@ Vikash Sharma | Sr Journalist
New Delhi: The National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, as part of the Ministry of Textiles’ campaign to promote Indian Handlooms, is hosting a 2-week educational initiative for school students. The specially curated sessions on Indian Handlooms and the various processes are aimed at educating and reconnecting India’s future generations with the country’s rich heritage, and evoking awareness and appreciation for the work of the artisans and weavers from all parts of the country.
Over 10,000 students from 75 schools in Delhi/NCR will be participating in the two-week programme from 1-14 August, getting a unique opportunity to explore the intricate world of Indian handlooms and weaves. Master craftsmen and weavers from India’s diverse handloom clusters will take the students through the comprehensive process of making handlooms from different parts of the country including Banarsi Brocade, Ikat, Paithani, Jamdani, North-eastern textiles, and more, guiding the curious visitors through the entire journey from raw fibers to the exquisite, finished products.
The students will get the opportunity to not only theoretically understand the process but also get hand-on experience of preparing a yarn from fiber and set up the looms by understanding the winding and sizing, followed by understanding the concept of decoration.
This educational initiative titled #KnowYourWeaves is part of a larger initiative by the Ministry of Textiles to create greater awareness and demand for Indian Handlooms focused on:
Educating the future generations about the rich and diverse Indian Handlooms,
Knowledge and ideas exchange between current and future designers and the artisans to bring in innovation in designs and production, and
Demand generation and fulfilment support by creating greater platforms of discovery and commerce for the weavers.
The thousands of participating students will also get to engage in the following activities for a deeper, more personal, understanding of Indian Handlooms:
Preparation of Yarn: Students will learn about the crucial first step in handloom creation – preparing yarn from natural fibers.
Preparation of Loom: Students will get to know about the intricate process of setting up handlooms. This includes understanding the preparatory steps, including winding the warp threads onto the loom, the art of warping, and ensuring the correct sizing of the loom.
Introduction to Weaving: This stage will provide a comprehensive overview of weaving, exploring various types of looms and weaving techniques.
Decoration: Students will get introduced to various techniques of surface decoration, including embroidery, applique work, and tie and dye.
The educational initiative and experiential elements are also open to the general public.
Other initiatives around National Handloom Day
Handloom Haat and Dilli Haat – Handloom weavers, Entrepreneurs and Handloom organizations from different parts of the country are displaying their native handlooms and handicrafts for a limited period, part of an initiative to give weavers direct access to a larger audience.
