Lok Sabha polls 2024 | In Andhra's silk hub, weavers' cry for help echoes through election season

Dharmavaram: The traditional handloom saree-making skills in Dharmavaram, known as the silk city of Andhra Pradesh, are battling for survival, and the elections have revived hopes among the weavers that their voice will be heard through a backward caste BJP candidate fielded from here.

Known for their exceptional skills, the weavers of Dharmavaram assembly constituency were the first to make a saree that could be packed in a matchbox way back in 1918. Recently, they presented a massive silk saree measuring 180 feet in length and weighing 16 kg to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The weavers of Dharmavaram have long been renowned for their intricate designs and exceptional quality, with their sarees often drawing comparisons to the iconic Kanjivaram sarees of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. Yet, in recent years, their once-thriving industry has faced numerous challenges, from the rise of powerloom production to the influx of cheaper alternatives flooding the market.

At the heart of this struggle lies a dwindling workforce, as younger generations are lured away by the promise of more lucrative opportunities elsewhere. The remaining weavers, many of whom have dedicated their entire lives to this art form, now find themselves grappling with soaring costs of raw materials and dwindling government support.

"It's becoming increasingly difficult to sustain our craft," laments K Adinarayana, a 50-year-old weaver from Kothapeta colony.

"The state government has stopped providing the annual subsidy of Rs 24,000 that we once relied upon to offset the rising costs of silk and zari.' According to weavers, silk prices have more than doubled to Rs 5,600 per kg now from Rs 2,600 per kg in 2011. Even the price of pure zari has gone up to Rs 5,000 for half a kilo from Rs 1,200 in 2011.

Adinarayana further said he is finding it hard to get a Rs 50,000 loan from the 'Mudra Loan scheme' to buy raw material in the absence of a guarantor.

Compounding their woes is the issue of counterfeit sarees flooding the market, with unscrupulous traders passing off powerloom products as genuine Dharmavaram handloom sarees, deceiving consumers and undercutting the authentic artisans.

Another weaver, K Shankaraiah (50), shared that he too did not receive the subsidy amount in the last two years and demanded that the government make norms easier for weavers to avail loans under the Mudra scheme.

In the absence of sufficient retail sale points and a 'silk mark' tag to assure the purity of Dharmavaram silk sarees, the demand for handloom sarees is declining. The growing powerloom sarees in the nearby Hindupur and Madanpalle assembly constituencies have further aggravated their problems.

As the upcoming elections approach, the weavers of Dharmavaram have found a glimmer of hope in the form of Y. Satya Kumar, a backward caste BJP candidate. They believe that by electing one of their own, their long-neglected concerns will finally be heard and addressed at the highest levels of government.

There are currently 48,000 weavers, 19,000 looms, and 2,480 saree shops in the constituency.

"For too long, our community's needs have been overlooked by the upper-caste politicians who have traditionally represented this constituency," says Girraj Nagesh, a former YSR Congress leader who has since joined the TDP.

"With Kumar as our voice in the assembly, we hope to revive the fortunes of our dying craft," he said.

Besides BJP's Satya Kumar, sitting YSR Congress MLA Kethireddy Venkata Rami Reddy who is seeking a second term from this seat and Congress' Rangana Aswartha Narayana are contesting from this seat.

However, the road ahead remains uncertain, as the weavers grapple with the task of preserving not only their livelihood but also a rich cultural heritage that has been woven into the fabric of Dharmavaram for generations.

As the election season unfolds, the fate of this ancient art form hangs in the balance, with its survival hinging on the ability of its practitioners to adapt and evolve while retaining the essence of their timeless traditions.

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