THE art of clothing is intrinsically associated with civilisation and today's fading handloom industries are a silent bystander of those bygone days when clothing was regarded more as a means to cast off barbarism than as a mere tool of fashion. While some say that the history of handloom in Bangladesh dates back to seven to eight hundred years, there are those who claim that the “Muslin” that the Egyptian mummies were wrapped in came from the ancient city of Shonagora or Shubornogram which is where the present Narsingdi district lies.
Claims aside, Bangladesh has a very old history of handloom, as old as farming, and the Baburhaat of Narsingdi where the main trade of handloom yards used to take place was once proudly known as the “Manchester of the East.”
But the emergence of powerloom has cast a dark shadow over this exceedingly traditional industry that is rapidly dwindling into obscurity. Although there still exists a local demand for handloom lungies, gamchas, saris and bedcovers, the sheer presence of powerloom clothes in the market pales it into insignificance.
As a result, the once affluent weavers who passed on their trade to future generations have sought some other line of profession and the villages behind which hid the drone of handloom can hardly boast of a single family still engaged in the profession.
In order to raise awareness about the traditional values associated with this ancient industry and to revive its popularity, Anjan's Boutique, in a rare endeavour organised a nine-day-long exhibition on the handloom of Bengal in the National Museum from 8 June, 2009 where the general public could watch old weavers at work on colourful yarns to produce the crisp handloom fabrics with the “thak-thak thak-thak” sound of their looms that really transports one to those bygone times.
It was stressed by Sultana Kamal, a guest speaker in the inaugural ceremony, that handloom is an integral part of the Bengal tradition and as such must be nurtured and valued at all costs. She urged the young generation to promote handloom fabric saying if one has five outfits in his/her wardrobe then let there be at least two of handloom.
It is important that our youth lean towards handloom in their fashion tastes as the future of this sector lies in their hands. With some help from the government sector in the form of subsidies and private by providing training facilities and the means to compete with international designs this fading industry could indeed revive. However, a word of gratitude to the Dhaka fashion houses like Aarong, Arannya, Jatra, Kumudini and Anjan's among others, for their quest to keep the handloom industry alive and celebrate its beauty.
By Shaily Fatima
No comments:
Post a Comment