A team of officers of AP Khadi and VI Board visited MGIRI, [Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Industrialization], a national institute under the ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Govt. of India at Wardha, Maharashtra on 11.04.2011.
Dr T Karunakaran, the Director of the Institute made the team of Officers understand the functions and activities of the Institute in brief and arranged for interaction with the Dy Director and/or the Scientific Officer of all the 6 major divisions of the Institute.
Origin of the Institute
All India Village Industries Association (AIVIA) on 14.2.1934 at Maganwadi, Wardha, Maharashtra was initiated by Mahatma. The AIVIA soon got reorganized in a spacious orchard belonging to Seth Jamnalal Bajaj. Gandhiji stayed here during 1934-36 and supervised the works of AIVIA. Maganwadi become a hub of rural industrial activity and a center to coordinate industrial experiences and knowledge from all parts of the country with focus on research, production, training, extension, organization, propaganda and publication.
AIVIA succeeded in reviving and nurturing a number of rural industries by way of introducing science and technology to the extent required. Paddy husking, flour grinding, Oil pressing, Palmgur making, Paper making, Soap making, Village Pottery, Paints and Ink Making, Magan Dipa were some of the industrial directions. The new processes, techniques and machines were brought to the knowledge of public through exhibitions. AIVIA also struggled to bring about a transformation in the villages in terms of sanitation, improved diet, indigenous health care and local resource based employment
In the year 1955, KVIC created Jamnalal Bajaj Central Research Institute (JBCRI) to carry forward the R&D works of AIVIA. From 1st, April 1957, this institute came under Khadi and Village Industries Commission, which it self was established in 1956. The objective of JBCRI was to carry on research and investigations in to the problems of Village industries and in particular the development of improved tools and techniques. KVIC added new schemes like Food processing, Bio Chemistry, Lime Industry, Instrumentation etc. Certain modifications like wooden decoration made into steel, Ground Nut Sheller, modified Chakki, Recovery of bone and glue from flaying center, Honey standardization, and Pottery machines etc were made. The revamping of JBCRI into MGIRI based on a hub and spokes model was initiated in 2001 to meet the technological challenges arising out of the above paradigm shift.
Working of the Institute
The Vision of the MGRI is to support, upgrade and accelerate the process of Rural Industrialization in the country so that it could move towards the Gandhian ideal of sustainable village economy, self sufficient in employment and amenities by providing science and technology in puts to make the rural products and services globally competitive. The institution is having mainly seven divisions to work towards the above vision. Apart from the well experienced Director, each division is supported by a Deputy Director assisted by a Principal Scientific Officer, a Senior Scientist, Technical Assistants, Lab Technicians, Lab attendants and supporting staff.
Accompanied by the Public Relations Officer of the Institute, the team visited the following divisions and interacted with the Dy Director/Scientist concerned.
1. Bio- Process and Herbal division
The Division is to develop technology for innovative, value added high quality products for rural industries related to food products, herbal drugs, herbal cosmetics, nutraceuticals, feed supplements, bio- fertilizer, bio- pesticides, etc. Facilities available under the division are laboratories meant for providing quality testing and quality guidance to the rural enterprise. The Bio-labs are housed with advanced equipments.
Technology available for Commercialization is as follows.
• Innovative Bio- Manure Diagnostic kit for instant estimation of N.P.K and organic carbon in Bio – manures.
• Innovative Microbial Diagnostic Kit for instant estimation of Microbial population in bio-manures/ bio-fertilizers.
• Technology for nitrogen fixers and phosphate solublisors for sustainable agriculture etc.
• Technology to prepare Bio-pesticides under Micro Scale
• Technology of protein hydrolysate/amino acid for agro-based industry.
• Innovative Calcium Lactate Technology from sugar dust/Sugar, for food, feed and Pharmaceutical industry.
• New and innovative products like syrups, flavored and health care tea, herbal gulal, herbal hair oil, natural cosmetics etc.
• The following pilot plant facilities for incubation Scheme/ training.
Fermenter, Spray drier, solvent extraction plant, water extraction unit, essential oil extraction plant, dhoop-bathi and mosquito coil making machine. Infrastructure for biscuits & cookies, sandwiching, packaging, planetary mixer & juice extraction for pilot scale production etc.
2. Chemical Industries Division
This division is to provide & develop green technology and sustainable process based on rural and agro resources and also enables the basic needs like drinking water affordable to rural population through enterprise approach.
Facilities:
• Development of cost effective non chemical preservation and packing methods.
• Identification, extraction, separation and purification of agro chemicals for potential use.
• Enterprise related to waste recycling through clean technologies.
• Development of schemes for rural enterprise in chemical areas.
• Carrying out environmental impact assessment related to rural chemical industries.
• Scaling down the process and plant designs suitable for micro and small enterprise in the rural areas.
• The division is having testing facilities with well equipped lab.
• Testing of food related products as per AGMARK/PFA/FPO/BIS.
• Testing rural based products like soaps, oils, detergents, shampoos and cosmetics. Etc
3. Khadi & Textile Division:
The objective of this division is identification of problems in the khadi and textile sector and their amelioration through science, technology and management based innovation.
• The division is acting as hub to network the khadi related institutions
• Developing machines suitable for decentralized Khadi clusters.
• Providing leadership in product design and development.
• Creating quality norms, quality testing net work and quality guidance systems for Khadi sector.
• Dissemination of technologies through modern methods of training including incubation and thus
• Creating sustainable model of technology transfer.
Facilities:
Well equipped quality laboratory with more than two dozen testing instruments. Decentralized sliver plant, Solar Charkhas work sheds, Weaving work shed with Dobby/ Jacquard, semi automatic looms, design studio, hank dying machine, calendaring machine, stain removing unit, water softening plant/Jigger dyeing M/C, 2- bowl peddling mangles.
MGIRI – Solar charkha with textile technological aspects suited to the solar yarn, solar fab Mart model cheaper garments, solar yarn based hosiery products and rare textile products including medical textiles
It is informed that soft and stiff finish technology has been successfully transferred to the KVIC sector. Similarly quality codes for Khadi have been developed & transferred to the KVIC.
The concept of “Kapas to Kapada” [Cotton to Fabric] is successfully tested with low-cost equipment under one roof for various processes involved in khadi industry from cleaning of cotton to garment making.
Work on Ponduru Khadi:
The institution has taken up research work on Khadi being produced at Ponduru, Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. The main stress is being given to introduce modern equipment and machinery for preprocessing and spinning so that the cost can be reduced. It is informed that a study team has already visited Ponduru and technology development work is initiated. It is given to understand that the Institute is likely to give a report shortly.
4. Rural Craft and Engineering Division:
The object is to upgrade the skill, creativity of artisans by developing tools and machinery suitable for optimization of different craft work methodology. The division is working on
• Lacquer turn wood craft products
• Bell metal, brass craft products
• Terracotta Jewelry craft products,
• Wood craft products
• Aroma fancy wax products.
The North east Division of MGIRI is also developing bamboo based craft products and also introducing bamboo working tools to increase the productivity.
5. Energy and infrastructure division
The following set of activity directions were initiated by MGIRI in collaboration with IIT New Delhi
• Biogas clearing, Packaging and use in engines
• Micro hydal based work stations
• Briquetting systems on community scale
• Energy Conservation in potters kiln etc.
Latest achievements:
• Solar Charkhas: The mini solar charkha based cotton cluster experiment at Wardha has proved that the price of Garment could be drastically reduced while ensuring more than double the daily earning capacity of the workers.
• Hank dyeing Machine: This machine evolved with the potential of saving workers from drudgery, imperfection and low productivity. The batch processing machine has the capacity of handling five kg yarn in eight hours a day and has the innovative added functionality of drying the dyed yarn if necessary.
• Mercerizing Machine: The machine is useful for stain removing from the hanks and also for caustic treatment for increasing luster to the cloth. The machine is hazard free and hand operated.
• Packaging Machine: An affordable packing machine has developed by the division for the packaging of dry products like chilly, turmeric, spices and many more applications. It costs about one third of the traditional machines.
• Solar Potter`s Wheel: A solar potter’s wheel at a cost of Rs. 25,000/- has been developed by the division. It works on solar powered with fractional horse power motor and pedal operated.
• Power Tools: The department has also initiated development efforts in solar power tools with a view to help artisans in quality and productivity.
6. Management & Systems Division
This division provides information and Communication technologies based solutions for rural industrialization with a view to enhance their global competitiveness.
The division generates database information on
• Technology
• Innovative Products/ organizations
• Quality Standards of the processes and products.
• Help disseminate the technologies through e-learning
• Create e-based expert systems in collaboration with interface institutions of MGIRI that would guide MSMEs.
For MSME sector the division developed the following two websites: (1) www.ruralhaat.com and (2) www.greenkhadidesigns.com
www.ruralhaat.com This website provides visibility to the products of SHG`s, micro enterprises etc. whereby the potential consumer is expected to link with the producer through SMS/Email/ telephone. This is a free-to-use website and any entrepreneur can register and post his product or service information for free.
www.greenkhadidesigns.com This website assists khadi institutions in accessing trendy designs (both woven designs and costume designs) created through the net work of design labs of MGIRI and other locations. Basically this will cater to the garment network, solar fab mart/Khadi fab mart under development by MGIRI. Designs that are made available on this site can be used by Khadi producers, free of cost.
All the above divisions are offering consultancy services in product designing and technical development. Training programmes to the trainers are being organized by the MGIRI in innovative designs, technical development etc.
1.6.11
Visit of VIPs to Ponduru
Hon’ble Chairperson of KVIC, Sushri Kumud Ben ji is keen on making this traditional art of processing the cotton into fabric, profitable to the dependent artisans - spinners & weavers. She opined that Ponduru Khadi is our exclusive pride and shall be preserved for the posterity. Therefore, the Principal Secretary to Govt. (FP), Industries & Commerce (Tex) Department /Person-in-charge of APKVIB visited Ponduru on 16.3.2011. Hon’ble Minister for H&T, Spinning Mills, Public Enterprises, SSI & KVI also visited Ponduru on 8.4.2011.
Efforts are being made by APKVIB to solve certain problems being faced by Ponduru Khadi artisans. Among others, cotton processing difficulties, scanty wages and marketing are the primary problems. MGIRI, Wardha is doing research on processing difficulties. KVIC has been addressed to form a technical team to look into wage structure.
Smt. M. Srimani, Hon’ble Member, All India Khadi & Village Industries Board desirous of arranging some support to Ponduru fabric visited Ponduru on 30th May 2011 accompanied by a representative of M/s Fab India and studied the possibilities of design support & marketing tie up.
Efforts are being made by APKVIB to solve certain problems being faced by Ponduru Khadi artisans. Among others, cotton processing difficulties, scanty wages and marketing are the primary problems. MGIRI, Wardha is doing research on processing difficulties. KVIC has been addressed to form a technical team to look into wage structure.
Smt. M. Srimani, Hon’ble Member, All India Khadi & Village Industries Board desirous of arranging some support to Ponduru fabric visited Ponduru on 30th May 2011 accompanied by a representative of M/s Fab India and studied the possibilities of design support & marketing tie up.
The Hindu, 7-5-2011 on Ponduru Khadi
Ponduru khadi may become extinct by K. Srinivasa Rao
From 2,000 spinners 15 years ago, there are only about 800 left as many have shifted to other professions
SRIKAKULAM: Ponduru khadi, famous the world over, may not be available for future generations as weavers are shifting to other professions. The reasons are not far to seek -- lack of encouragement from the State government and the lure of good payment -- up to Rs.125 per day -- even for unskilled workers under the National Rural Guarantee Employment Scheme. Youngsters are not keen on learning the art of weaving fine khadi which has brought world wide recognition for Ponduru, a small town 25 km from the district headquarters.
Mahatma Gandhi was so impressed with the finesse of the khadi produced here that he always preferred it. Khadi clothes from this region are exported to various countries such as the US, Denmark, Japan and Sweden as they are made up of special varieties of hill cotton and red cotton which are grown in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.
Ponduru is truly a spinning and weaving town with looms in the houses of the Pattushali, Sali and Devangi communities. Women from the Pattushali community have all the traditional items necessary for ginning (separating the cotton from seed), carding, slivering and spinning into fine yarn.
The art is disappearing very fast as workers are fed up with meagre wages. Each worker earns between Rs.40 and Rs.80 per day based on their skill and working hours. “We have no other go except to depend on weaving in this age though Rs.40 per day is not sufficient to meet ends. That is why I discouraged my children from learning the art.” says Tirupati Rao. “At least Rs.200 should be paid per day to attract weavers. Otherwise, they will continue to opt for other jobs. In future, Ponduru khadi will fade out if the government does not take steps to encourage weavers,” Seetamma, who earns Rs.80 a day.
The historic town of Ponduru may see a further decline in this traditional activity. From 2,000 spinners 15 years ago, there are only about 800 left in the profession. Earlier there were over 150 fine khadi weavers here, now there are only 45-50. The Andhra Fine Khadi Karmikabhivrudhi Sangham (AFKKS), which has been supporting hand weaving and spinning since 1949, has expressed its inability to pay more to the weavers.
A ray of hope
Minister for Textiles and Handlooms P. Sankara Rao, who visited Ponduru, promised to resolve the problems of weavers.
From 2,000 spinners 15 years ago, there are only about 800 left as many have shifted to other professions
SRIKAKULAM: Ponduru khadi, famous the world over, may not be available for future generations as weavers are shifting to other professions. The reasons are not far to seek -- lack of encouragement from the State government and the lure of good payment -- up to Rs.125 per day -- even for unskilled workers under the National Rural Guarantee Employment Scheme. Youngsters are not keen on learning the art of weaving fine khadi which has brought world wide recognition for Ponduru, a small town 25 km from the district headquarters.
Mahatma Gandhi was so impressed with the finesse of the khadi produced here that he always preferred it. Khadi clothes from this region are exported to various countries such as the US, Denmark, Japan and Sweden as they are made up of special varieties of hill cotton and red cotton which are grown in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.
Ponduru is truly a spinning and weaving town with looms in the houses of the Pattushali, Sali and Devangi communities. Women from the Pattushali community have all the traditional items necessary for ginning (separating the cotton from seed), carding, slivering and spinning into fine yarn.
The art is disappearing very fast as workers are fed up with meagre wages. Each worker earns between Rs.40 and Rs.80 per day based on their skill and working hours. “We have no other go except to depend on weaving in this age though Rs.40 per day is not sufficient to meet ends. That is why I discouraged my children from learning the art.” says Tirupati Rao. “At least Rs.200 should be paid per day to attract weavers. Otherwise, they will continue to opt for other jobs. In future, Ponduru khadi will fade out if the government does not take steps to encourage weavers,” Seetamma, who earns Rs.80 a day.
The historic town of Ponduru may see a further decline in this traditional activity. From 2,000 spinners 15 years ago, there are only about 800 left in the profession. Earlier there were over 150 fine khadi weavers here, now there are only 45-50. The Andhra Fine Khadi Karmikabhivrudhi Sangham (AFKKS), which has been supporting hand weaving and spinning since 1949, has expressed its inability to pay more to the weavers.
A ray of hope
Minister for Textiles and Handlooms P. Sankara Rao, who visited Ponduru, promised to resolve the problems of weavers.
The Hindu, 15-6-2003 on Ponduru Khadi
The Hindu, Sunday, June 15, 2003, Article by Meena Menon
Caught in a time warp
At a time when rural unemployment is high, weavers of fine khadi in Andhra Pradesh are turning away from traditional weaving and spinning, all for lack of proper support, writes Meena Menon.
Spinning the traditional way may soon be a lost art.
IN the small town of Ponduru, near Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh), women continue to spin short-stapled desi cotton the way it was done before the advent of machines. If you take a walk down the narrow streets inhabited by the Pattushali community, it is not uncommon to see women spinning like their ancestors used to, in the front rooms of their long narrow homes.
The Andhra Fine Khadi Karmikabhivrudhi Sangham(AFKKS) has, since 1949, been supporting hand weaving and spinning short staple hill cotton, both red and white varieties. It is the oldest fine khadi institution in the State, and was started by the artisans themselves.
Ponduru is truly a spinning and weaving town with looms in the houses of the Pattushali, Sali and Devangi communities. Women from the Pattushali community have all the traditional items necessary for ginning (separating the cotton from seed), carding, slivering and spinning into fine yarn, some of which can be over 100 counts. Over generations, the jawbone of a river fish has been used to separate the short staple cotton from its seed. Hill cotton fibre is strong and sticks to the seeds and it cannot be removed by hand. So, this unique ginning process was invented.
The old, tile-roofed white building whose foundation stone was laid in 1955 by Vinobha Bhave, during his Bhoodan yatra, is intact and behind it are the living quarters for a few weavers, and the spinning rooms, with a wide variety of charkas.
The hill cotton growers-farmers from the nearby villages are all given seeds by the AFKKS to ensure purity. While most use chemicals and fertilizers, some have realised the need to stop them, as hill cotton is a hardy pest resistant variety.
According to Sangham head cashier, Pekala Lakshman Rao, 125 farmers grow over 100 acres of cotton. "I used to weave my own shirts but I later joined the Sangham," he says. Traditional hill cotton grew in Ganjam district of Orissa; while in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts, the farmers grew cotton to cater to the Sangham. There was a lot of demand but the supply was poor as few farmers were willing to cultivate more areas under hill cotton. But this is an area where the hybrid cotton (locally called Guntur cotton) is hard to come by.
In Narsapuram village in Srikakulam district, Vondana Appal Naidu grows cotton on three acres. He was among the few farmers who did not use chemical fertilizers till two years ago after the advice of a scientist. This year, he plans to drop chemicals altogether as production is declining while expenses are increasing.
Farmers like him prefer to grow hill cotton as it gets them good money, up to Rs. 2,800 a quintal, and the expenses and effort are low as compared to chillies, for instance, which cost Rs. 5,000 per acre to produce. Farmers get an average yield of 2-3 quintal per acre for cotton and production costs are low — around Rs. 1.100 per acre.
The age-old relationship between the farmer and the weaver is evident in this region. Until mills and machines came up, this was how traditional communities survived. Andhra Pradesh has seen a number of farmers committing suicide and also weavers, who have been hard hit. Ponduru remains relatively untouched, though the weaving community is dwindling thanks to poor payment and social security.
Ponduru khadi, famous all over the world, is used by designers and was even gifted to former U.S. president, Bill Clinton during his visit to Andhra Pradesh, says Dunna Papa Rao, the secretary of the Sangham. Film star Nageshwara Rao is a long time patron and even has a narrow gold border named after him on the Ponduru fine khadi dhotis. Every year the actor purchases about Rs. 40-50,000 fine khadi dhotis, Papa Rao adds.
In Lakshman's Rao's low roofed house, his wife, Meena, deftly gins the raw seeded cotton with the fish jawbone and then uses an iron rod to remove the seeds. The cotton fibre is combed with the jaw of the valugu fish, which is only available near the Dhavaleshwaram, Eluru and Rajmundry river sides and specialised fisherfolk catch this fish, according to Rao. Meena then uses three fine sticks to fluff the cotton and smooth it out — this step also removes the waste from cotton. The slivering is done with a bow and then it is carded with a wooden machine. The slivers are hand made and kept in dried banana stems. This is handheld and spun up to 80 to 100 counts by the women. They buy the cotton from the Sangham office for Rs. 25 a kg and can get 13-15 hanks if the cotton is good. There are 500 Pattushali families in Ponduru.
Women spin five to six hanks and earn Rs. 75-80 a week. Meena and her neighbour, Venkatratnam, have been spinning since they were 13-years-old. Nowhere else in India will you see spinning on single spindle charkas with 24 spokes, claims Lakshman Rao. There are 900 registered spinners and white cotton is spun up to 60-100 counts, while red is coarse, and spins up to 30-40 counts.
The Pattushalis and the Devangis weave both warp and weft since centuries and the Pattushalis are the fine khadi weavers. However, weavers are very unhappy with the rates they are being paid. Kodi Ramu will probably be the last in a long line of weavers. His son, Ramesh, a class eight student, does not even want to learn weaving with its long hours and low wages. Ramu earns Rs. 150 a day while his assistant, 60-year-old G. Appa Rao earns Rs. 100 a week. Rao's daughter rolls bidis for Rs. 10 a day while his wife, Satyavati, spins to supplement the family income, earning Rs. 70-80 a week.
Giving the hill cotton ... a unique process using the jawbone of a river fish.
The zari-bordered purple dhotis cost Rs. 1,300-1,400 for four yards but all Ramu gets is Rs. 52 per metre of which he gives Appa Rao Rs. 15 a metre. His wife Lakshmi says it is so difficult to make ends meet with these low wages, especially when there is an illness.
Baswa Mohan Rao has been weaving since the age of 10 (for 40 years now) and he learnt from a master weaver. This fine khadi weaver earns Rs. 1,500 a month. "The Sangham wants good texture and fine weaving so there is more work, but we have no wage rise, or incentives, apart from security and retirement benefits," he says. His children know weaving but don't want to continue with it. Already one of his sons works in a bank on daily wages.
Though there are medical benefits and bonus, overall the situation looks grim for the weavers who slave from morning till late night. The historic town of Ponduru may see a further decline in this traditional activity. Already from 2000 spinners 15 years ago, there are only about 900-1200 left. Earlier there were over 150 fine khadi weavers here, now it is reduced to only 45-50. However, coarse khadi weavers have increased from 10-50 to about 80 now. Poultry farming, bidi rolling or working in factories pay much more than the traditional art. Most weavers can weave up to 1-1.5 metres in a day and if it's a design variety, only one metre is possible.
While weavers are paid less, the cost of khadi has increased and there is no attempt to develop weavers or give them incentives and a decent livelihood. The number of weavers is reducing every year. However, there is supposed to be a planned increase of 25 per cent in wages, according to Lakshman Rao.
Ponduru is one of the few places in the country, which showcases the traditional art of fine khadi weaving. The relationship between the farmers and weavers is still very strong. In addition, hundreds of women supplement family incomes from spinning. The government cannot let all this die by not giving it the support and security it so desperately requires. At a time when rural unemployment is worsening, this weaving and spinning community needs more support and sustenance than ever before.
Caught in a time warp
At a time when rural unemployment is high, weavers of fine khadi in Andhra Pradesh are turning away from traditional weaving and spinning, all for lack of proper support, writes Meena Menon.
Spinning the traditional way may soon be a lost art.
IN the small town of Ponduru, near Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh), women continue to spin short-stapled desi cotton the way it was done before the advent of machines. If you take a walk down the narrow streets inhabited by the Pattushali community, it is not uncommon to see women spinning like their ancestors used to, in the front rooms of their long narrow homes.
The Andhra Fine Khadi Karmikabhivrudhi Sangham(AFKKS) has, since 1949, been supporting hand weaving and spinning short staple hill cotton, both red and white varieties. It is the oldest fine khadi institution in the State, and was started by the artisans themselves.
Ponduru is truly a spinning and weaving town with looms in the houses of the Pattushali, Sali and Devangi communities. Women from the Pattushali community have all the traditional items necessary for ginning (separating the cotton from seed), carding, slivering and spinning into fine yarn, some of which can be over 100 counts. Over generations, the jawbone of a river fish has been used to separate the short staple cotton from its seed. Hill cotton fibre is strong and sticks to the seeds and it cannot be removed by hand. So, this unique ginning process was invented.
The old, tile-roofed white building whose foundation stone was laid in 1955 by Vinobha Bhave, during his Bhoodan yatra, is intact and behind it are the living quarters for a few weavers, and the spinning rooms, with a wide variety of charkas.
The hill cotton growers-farmers from the nearby villages are all given seeds by the AFKKS to ensure purity. While most use chemicals and fertilizers, some have realised the need to stop them, as hill cotton is a hardy pest resistant variety.
According to Sangham head cashier, Pekala Lakshman Rao, 125 farmers grow over 100 acres of cotton. "I used to weave my own shirts but I later joined the Sangham," he says. Traditional hill cotton grew in Ganjam district of Orissa; while in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts, the farmers grew cotton to cater to the Sangham. There was a lot of demand but the supply was poor as few farmers were willing to cultivate more areas under hill cotton. But this is an area where the hybrid cotton (locally called Guntur cotton) is hard to come by.
In Narsapuram village in Srikakulam district, Vondana Appal Naidu grows cotton on three acres. He was among the few farmers who did not use chemical fertilizers till two years ago after the advice of a scientist. This year, he plans to drop chemicals altogether as production is declining while expenses are increasing.
Farmers like him prefer to grow hill cotton as it gets them good money, up to Rs. 2,800 a quintal, and the expenses and effort are low as compared to chillies, for instance, which cost Rs. 5,000 per acre to produce. Farmers get an average yield of 2-3 quintal per acre for cotton and production costs are low — around Rs. 1.100 per acre.
The age-old relationship between the farmer and the weaver is evident in this region. Until mills and machines came up, this was how traditional communities survived. Andhra Pradesh has seen a number of farmers committing suicide and also weavers, who have been hard hit. Ponduru remains relatively untouched, though the weaving community is dwindling thanks to poor payment and social security.
Ponduru khadi, famous all over the world, is used by designers and was even gifted to former U.S. president, Bill Clinton during his visit to Andhra Pradesh, says Dunna Papa Rao, the secretary of the Sangham. Film star Nageshwara Rao is a long time patron and even has a narrow gold border named after him on the Ponduru fine khadi dhotis. Every year the actor purchases about Rs. 40-50,000 fine khadi dhotis, Papa Rao adds.
In Lakshman's Rao's low roofed house, his wife, Meena, deftly gins the raw seeded cotton with the fish jawbone and then uses an iron rod to remove the seeds. The cotton fibre is combed with the jaw of the valugu fish, which is only available near the Dhavaleshwaram, Eluru and Rajmundry river sides and specialised fisherfolk catch this fish, according to Rao. Meena then uses three fine sticks to fluff the cotton and smooth it out — this step also removes the waste from cotton. The slivering is done with a bow and then it is carded with a wooden machine. The slivers are hand made and kept in dried banana stems. This is handheld and spun up to 80 to 100 counts by the women. They buy the cotton from the Sangham office for Rs. 25 a kg and can get 13-15 hanks if the cotton is good. There are 500 Pattushali families in Ponduru.
Women spin five to six hanks and earn Rs. 75-80 a week. Meena and her neighbour, Venkatratnam, have been spinning since they were 13-years-old. Nowhere else in India will you see spinning on single spindle charkas with 24 spokes, claims Lakshman Rao. There are 900 registered spinners and white cotton is spun up to 60-100 counts, while red is coarse, and spins up to 30-40 counts.
The Pattushalis and the Devangis weave both warp and weft since centuries and the Pattushalis are the fine khadi weavers. However, weavers are very unhappy with the rates they are being paid. Kodi Ramu will probably be the last in a long line of weavers. His son, Ramesh, a class eight student, does not even want to learn weaving with its long hours and low wages. Ramu earns Rs. 150 a day while his assistant, 60-year-old G. Appa Rao earns Rs. 100 a week. Rao's daughter rolls bidis for Rs. 10 a day while his wife, Satyavati, spins to supplement the family income, earning Rs. 70-80 a week.
Giving the hill cotton ... a unique process using the jawbone of a river fish.
The zari-bordered purple dhotis cost Rs. 1,300-1,400 for four yards but all Ramu gets is Rs. 52 per metre of which he gives Appa Rao Rs. 15 a metre. His wife Lakshmi says it is so difficult to make ends meet with these low wages, especially when there is an illness.
Baswa Mohan Rao has been weaving since the age of 10 (for 40 years now) and he learnt from a master weaver. This fine khadi weaver earns Rs. 1,500 a month. "The Sangham wants good texture and fine weaving so there is more work, but we have no wage rise, or incentives, apart from security and retirement benefits," he says. His children know weaving but don't want to continue with it. Already one of his sons works in a bank on daily wages.
Though there are medical benefits and bonus, overall the situation looks grim for the weavers who slave from morning till late night. The historic town of Ponduru may see a further decline in this traditional activity. Already from 2000 spinners 15 years ago, there are only about 900-1200 left. Earlier there were over 150 fine khadi weavers here, now it is reduced to only 45-50. However, coarse khadi weavers have increased from 10-50 to about 80 now. Poultry farming, bidi rolling or working in factories pay much more than the traditional art. Most weavers can weave up to 1-1.5 metres in a day and if it's a design variety, only one metre is possible.
While weavers are paid less, the cost of khadi has increased and there is no attempt to develop weavers or give them incentives and a decent livelihood. The number of weavers is reducing every year. However, there is supposed to be a planned increase of 25 per cent in wages, according to Lakshman Rao.
Ponduru is one of the few places in the country, which showcases the traditional art of fine khadi weaving. The relationship between the farmers and weavers is still very strong. In addition, hundreds of women supplement family incomes from spinning. The government cannot let all this die by not giving it the support and security it so desperately requires. At a time when rural unemployment is worsening, this weaving and spinning community needs more support and sustenance than ever before.
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