Expo teaches visitors about Tamil Nadu weaves

With the launch of the exhibition, buyers were also given insights into the technicalities of various types of weaving in a session ‘Know your handloom saree’.

The session took the buyers through the differences between handspun, which is about the yarn, and hand weaved, that is the fabric or also called handloom. R Tamilarasi, Joint Director, Department of Handlooms and Textiles, Tamil Nadu, said, “Khadi varieties including sarees can be handspun, as it is till date made like Mahatma Gandhi had demonstrated it.” 

The session also had a video describing the intricacies of each weave — from Madurai Sungudi to Dindigul Cotton. Ponnur Tie and Dye, Negamam, Manamedu, Paramakudi, Vilanthai cotton sarees were also featured. 

Every district has its own specialty. While Sungudi stands for the small dots,  Dindigul cotton speaks for the soft colours and thread borders. Tamilarasi said that there are around 90 clusters operating under the government undertaking and most of these clusters work on cotton. 

“To ensure continuous employment for the weavers, we wanted to highlight the efforts and work they put into every weave. There have been several improvements made. This show aims to highlight the ongoing efforts by them to keep a tradition alive,” she said. 

Sreemathy Mohan, a textile enthusiast, who facilitated the ‘Know Your Handloom session’ adds that the show has drapes priced at the weaver’s rate. “This is directly from the weavers at their original rates,” she pointed out, adding that while the weavers mastered the craft, they are still in the dark about marketing their own products. 

“The department has been engaging with them to present the best of their works through such shows and its stores called Loomworld that are located across TN,” she added. Among the highlights at the show is the Kanchi cotton, which had lost its presence for a while, before a resurgence in the  recent times. 

The show is on at Sri Sankara Hall till May 17.