown declared on 24th March for the safety of public.But, suddenly the mass at Delhi comprised of daily wagers and migratory daily laborers marched towards their far away villages by foot as no transport was available. It was very pathetic condition to see the crowd who were walking too long distances along with their families.Without waiting for the support from Government blindly they took decision themselves .

 

We, as a responsible citizen, did not remain silent after this disturbances at the capital city of India .Moved further with uncontrollable emotions to support for the needy people. At the out set more restrictions was there from the Police not to go with any groups .The appeal from Govt touched to the heart for doing help for those who were in trouble.Then the work started on 27th March to  reach up to the needy people. Collected 15th packets of wheat flour comprising of 5kgs each packet and reached at the slum area near Rainy well of Yamuna Bank where daily laborers lost their jobs and  they required help for daily food.

For the second time again on 28th March materials collected from the dear ones to support for another 30 families.Total supply of flour packets of 5kgs each provided for 45 families Journey was not so easy to take that risk at that high disturbance time . But, the starving eyes of the poor compelled to work hard even in the  difficult time . No matter how hard task it may be. Through out the time i was there alone with the driver only.

                                  

Experience  was beyond  my  thought because each and everyone from their minimum level came forward to give their support in each level. Even the paramilitary force without thinking twice they reached to the needy one for maintaining peace and safety for those who were not able to understand what to do. The meeting with them at their duty time compelled to give heartfelt thanks for their self less duties. The little offerings like bananas and biscuits to them was a very blissful moment for me. Government is doing very best to handle the situation but the more we come forward to help the needy the situation might be normal for the poor.                                   

The most important moment was the distribution of biscuits and fruits for children. They were not aware about the precaution that required for  the corona virus so attempt was taken to give awareness  as like the use of mask and the necessity of social isolation.

It was major step to spread awareness among underprivileged sections.Except food materials giving guidance to them is highly necessity to save the life of one human being. hard work and resilience drive one to do better work for the society at the difficult time.

Sapna Acharya                                                                                   

 Travel Writer