There was a time when many among them had decided to quit their 40-year-old weaving occupation. Now, their products like saris, bed sheets, shawls, stoles and blankets are on display at Jhartex, a five-day mega handloom, textile and handicraft trade fair that kicked off at Morabadi grounds, Ranchi, on Wednesday. 

The state government and its undertaking Jharcraft, which happens to be India’s single-largest tussar silk producer, have given a fresh lease of life to these 20 weavers hailing from nondescript villages across Jharkhand. 

Apart from getting financial and marketing assistance, the weavers from hard-to-reach places like Pokhari Kalan (Latehar), Sikni village (Ramgarh), Urruguttu village (Kanke block, Ranchi), Chuttu village (Irba, Ranchi), Deori Nagri village (Itki, Ranchi) and Manika village (Palamau district) get to sell their creations at Jharcraft stores across the state. 

This is not all. 

They have also formed the Primary Weavers’ Cooperative Society with branches in various districts and impart training to local men and women through self-help groups (SHGs). 

“Despite constraints, our handloom sector has been able to survive with ample support from the state government. It is an important sector to keep the rural economy going. I have employed 200 tribal men and women, residing in Pokhari Kalan, who have been making bed sheets, shawls and shirts, since 2008,” said A. Kadil, president of Primary Weavers’ Cooperative Society in Pokhari Kalan. 

A. Ansari, another weaver, who has been running the society at Ramgarh’s Sikni since 2007, said he had decided to shift to other occupation. 

“We are thankful to Jharcraft, which helped us in revival of our sector by providing us financial support and raw materials to design handloom jacquard saris. There are 100 weavers in our cooperative society, who are making saris on loom. In 2014, Jharcraft had given incentives to 20 women weavers for designing saris,” he added.

The weavers agreed that the high quality handloom products became a possibility as Jharcraft had helped them in achieving targets by accelerating employment and income. 

“Since 1954, we are into making handloom products in our looms. However, as days passed, we didn’t have enough money to replace old looms and procure raw materials. In 2000 after formation of Jharkhand, the government identified us and promised all assistance. For the past 15 years, our finished handloom products had been finding takers across India,” said Ahmed Ansari of Deori Nagri. 

A group from Manika village is also showcasing designer candles and earthen diyas at the fair along with a few tribal artisans of Dibdih in Ranchi district, who are selling handicraft products. 

Exhibitors from Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Bengal, Haryana, Odisha, Nagpur, Lucknow and Varanasi are also taking part in the fair that was inaugurated by state HRD minister Neera Yadav.