TV9 Promotes Organic Handloom at Chenetha Santha

Handlooms are an age old tradition of making cloth by spinning and weaving. It has been the backbone of a vast number of the rural populace for their livelihood. Telangana has a very long standing tradition of weaving and handloom production. Over the years the industry has suffered by way of decreasing numbers in the weaving class, fall in quality of work, low wages, and a host of other reasons. When one gets to the inner rural pockets where the real ethnic craftsmen weave their wonderful handloom fabrics, one gets to see the highly contrasting stark reality.

TV9 believes in the emancipation of the weaver whose contribution to Indian heritage is ever to be valued and remembered. Through the telecast of stories and promos TV9 has been promoting the importance of handlooms.

TV9 has been bringing forth issues of weavers by telecasting sound bytes. Despite frugal spending and hard toil the weaver has never been able to eke out an existence without the mercy of the local money lender’s whims. The weaver never gets to receive government assistance either because of the middle levels between ministry and the vast multitude of spread-out weavers, mostly never let the major chunk of the money get past them.

Focussing on the need for a weavers market that acknowledges and appreciates their worth, activist Saraswati Kavula has been organising handloom fair once in every two months in Hyderabad. Bridging the gap is ‘Chenetha Santha’ where a customer buys handloom directly from the weaver and feels happy to pay for the real worth of cloth.

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Chenetha Santha sells Khadi made out of organic cotton – TV9

TV9 Promotes Chenetha Santha

Our handloom sector is diverse, eco-friendly and is a source of employment for countless weavers. Since there are many women associated with the handloom sector, the growth of this sector is an important means of women empowerment.

TV9 has been promoting the importance of handloom and providing an insight into weavers plight through stories. TV9 has also been spreading awareness on buying hand spun handloom and offering financial support to weavers through the telecast of scrolls and promos.

There is a growing interest today among the customers towards choosing handloom varieties and this revival of interest and patronage is being seen as an advantage for weavers.

‘Chenetha Santha’ is an effort to facilitate direct marketing link between consumers and handloom weavers. Original handloom can be bought directly from weavers. A bi – monthly exhibition usually held at Nagarjuna Community Hall in Ameerpet, Hyderabad. But for Diwali a wide variety was on offer. Handlooms from West Bengal and Gadwal, vegetable dyed Ikkat sarees from Pochampally and hand painted diyas by visually challenged were displayed.

Chenetha Chaitanya Vedika is a platform initiated by social activist Saraswati Kavula who has been working to enable self reliance of weavers with the support of consumers. Most of the weavers today are the last-generation artisans in their families and their fear that the craft may end with them did make Saraswati Kavula think of starting Chenetha Chaitanya Vedika. She aimed to make handlooms cool and bridge the gap between outdated, old designs and modernity.

The handlooms of Telangana region represent rich traditions and the sarees and dress material created here are popular all over. With ‘Chenetha Santha’ regaining its prominence, the weavers here are hopeful of a strong revival of their business.

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Chenetha Santha handloom weavers market offers ‘Diwali’ special – TV