IIM Sambalpur is working on a white paper to make a weaver producer company for Sambalpuri Handloom weavers in Odisha after it carried out a research project in Bargarh District to understand the needs of the community. The aim is to ensure fair price, better infrastructural facilities and access to digital technology and global market for weavers.
In an endeavour to preserve and promote the heritage of Sambalpur, IIM Sambalpur conducted the study project in the Bargarh District of Odisha to understand the need of the Sambalpuri Handloom weavers’ community, challenges faced, and interventions required for the development of the community. The project was sponsored by Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, Burla.
The primary data was collected using a questionnaire survey conducted with five prominent weavers’ clusters – Barpali, Bheden, Bijepur, Bhatli, and Padampur. Fifteen weavers from each cluster were interviewed to assess their socio-economic condition, level of awareness, technological awareness, credit linkage, value chain, and major challenges faced by the weavers.
“During our conversation with the weavers, we came across the uniqueness of this rich textile craft. The work done on the handloom is very intricate and involves a 3-step process – Bandha (tie), Ranga (dye), and Bunakari (weaving),” IIM said.
All three processes were to be done by one person several years back, but in current times different communities of people do these activities. The design and effort involved decide the pricing of the products. All weavers are not equally skilled and cannot produce the same quality and design of the cloth. Power loom can achieve repetitive designs with a lesser cost, but it is difficult to identify the difference by end customers. Also, Bandha is purely manual work, cannot be achieved on a power loom.
According to the study, the major gaps in the entire ecosystem were – information asymmetry in the process. Weavers are unaware of the value chain; of various government schemes; subsidies, and other benefits. Raising awareness amongst weavers is the foremost concern.
There is no formal system of operation. Independent master weavers, agents, local traders form an informal parallel system. They consider this more convenient as agents pick up the products from their doorstep. With decent profit margins, master weavers sell the products to agents, who further sell to societies as Boyanika and Sambalpuri Bastralaya.
Some master weavers are of the view that if societies buy directly from them, the price of products will not be exceedingly high, and it will be beneficial both for weavers as well as consumers.
The study found that the entire process of weaving and marketing of Sambalpuri Handloom was unregulated. A little regulation from the government can be beneficial for all stakeholders. There is an ardent need to build trust between the weavers, master weavers, and the government. The need of the hour is to brand and promote Sambalpuri Handloom and look for export options. There exists a niche market for handloom products, we just need to tap it.
Moreover, consumer awareness on handloom and recognition of handloom weavers will raise their morale. Promotion of Sambalpuri handloom may also inspire younger generation of the community to learn the art and craft. An integrated approach and convergence and collaboration from various departments and public bodies will be an effective solution.
Sambalpuri Ikat is a revered textile craft celebrated across the globe. In India, it is said that this craft migrated to Western Odisha when the the Bhulia community came from Northern India and settled in Odisha, after the fall of Chouhan Empire at the hands of Mughals in 1192 AD. Since then, the Odisha weavers have been spinning their magic wand and creating enchanting weaves that are today globally celebrated. The age-old textile craft Sambalpuri Ikat/ Tie and Dye (locally known as Baandha) tags along a tedious process, where yarn clusters are dyed repeatedly in distinct hues and then woven into stunning fabrics, sarees, and dupattas.
