CHANDERI WEAVE, MADHYA PRADESH

CRAFT DOCUMENTATION DARSHITA JAIN FASHION DESIGN DEPARTMENT BATCH 2011 2015

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INDEX 1. Madhya Pradesh 07 2. Culture 10 3. Handicrafts 13 4. Cluster 23 5. Objective 24 6. Location 26 7. Evolution of Chanderi 31 8. Important landmarks 33 9. Chanderi 35 10. Social profile of Chanderi 38 11. Production process 40 12. Design phenomena 48 13. Chanderi GI 51 14. Chanderi Variations 53

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1. Range of products 60 2. Revival of Chanderi 63 3. Chanderi in Fashion 67 4. Chanderiyaan 75 5. Artists and glitches 78 6. Development challenges 85 7. Value Chain Analysis 92 8. SWOT analysis 93 9. Vision Statement 94 10. Strategy and proposed plan 95 11. References 97 12. Candid pictures 98

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Madhya Pradesh • No other state in India, but Madhya

Pradesh, enmeshes so many different flavors of tradition and culture. The state is a cauldron that incessantly concts the various aspects of its multi-dimensional culture and still upholds a beautifully amalgamated heritage that retains its distinctive zeal. It is home to people professing all the major religions of India, who dwell in perfect harmony and amity. Apart from them, numerous colorful tribes add on to the vibrant cultural collage of the state. In fact, variety finds manifestation in spectacular forms here.

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Madhya Pradesh

A traditional and cultural fest . 8

Chanderi city, madhya pradesh

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CULTURE

• The culture of Madhya Pradesh is a harmonious amalgamation of Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Christians and Sikhs. Moreover, the tribal communities of the state comprises of different tribes like Bhils, Gonds, Oraons, Kols, Bhilalas, Murias and Korkens, to name a few. These people belonging to numerous religions and ethnic backgrounds reflect the concept of Indian secularism and contribute to the animated cultural effervescence of the state.

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Madhya pradesh

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• Madhya Pradesh has numerous temples and sacred destinations. It is a significant pilgrimage centre with Omkareshwar and Ujjain which has religious significance with the presence of two of the twelve important Jyotirlingas, Mandleshwar and Maheshwar. Ujjain is also popular for the Kumbh Mela and Mahakaleshwar Temple. Hence devotees from far and near visit these pilgrimage sites to have a taste of divinity. Nature lovers can find a paradise in Amarkantak, Chitrakoot, Panchmarhi and Bhedaghat,surrounded by valleys, hills, forests, waterfalls, cliffs and rocks.

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Handicrafts of madhya pradesh

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Handicraft basically means skill of hands. Any craft that is produced by the skillful

hands in a creative way that is aesthetically appealing or any utilitarian item is

called handicraft.

The main difference between handicraft and art is of tools. Art is expressed by

creative ideas like painting, lyrics, dance, etc. It expresses emotions. But craft is in

3-dimentional form and made of various items collected from nature like bamboo,

cane, grass and straws etc, or waste man-made items like steel, iron, waste news

papers, etc. Art and craft are both creative. Making craft is also an art but every art

cannot be considered as craft. They are self learning process. New techniques, ideas,

methods, designs evolve naturally .

Handicraft sector is not finding much demand in local and national markets.

Most of the local people does not value handicrafts. They are more technology prone and

they are neither interested in learning new handicrafts. They are not even interested

in buying handicraft items because the market price of handicraft items are more as

handicraft is manual work and needs more patience and skill. Though, Indian

handicrafts sells overseas. Handicraft sector brings in foreign trade in the country .

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• Bamboo and Cane Work Bamboo and cane, a significant part of the rural life, is hugely used to manufacture utility articles like baskets, fishing traps, agricultural implements, hunting tools and many more. The community manufacturing and selling these handcrafted items in weekly bazaars are called as Basod or Basor. The tribal communities of Baiga, Gond and Korku are involved in this craft as well. The skilled craftsmen of the areas like Balaghat, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, Mandla, Shahdol and Seoni have harmonized their traditional techniques and knowledge to prepare new designed crafted goods to meet the modern requirements.

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• Carpets Gwalior is known for carpet weaving since Mughal era. Mandla and Shahdol joined this world of craft later. Apart from being masters of carpet weaving, the craftsperson's of these areas excel in dyeing. Knotted carpets require emphasis on patterns. Vibrant woolen carpets with geometric and floral designs are an important crafted product. These designs are a blend of ancestral motifs and modern taste.

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• Folk Paintings This form of art of Madhya Pradesh has mainly gained its fame from the areas of Bundelkhand, Chhattisgarh, Malwa, Gondwana and Nimar. These paintings reflect the socio-cultural life of the areas. Paintings of local festivals are made of home-made colors by women. However, Bundelkhand has got a group of professional painters known as Chiteras. Painters of Chhattisgarh use mud plaster as the base of their paintings, on which patterns are engraved by fingers. This process is famously known as "Lipai". Women belonging to the Badi community of this region are famous for making tattoo. The tribal community of the Bhilala and Bhils usually paints myths, which is famous as Pithora paintings. The Malwa, Tanwarghar and Nimar regions are known for Mandana floor and wall paintings. The specialty of this painting is that drawings are made with white color on a base made out of a mixture of cow dung and red clay.

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• Metal Craft Metal craft in Madhya Pradesh is a signature of the excellent and spontaneous creative skill of the tribal people. When you hold a piece in your hand you will feel the pulse with which these people make it. Go to the tribal villages of the state, you will be always hearing the iron smith's hammer going clang-clang in every little hut. The Gadhavs of Bastar, are far away from the world of modern civilization and are thereby blessed with simplicity and unique values of life. They create the marvelous metal craft which constitute a mark of their tradition. There is another very interesting aspect of the metal craft of Madhya Pradesh. This particular craft is so popular amongst the tribal people that it has evolved a keen relationship with their faith and religion. It has become a tradition among the Gond, Muria, Bhatra and Dhruva tribals to offer iron horses, swings, trishuls (trident, the symbol of the Hindu god Shiva) to gods whenever their wishes are fulfilled. Metal crafts form a part of their social rituals also. Exquisitely carved diyas are taken by the bride along with her while going to the in laws house for the first time. They believe that doing so will bring prosperity to the husbands house and hence happiness to the newly married girl. These metal crafts known as dhokra work are mostly hollow-cast. They are made by the lost-wax process. The blacksmiths of the southern Madhya Pradesh make a range of oil lamps, tools and statues that depict animals, birds and men.

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• Paper Mache Paper mache is a peculiar craft practiced in Madhya Pradesh since very ancient times. The craft has manifested itself in various different forms. The place called Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh is famous for the production of the unique art of paper mache. However it is also practiced in various other parts of the state which include Gwalior, Bhopal and Ratlam. The art of creating objects with paper mache is very simple yet wondrous. You can easily make a stunning piece of your own from the material available in your home. This is also true with the people of the Nagvanshi community in Madhya Pradesh. From times immemorial they are making small objects with paper mache. This gradually paved the path towards the evolution of one of the finest art of the region. The people here are also engaged in the art of making mud toys and dolls. The age long expression of this craft of paper mache was in the making of the ornate objects like vases, figurines and icons. As the days are passing by, craftspersons in Bhopal and Gwalior have started on their way to make statues, birds, animals and decorative panels.

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• Stone Carving Stone carving is one of the oldest form of art and crafts of Madhya Pradesh. Stone sculptures of Khajuraho, Vidisha's rock-cut temples and the monuments in Gwalior and Orchha prove the prevalence of stone carvings during the historical times. Every region of this state has got their unique and distinct style. Lattice (Jaal) work is the specialty of Gwalior whereas, Tikamgarh and Jabalpur specializes in decorative pieces of work like animals and human statues. The region of Bastar creates memorial stone pillars as well as statues of gods and goddesses of the tribal communities.

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• Textile Weaving Madhya Pradesh, also known as the "heart of India", is famous for its extensive history of textiles. From seventh century BC to second century BC, old age scripts mention Madhya Pradesh as a prominent hub of textile weaving. The most famous textile products in Madhya Pradesh include the Chanderi and Maheshwari Sarees. The handicrafts of Madhya Pradesh are a reflection of the rich culture and tradition of this state. The type of raw materials that are implemented might have changed throughout the years and the usage of the products manufactured has also changed but an extensive history of textile industries in the state keeps on contributing to the extremely unique handicrafts industry of the state.

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• Zari Embroidery The art of zari work is centered around Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh which is known for its rich heritage of art and craft. The art is predominant here for the last 300 years. Apart from Bhopal, it is practiced widely in Gwalior and Indore. The zari work in Madhya Pradesh has come from the western part of the country. This industry witnessed the glorious days of the great emperors. All the rulers were great patrons of art and architecture. They had an intense respect and passion for Indian traditional art especially those belonging to the central part of the peninsula. The rulers of Madhya Pradesh had a passion for grandeur. This might be the reason why they got inclined towards the zari work. The members of the royal family were dressed with the priceless works of zari. You can witness the royal dresses if you go to the royal museums, especially to the museums at Bhopal, Gwalior and Indore.

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CLUSTER The word ‘cluster’ means a group of persons/things/species of same kind doing or serving

same kind of purpose.

And the cluster visit deals with the practical demonstrations like the process of making Chanderi ,

interactions with the artisans, observing the conditions of the artisans, the atmosphere in

which they are working, the facilities that are provided to them or the basic needs they are

deprived of, how much government support are they getting, how are non-governmental

organizations

supporting the craft, etc.

Objective of the cluster is to study the process of how Chanderi is made, the problems that artisans

are facing, why market demand is less, how Chanderi handicraft sector can grow and how we can

raise the standard of living of the artisans.

There are 6 million artisans who are employed in handicraft industry. And mostly, artisans

belong to weaker section of the society, they live in below poverty line segment of society.

Craft cluster can help in putting light on the issues like - handicraft is an unorganized sector, so,

managing it is very tough, there is lack of education among the artisans, absence of market

intelligence, poor exposure to new technologies, lack of funds, poor planning, inadequate

infrastructure, poor institutional framework, middleman taking the profit, etc. 23

OBJECTIVE Diagnostic study :

• Providing historical, social and cultural data on the craft including information on

• the cultural lineage and tradition of the craft.

• Describing the size, shape, colour, texture and material of craft.

• Indicating the dispersion of the craft communities working with this craft process on

• a detailed map of the region and indicating the location on the map of India.

Secondary Research : Craft History and Context

• Field W ork : By way of Observation and Interview

• General information about the artisans :

• Length of involvement with the craft.

• What is their area of specialty?

• How long have they been practicing?

• Where they are trained, with whom and for how long?

• What they are currently producing?

• Do they teach others, and or pass on skills within their family?

• What are some of the challenges that they are facing in continuing with the

craft?

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OBJECTIVE

• Field work and secondary research : Characteristics of the craft product.

• · Are there common or repeated motifs used in the craft? What is their symbolism?

• · Are these inspired from the surroundings or are there other influences on design or motifs?

• · Recording the evolution of designs and motifs, if any.

• · Is the craft traditionally utilitarian, or socio-cultural, and or religious? Has the traditional use

• changed? If so, what is the new use for the craft?

• · How do local people use the craft products?

• · What are the problems faced by the craftsmen?

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LOCATION • Nestled in the picturesque Vindhyachal valley and situated in the

Ashok Nagar district of Madhya Pradesh, the town of Chanderi is

famous world over for its magnificent weaves. The town also hosts

the occasional sightseer since it is interspersed with more than

hundred monuments, both religious and secular, which stand in

testimony for its glorious and eventful past. Chanderi can best be

described as a rural town with an urban consciousness. Weaving is

the source of livelihood for more than 60% of its population,

while the rest are engaged in agriculture, biri making, stone

quarring and tertiary occupations.

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• Chanderi is a town of historical importance in Ashoknagar District of the state of Madhya Pradeshin India. It is situated at a distance of 127 km from Shivpuri, 37 km from Lalitpur, 55 km from Ashok Nagar and about 45 km from Isagarh. It is surrounded by hills southwest of the Betwa River. Chanderi is surrounded by hills, lakes and forests and is spotted with several monuments of theBundela Rajputs and Malwa sultans.

• Chanderi is located strategically on the borders of Malwa and Bundelkhand. History of Chanderi goes back to the 11th century, when it was dominated by the trade routes of Central India and was proximate to the arterial route to the ancient ports of Gujarat as well as to Malwa, Mewar, Central India and the Deccan. Consequently, Chanderi became an important military outpost. The town also finds mention in Mahabharata. Shishupal was the king of Chanderi during the Mahabharata period.

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• Chanderi is also famous for its brocades and muslins, especially for its handwoven Chanderi sarees. Here, master weavers use silk and cotton to create dazzling weaves, distinguished by beautiful borders. Usually in subtle hues, the Chanderi sarees have sophistication hard to match. In the silk Zari sarees, influences of the Varanasi style are visible. They generally have a rich gold border and two gold bands on the pallav. The more exclusive ones have gold checks with lotus roundels all over which are known as butis.

• It is at a distance of about 38 km from Lalitpur and Lalitpur is at a distance of about 90 km from Jhansi. Jhansi is very well connected by rail. It lies in the Delhi-Mumbai-Madras route. A traveler can easily avail of any direct bus from Jhansi after traveling till Jhansi by train. Chanderi is well connected by bus to Gwalior, Bhopal, Indore, Shivpuri, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Sanchi and Vidisha

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EVOLUTION OF CHANDERI

Over the last centuries Chanderi has evolved as a centre for excellence for weaving gold embellished

fabrics mainly, saris, for the erstwhile royalty and elite.

Chanderi has been originally producing three kinds of fabric:

1. Pure silk –where the warp as well as the weft is woven in 13/15 denier silk.

2. Chanderi cotton –where the warp and weft are 100s or 120s cotton. The Chanderi muslins have been

known to be superior to Dacca muslins because of the softness and feel; this was traditionally

achieved through the use of koli kanda a local wild onion that was used for sizing. Today this quality

has been discontinued.

3. Silk cotton –the weavers deftly combine 13/15-denier warp with 100s/120s cotton in the weft.

The figured effects are produced with the help of an extra weft design, which is a special feature of

Chanderi. Initially zari was used for the figured motifs.

If we compare Chanderi to Varanasi brocades some interesting facts emerge:

· While Varanasi has beautiful designs only in silk, the designs of Chanderi can be seen both in

cotton and silk fabrics.

While the Chanderi weaver can deftly manipulate 13/15 denier, the Varanasi weaver is used to

handling 20/22 denier.

· The Chanderi muslin, which has been discontinued today, had a definite superiority over the Dacca

muslin due to its traditional sizing techniques.

· Chanderi has been known for its strong construction and fast colors

· Gold thread was often the medium of figured motifs and the products ranged from Saris for the elite

and the royal families of Indore and Gwalior, 'Safas' or long-scarf for weddings and Cotton 'Pagris'

(turbans) that were adorned by the royalty themselves. 31

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Important landmarks 1890:The Chanderi weaver changed from handspun yarn to mill made yarn.

· 1910:The royal family of Scindia brought the Chanderi sari under their patronage and had set up a

training center as a result of which gold thread motifs came into existence in the main body of the

cotton muslin sari for the first time.

· 1940:The introduction of silk yarn, which was procured from Chamundi in Karnataka and the pure

silk sari in 13/15 denier came into existence.

· 1951:The setting up of the Government training center introduced the fly shuttle and the use of

dobby and jacquard, as up till then it was only the traditional pit loom in operation that was operated

with the help of a throw shuttle. This introduction increased production and consequently the wages

of the weavers.

· 1975:Keeping in view the changing demand scenario, the cluster went forward to weave yet

another variety of fabric which combined a silk warp witha cotton weft. The traditional cotton

muslin gradually vanished and along with it the weaving of pure silk saris also declined.

· 1976 –1995: An

increase in the number of looms (approximately 4000) was the consequence of active state support

to weaver's cooperative society. In terms of product diversification the era saw the development of

Indian garments such as 'Salwar Suits', Stoles and Furnishing fabric. The Rajiv Gandhi Gramudyog

Mission (1994) for the first time gave special training to womenand improved looms (Tara Looms)

found their way into the cluster through the Shilpi Bunkar Samiti. Training was also imparted in silk

yarn twisting. 33

Important landmarks

· 1996-to date: This phase has witnessed the end of the subsidy era and a gradual withdrawal of the

purchase policies by the Government corporations, due to their mounting losses, which were a result

of mismanaged capital and overstaffing. Significantly enough, this period also saw a conscious

effort on part of the State Government to handhold the cluster in te rms of active market interface

strategies. The Weavers and the Master Weavers were introduced to new and direct marketing

channels like the metro -haats (markets). This led to the growth of new trading groups and the

exposure made considerable spin -offs in terms of design and market awareness infusing a new

dynamism to the cluster.

· In the late 90’s the women from the poor households were mobilized into self help groups and

special interventions have been made for women weavers by the local administration under the

ICDP project. Formation of women’s SHGs and giving them development support under the SGSY

scheme has been the hallmark.

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CHANDERI

• Chanderi silk is created through a traditional method of hand weaving passed down over the generations in Madhya Pradesh (India), starting from the 13th century. Because of its airy feel, light weight quality and intricate designs, this fabric was very popular in saris produced for nobility and royalty in India. Chanderi is known for its transparency and sheer texture.

• Originally, Chanderi sarees were woven using handspun cotton warps and wefts. It was spun as fine as 300 counts and was as prized amongst cotton fabrics as the famed muslins of Dhaka. After the Industrial Revolution in the 1930s, Chanderi weavers discovered Japanese silk and began substituting this in the warps in cotton chanderi sarees.

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CHANDERI

Chanderi Handicrafts are unique & incomparable

in world. It's distinctiveness lies in the thread,

which never loses its shape & appreance. This

creates an unique transparency & texture which

can be recognized by the naked eye easily. Earlier

Chanderi Fabrics found patronage by royal family

as they were expensive. Now they are within a

reach of a common man

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Social profile of chanderi • Total estimated population of Chanderi is 30,000 and it has a very strong presence of caste/

community

• structures. Three main communities can be found in the cluster i.e. Muslims, Jains and Hindus. In the

• latter category, Kolis account for 13% of households and Brahmans 10%, whereas Muslims represent

• 34% and Jains 12% of households. The people areprominently engaged in non-agricultural occupations.

• 60per cent5of Chanderi's population is estimated to be dependent on handloom weaving and allied

• industry i.e. yarn dealers, traders, warpers dyers etc. With around 3,500 looms in working condition,

• 18,000 people are directly or indirectly dependent on the industry for their living6.

• Besides weaving and agriculture there are a considerable number of white-collar positions in

• Administration. Other important occupations are stone quarrying and bidi -making. However, weaving and

• the resulting trade are by far the main source of income. As Professor Sharma states in his socio -economic study of the town, “Chanderi is an excellent example of a pre-industrial city with a high degree

• of "proto-industrialisat ion”. (Sharma K.L., 1999, Chanderi 1990-1995, Publication de l’Institut de

• Civilisation Indienne, Fascicule 68, Diffusion de Boccard, Paris)

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THE SOCIO –ECONOMIC PROFILE OF THE CHANDERI CLUSTE

• No. of looms established –3659

• · No. of working looms -3659

• · Working looms in the Cooperative

• sector -1145

• · Working looms out of Cooperative

• sector -2514

• · Annual production -Rs. 15 crores

• · No. of persons directly employed -10977

• · No. of persons employed in the

• Cooperative Sector-3435

• · No. of persons employed out of

• Cooperative sector -7542

• · Working Weavers Cooperative

• Societies -10

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PRODUCTION PROCESS

1. Procurement of raw material: The r aw material is purchased

by the Master Weaver from the yarn dealers who in turn get the

silk from Karnataka. The silk yarn used is largely imported

Chinese or Korean silk. The cotton yarn is procured from places

like Coimbatore in southern India and Jaipur, and is usually pre-

dyed. The yarn dealers of cotton often get customized colors

dyed as per the requirements. The minimum quantity required

for such dyeing is almost 25 kgs or 10 hanks.

2. The dyeing in Chanderi is done mainly for the silk yarn by the

local dyers who have been in this skill since long. The silk yarn

dying process takes about 45 to 60 minutes depending on the

colour.

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Production process 3. After dyeing, the yarn is loosened or wound on reels. This is a prelude to the preparation of the warp and weft

4. For the weft the yarn is wound on pirns with the help of a charkha and this activity is usuallyperformed by the members of the weavers’ family. Warping is a specialised process, which is performed by the warpers. The warp yarns are wound on bobbins, which are arranged across a wooden frame called reel. The yarns from these reels pass through a reed to be wound around a vertical drum. A warper in good times would warp 4 or 5 warps for 12 saris each.

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PRODUCTION PROCESS 5. The next step is the task of passing the warp

through the reed and the healds. The warp threads

are

then joined to the old warp threads with a deft twist

of the hand of the women folk. This process takes

approx 3 -4 days.

6. Before the actual weaving begins the weaver sets

the design of the border and t he pallav. The

respective ends of the design are tied to a vertical

harness called jala. This process takes anywhere

between 3 -4 days depending on the complexity of

the design. The figured effects are produced with

the help of an extra weft and the number of 'tillis'

i.e. the no. of weft yarns will determine the time

taken. The amount of time taken reduces if the

number of ply in the weft yarn is more and

consequently the weaver can move faster and cover

more ground. However in this case the output is

less fine. Similarly higher the reed count more is the

production time. 43

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PRODUCTION PROCESS The weaving is performed by

one or two very skilled weavers of

the same family. The looms being

used are largely traditional pit

looms with throw shuttle. The

Chanderi fabric does not require

any post loom process and is cut

off the loom to be packed and

sold. Little is done by way of

labeling and

product specification or by way of

customized packing methods.

Current Position of Looms by

Production type

Total no of estimated looms :

3659

Pit and frame looms : 3089

(90% Pit & 10% Frame)

Dobby : 400 (24 Levers-100

Levers)

Jacquard : 150 (60 Hooks –240

Hooks)

Tara looms : 20

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Digitalized pattern design

• The Wonder weave software has been custmized according to the requirements of the Chanderi weavers. They have succeeded in reproducing the traditional patterns in combining the myriad existing designs to create new patterns.

• SOFTWARES USED:

• JAC DRAW XP

• CAD

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THE CHANDERI DESIGN PHENOMENA

This cluster is known for producing the most intricat e figured effects by jala or harness, which is now

done by dobby and jacquards. While some aspects have been discussed in the evolution, the other salient

features in relation to Designing are:

· Fine cotton counts and deniers.

· Combination of strong colours as well as muted tones.

· Amenability of designers to adapt. Today the motifs have come a long way from the traditional coin,

floral and peacocks to the geometrics. While it was only gold thread which was used for motifs,

today they also use silk and merceri sed cotton to give the product an innovative look.

· The design layout has undergone some changes to match market demand but it still remains deficient

on several accounts.

· The maximum reed used is of 2800 dents

· Design inspiration comes from historical rel ics, market participation, feedback from Master Traders

and WSC, Indore. Some traders also use new sources like design and color books

· However motivation to change design is found when there is a confirmed order or the assurance to

sell. This is perhaps due to the laborious pre-weaving preparation for design

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BUTTIS/ BUTTA "MOTIFS”

• Since the inception of the Chanderi fabric and primarily ladies Sarees,the butiis on the Fabric are hand-woven and absolutely woven on Handloom. There is no use of any other process of manufacturing and it is Gold coated, Silver coated and as well as Copper coated. Now a days Tested Zari Butti are also common and in use. The Tested Zari is made with the use of Synthetic yarn. The Buttis are made by use of Needles. Number of Needles used depends upon the number of Buttis and its size. For each Butti/Butta separate Needles are used. All the weavers involved in this process are experts in it since they have been doing this for long. time. The most popular and traditional kind of Butti is Asharfi Butti, which is in shape of Asharfi (woven in pure gold and silver Zari and now a day it is also woven in Tested Zari). This kind of Butti was in use in past only by the Royal families because it is very expensive as genuine Gold and Silver is used. The Butti which is big is size is popularly called as Butta with all other specifications. More so and it is there ancestral business and trade

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CHANDERI GI

• Chanderi handloom cluster gives credence to the fact the Scindia family even today, as well as international and national bodies like UNIDO, EDI and design interventions from NIFT and NID, and of course the local Self Help Groups continue contributing a lot to this regions fame and fortune. If it's Chanderi, it means nothing but the six or six and a half yards of sheer magic in the finest of silks with blends in cottons that all royals, bollywood film stars and commoners, fall for! Chanderi fabrics can mainly be classified as pure silk (in warp and weft woven in 13/15 denier), cottons (warp and wefts in 100 and 120s even give the famed Dacca muslins a run for their money!) and silk-cotton (a combination of 13/15-denier warp with 100s/120s cotton in the weft).

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CHANDERI GI

• The production of Chanderi has been protected by India as a Geographic Indication (GI). This is a sign used

on products with a specific geographical origin, which have certain qualities because of the place they have

originated in. As a WTO member country, India passed the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration

and protection) Act in 1999, which enables the registration and better protection of GIs relating to products.

India has petitioned the World Trade Organization for the recognition of Chanderi as a GI product at the

international level as well.

The arguments in favour of Chanderi being declared a GI product are as follows --

More than 3600 weaver families live and work in Chanderi. Together, they engage in all aspects of the

production of this fabric -- warping, colouring and weaving. Since the process is labour-intensive, each family

produces only about two meters of fabric per day (which means a total of about 7200 meters of fabric in

Chanderi). However, the demand, even locally, is much higher than this. It is met by the different varieties of

spurious Chanderi produced cheaply on power looms, or by using cheaper synthetic yarns.

The pressures on Chanderi weavers are compounded by the fact that traders and businessmen eat away a

large chunk of their profits. Weavers and master weavers do not have the financial resources to buy and store

raw material or to do any r&d to improve their technical skills or designing abilities. Living in remote areas of

Madhya Pradesh, they have an understandable lack of marketing abilities which makes their situation worse.

As a result, many weaver families are eschewing their traditional occupation and opting for other types of

work.

Weavers’ exploitation as well as the proliferation of spurious Chanderis in the market are jeopardizing the

very future of Chanderi weaving.

In many ways, the problems that Chanderi faces are similar to problems most GI products face, especially in

the developing world. It is, however, clear that there are few parallels the world over to the fabric of Chanderi.

By labeling it and protecting it as a GI product, India and WTO might be able to assure its future

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CHANDERI VARIATIONS

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CHANDERI VARIATIONS

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CHANDERI VARIATIONS

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CHANDERI VARIATIONS

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CHANDERI VARIATIONS

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CHANDERI VARIATIONS

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CHANDERI VARIATIONS

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RANGE OF PRODUCTS Chanderi suits, alongwith traditional sarees are

very popular in the current scenario. The

Chanderi weave is done on looms of fabric

which is then cut into pieces, and sold as suit

pieces.

Alongwith the chanderi woven suits, Chanderi

printed suits have also gone in rage due to the

availability of varied designs and lesser prices.

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RANGE OF PRODUCTS Contemporary Chanderi is a blend of modern fabrics in to

the traditional weave in varied designs .

These sarees range from INR 2000 to 10,000

As a part of the craft revival team, designers are

mixing crafts together to come up with beautiful

variations.

Like this one is Chanderi weave with Madhubani

art.

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RANGE OF PRODUCTS Chanderi weave has also gotten popular with traditional

menswear. Chanderi kurtas are highly popular in India.

As usual, Chanderi has also

gotten in the interiors.

Curtains made out of the

Chanderi weave are beautiful

as well as inexpensive.

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REVIVAL OF CHANDERI • Chanderi comes under the Chanderi – Gwalior Cluster of Madhya

Pradesh. Schemes pertaining to the empowerment and well – being of the weavers’ are mentioned below under the heads of Central level, State level and District level schemes.

• At the apex of all government policies and schemes pertaining to handlooms is the Handlooms Act of 1985. Under the provisions of this act, certain articles are to be exclusively produced on handlooms.

Special Project Scheme

• A special initiative, devised by the State Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation, endeavours to establish linkages with national and international funding agencies for the empowerment of handicrafts and handloom clusters. It involves the creation of urban haats which would contribute in the overall development of the cluster.

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REVIVAL OF CHANDERI • Located at the corner where the Mungaoli and Isagarh roads diverge, the

Chanderi Museum greets the visitor ahead of the town. The magnificent stone faced building houses the sculptures and ancient artefacts recovered from Chanderi and its vicinity, particularly Boodhi Chanderi and Thubon.

• The first gallery, called History of Chanderi begins with a display of photographs of the rock paintings found at Nanuan and other cave shelters, includes the tools and implements of the early man and goes on to the sculptures of the later centuries. Another gallery, titled Jain Gallery houses the statues of the various Jain Tirthankaras and remains of other Jain temples found at Thubon and Boodhi Chanderi. In the Vishnu Gallery stone images of the different incarnations of Lord Vishnu like Varaha, Vamana, Narasimha etc. are on show. In the open air gallery around the central courtyard are displayed around 10 inscriptions in Sanskrit language but in different scripts.

• The museum also has a library which houses around 3000 books on the history of the region.

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REVIVAL OF CHANDERI CHANDERI WIRELESS MESH SET UP

At Chanderi, DEF decided to make CWIRC centre as the base, covering 20-30 kilometers of the region with a support of establishing one relay station and five point-to-point nodes. Through this setup, DEF covered 30 schools of the region and more than 50 panchayats to provide the connectivity.

WIRELESS TRAINING AT CHANDERI, MADHYA PRADESH

Venue Selection:

The venue Chanderi was selected because, at Chanderi, DEF has a centre for the weavers and has well established infrastructure, a centre with multi-faceted activities like ICT Training Centre, Textile Designing & Apparel Designing Centre, Weaving Centre, Centre for various other activities for the Self help Groups to come to the centre and use the centre resources and facilities to engage themselves, train themselves and work towards self empowerment.

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CHANDERI IN FASHION

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CHANDERI IN FASHION

• At the Lakme Fashion Week in March this year, the diaphanous Chanderi was a familiar sight. With the impending hot weather and a massive demand for light, breathable clothes, it was only natural that designers would turn to this elegant, homegrown silk. Lighter than ordinary silk and dressier than cotton, the Chanderi has slowly made its way into the fashionable Indian's summer essentials. Designer Vijay Balhara, who used the fabric to create his resort-line collection, says, "The subtle sheen and transparency make it feminine and the fabric is so light that even if 20 meters is used in a dress, you won't feel the weight. It's the perfect year-round fabric for India."

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CHANDERI IN FASHION

• This fascination with Chanderi also has a lot to do with the urge to adapt the fabric to more contemporary needs. Delhi-based designer, Sanjay Garg, has given the Chanderi sari a new lease of life with an array of saris created under his label Raw Mango. The bright colour palette and the use of new motifs like the cypress trees and lilies in his collection 'Mughal returns to Chanderi', has given it a modern turnaround.

• The biggest turnaround for this fabric is perhaps yet to come. If, as Mishra and other designers say, the demand for Chanderi will grow as people's awareness about this handloom textile increases, then there's very real chance that garments made out of it could find a place on the global stage. Shandangule, for instance, says that her eye is very much on the international and domestic markets. "So far, although my collection has done well in India, internationally it hasn't picked up. However, it's only a matter of time before the world too begins to take notice of it."

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CHANDERI IN FASHION

• The former Delhi NIFTian could have chosen the lucrative option of designing saris with heavy embroidery/zari/sequins but he was drawn to Indian handlooms, Chanderi in particular. Post NIFT and a design diploma in Portico, New York, he worked with Shades of India, the fashion label that specialised in selling Indian handlooms for the European markets. The stint made him wonder if he could explore a niche clientele within India that would appreciate hand-woven fabrics. “In 2007, the ministry of textiles had ‘cluster development' schemes and I was among the designers chosen to work with weavers. I began working with Chanderi weavers with the money I borrowed from my father. At first, weavers were not even interested to experiment. Slowly I got their confidence and we set up four looms. My very first exhibition was a sell out. Today we have 160 looms,” he says.

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BIBA 2013 BY ROHIT BAL

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The ‘kareena’ chanderi

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CHANDERIYAAN • Supported byt the Minstry of communication and IT, digital empoweremnt

foundation, (DEF), in collaboration with Media lab Asia, has conceptualised the Chanderi weavers ICT resource centre (CWIRC) in order to provide vocational and technical education to the textile weavers of Chanderi.

• This initiative, collectively called Chanderiyaan aims at fostering community based development by promoting tourism through the digitization of Chanderi’s social , cultural and historical fabric.

• MISSION CHANDERIYAAN:

– the mission of chanderiyaan is to bring digital inculsion in the lives of weavers to enhance livelihood options and make sure the economic benefit is distributed equitably and democratically.

– To provide ICT support to the weavers for creation of new designs as well as for the preservation of traditional designs.

– To facilitate capacity building in terms of designing, tailoring and embroidery in order to produce finished products.

– To ensure the sustainability and survival of the handloom industry by linking the weavers with the world through the meduim of ICT.

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INAUGRATION OF CHANDERIYAAN

• The canderi weavers ICT resource centre was launched in January 2009 and formally inaugrated in February 2009 by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union minster of state for Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India.

• Mr. Scindia has always had a special place for Chanderi, its weavers and its history. As the member of parliament, he has been helping the functioning of Chanderiyaan.

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ARTISANS

• Mohammad Furqan :

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Mohammad Furqan, a designer, is a hero in Chanderi because he has created the design of the monogram of the Common wealth games which was done for Hast kargha dept and was accpeted by the selectors and woven on more than 11,000 stoles which were presented to all the participants of the Common wealth games at the time of inaugration.

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Workers at chanderiyaan: 1. Museer

2. Nitin Kumar

3. Mohammad Nazeer

4. Naresh Kumar

5. Mohammad Waseem

6. Shaanu

Income : INR 50 per mtr

10 hours a day work

Designers at chanderiyaan: 1. Mohammad Furqan

2. Ashok Kumar

3. Abdul Nazeeb

Monthly income : INR 6000

Timings 9-5

Sundays off

RAW MATERIALS AT CHANDERIYAAN

• Resham from Banaras • Zari from Surat • Cotton from Coimbatore • Card for jacquard from Bangalore

• Zari bundle 4 gittis per bundle • 1 loom – INR 40,000 • 1 saree is completed in 1 week • No electricity is needed for this work.

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Types of sarees at chanderiyaan

• 1. Naal Ferma – worn by Lata Mangeshkar starting from INR 50,000 made with real gold zari 2. Jacquard 3. Cotton x silk 4.Silk x Silk 5. Silk x Cotton *All sarees are of length 6 mtrs and are made in rolls which produce 12 sarees at once.

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Artist’s glitches Poor institutional base

There is only one development institution in the cluster but it is plagued with limited capability for

being an instrument for the capacity building of the cluster actors. As a result most of the

interventions done by the technical institutions are of ad -hoc nature.

A planned flow of technical knowledge does not exist in the cluster and as a result the cluster actors

are not very sure about who can do what?

(ii.) Dyeing issues

There is a problem of colour-run with the fabrics produced in the cluster. Especially the problem in

silk related dyeing is on account of de -gumming. The Chanderi fabric derives its distinctiveness

from the material gums and in order to retain that the fabric cannot be dyed at high temperatures.

(iii.) Alienation of weavers from the market

Most of the weaving is done without the knowledge or feedback from the markets. As a result, there

are limited possibilities of product diversification or producing according to consumer preferences.

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Artist’s glitches

(iv.) Lack of Social Capital

The activities for building a Social Capital in the cluster have been very few, as a result of which,

the working of the Cooperative Societies or formation of any marketing network remained limited.

With the decline in the marketing role of the Government agencies, the weavers became heavily

dependent on the Master Weavers for selling their products. There was no conscious effort for

development in designing and as such only some minor changes in the existing motifs were made.

(v.) Competition from Power -loom

Gradually the exclusive nature of the Chanderi fabric is declining. It has become easier for the

Power-loom sector to co py some of the Chanderi products like plain run of fabric. There is need

therefore to make a strategy to highlight the unique selling propositions (USPs) of Chanderi

products through Trademark and Branding.

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DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES Equity and Growth

1. The output of the cluster has increased substantially in the last decade and the number of

handlooms has increased in the same period. This reflects the strength of the cluster as there has

been an overall declining trend in the rest of the country. But surprisingly the level of wages have

either remained static or gone down.

2. The increase in turnover could be attributed to the innovation and the self-learning attitude of

the Traders. They have adopted new designs for product development and tried new marketing

activities.

Also, the tapering in the institutional support in purchases has propelled the Master Weavers to

market directly in the metro cities.

3. There is a greater evidence of wealth generation manifested through construction activity (hotels,

nursing home, etc.) and investment in other service-industry outside Chanderi.

4. However, prosperity has only increased in the higher rungs (traders and master weavers) a nd has

totally eluded the weaver community. They continue to be poor and ill paid for their high skill base

and the arduous work.

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DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES Marketing & designing

1. The designing capacities of the cluster have not kept pace with time. The art of traditional designing

has declined as the best design masters have passed away and the present ones have limited capacities

and means to upgrade themselves. There are no modern day designers working in the cluster and even

though in the past some state agencies have hired them in the past, the benefit of their work has not

passed to the cluster in any sustainable way. They have only worked in a static mode as one -off

interventions. There is a total alienation of the weaver from fashion forecasting issues. As a result, the

majority of the weavers remain untouched by issues relating to design and product development.

2. Sales exhibitions organized by Government agencies through out India serve as a strong medium. But

sadly, these have been monopolized by a select few Master Weave rs and Traders. Due to a premium

on such channels, there are invariable cases of bulk false-named bookings and resale of facilities,

which further cuts the chances of marketing for poorly networked weavers

3.Most of the production is for domestic market. Even though there have been small export orders yet

the cluster actors are uninformed about the actual details of such sales i.e. country of sale,

acceptance/rejection, required documentation and procedures. Hence the cluster has not benefited in

terms of i nformation generation relating to exports. In the state sponsored international visits, the

official representing the cluster gives little feedback to the real cluster actors. The weaver’s

knowledge of consumer behaviour and market trends continues to be n egligible.

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Development challenges 4. The domestic market for handloom products is also changing. The consumer is becoming more

discerning and would like to purchase handlooms on the basis of value and merit, and not solely to

show empathy.

5. There is a general trend in the market for customized and small lots. Therefore, there is need to

prepare the weavers in B2C customized mode, which can also become the core competence of the

handloom products.

6. Along with the importance of traditional marketing channels like exhibition and sal es in Indian cities,

etc. the new channels such as e -commerce need to be explored. There are very good private sector

players for on-line marketing of handloom in small and customized lots.

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DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES

Institutional linkages & Capacity Building

1. The quality of Chanderi products is becoming a critical consideration in marketing especially for

high-end consumers and export marketing. Therefore it is required to reposition Chanderi, may be

on quality based branding.

2. There is a poor access to information within the cluster. For instance, the visits of designers to

the

cluster, even those sponsored by the Government agencies are not properly known to the weaver,

which results in a limited interface.

3. The Resource centre though upgraded significantly still lacks in effecti ve usage. Presently, the

courses conducted by the training centre need total revamping and should be based on the skill

development and capacity building and not just on how to weave. The other facilities in the resource

centre like CAD, dyeing etc. need w ide publicity and monitoring by private sector. The general lack

of information or sufficient exposure of the local staff also impedes the exploitation of such facilities.

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Development challenges 4. There in no system in place through which the cluster can effectively make use of the BDS

(Business

Development Services) providers. Even though diverse BDS resources are present locally, they face

several limitations in the absence of effective institutional framework and therefore do not have a

well-defined presence. The local BDS also need more training and exposure.

5. The infrastructure in the cluster is poor particularly, the availability of water and roads. The

former

hampers the dyeing quality of products.

6. The impact of globalization poses a threat to the cluster. Therefore, it isnecessary to have an

effective sustainable development strategy for ensuring a sustainable future.

7. A number of State and Central Government agencies like the Directorate of Handlooms,

MPHSVN,

MPKVIB, Central Silk Board, the Development Commissioners, Govt. of India, and others in the

Handlooms and Handicrafts sectors operate different schemes.

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DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION • Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) in collaboration with Media

Labs Asia has conceptualized the Chanderi Weavers ICT Resource Centre (CWICTRC) in order to provide technical education to the textile weavers of Chanderi. It endeavours to provide alternative options of livelihood through ICT based empowerment. This initiative, collectively called ‘Chanderiyaan’ aims at fostering community based development and empowerment through the Chanderi Integrated ICT for Development Program (CIIDP).

• The Chanderi Integrated ICT for Development Program (CIIDP) endeavours to enable multi-pronged integrated digital development of Chanderi by creating a digital ecosystem of the town. The program is all embracing, incorporating Social entrepreneurship, Healthcare, Education and Tourism and integrating it with the socio – economic and historical fabric of Chanderi.

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VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS For the production process and the marketing channels discussed in the previous chapters, a value chain

analysis table and a chart has been presented which enables a tabulation of the contribution of the various

cluster actors as well as helps to ascertain the value addition outside the cluster.

Value Chain Analysis for Plain Chanderi Sari

The master weaver and cooperative societies in case of Chanderi are very important in the overall value

addition process. The contribution of different actors in the production of a plain sari costing Rs 300/- in

value (as a percentage of the total cost) is as under:

Step Activity Value Services/ material

(%)

addition

1 Dyeing 2 Dyeing/ dyes, acid, fuel

2 Warping 2 Warping/Bobbins and warping drum

3 ‘Ranch’ filling 7 Filling of iron Comb with Yarn

4 Design preparation 2 Making of Customized design on pit loom, Jacquard

Dobby/ cards and machine for punching

5 Warp connectors 2 Joining of yarn for the new lot

6 Border design makers 0.5 Designing of border as per requirement

7. Motif design makers 0.5 Making of Motif for weavers/ master weavers

8 Weaving 30 Providing basic loom for weaving, performing the act

of weaving also performing some other function of pre

weaving like winding, reed filling and jala making.

9 Master Weaver 54 Provides raw material, design and marketing

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SWOT ANALYSIS OFTHE CLUSTER STRENGTHS 1. The cluster’s historical lineage & its Promotes not only tourism but popularize Chanderi nomination as a heritage town. 2. The rich resource of weaving, dyeing and design skills. 3. Inherent strengths of Chanderi vis-à-vis other handlooms. 4. The readiness of the new generation to enter this trade

WEAKNESS

1. Lack of water and road infrastructure. 2. Absence of social security. 3. Unsystematic dyeing process being adopted by many. 4. Dearth of capital investment in the Outdated looms & technology, leading to outdated products & inability to comply with new requirements 5. Weaver is socially, financially and marketwise backward and vulnerable. 6. The industry is not well linked to the global markets and fashion dynamics 7. Poor gender sensitization: unpaid women workers with no social or medical security

OPPORTUNITIES 1. The keenness of women and new generation to learn and progress. 2. Amenability of the product for diversification according to fashion.

THREATS 1. Competition from power loom and Varanasi products; Influx of imitations.

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The vision statement “Chanderi will offer its unique high value added fabric mainly to exporters and niche retail stores to suit the high end of the domestic and international market by the year 2005 “.

This could be achieved by the following strategic interventions in the cluster:

1. Branding and effective use of Geographical Indication provisions

2. Better technology usage in the pre-loom and post loom activities, including dying

3. Better infrastructure

4. Effective marketing linkages.

5. Empowerment of private sector

6. Revitalization of the Government Training Centre into a high grade technical Resource Centre.

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strategy The strategy would be made operational through the following:

· Transforming the Government-training centre at Chanderi into a powerful tech nical Resource Centre

through public private partnership. To begin with there would be a Joint Advisory Board for the

centre which would determine the services to be provided to the cluster, and help identify the required

resources to do so. It would work as an institution for the capacity building of local weavers for value

added products by providing regular feedback from the market.

· Developing small networks to promote cooperation and enhance competitiveness of the cluster.

· There is no umbrella institution in the cluster; as a result the harnessing of available resources for the

development of Chanderi is very poor. Even though there are various schemes, plenty of political

support and a taskforce for the overall development of Chanderi yet in the absen ce of effective cluster

level leadership most of these resources remain either untapped or under utilized. As part of the

project interventions a strong cluster level private sector driven institution will be encouraged to

spearhead this process.

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Proposed plan

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REFERENCES • http://www.blog.gaatha.com/?p=1844

• http://chanderiyaan.chanderi.org/2010/05/01/chanderi-%E2%80%93-the-town/#more-225

• http://mytextilenotes.blogspot.in/2011/06/chanderi-fabric-process-and.html#chitika_close_button

• http://chanderi.net/HistoryofChanderi2.php

• http://www.chanderigi.com/

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanderi

• http://www.chanderigi.com/what_is_gi.htm

• http://www.fibre2fashion.com/indianhandsnlooms/chanderi.asp

• http://indianfashionpolice.com/2013/03/05/know-your-saree-chanderi/

• http://www.sarisafari.com/tour/chanderi.html

• http://www.fibre2fashion.com/indianhandsnlooms/productlist.asp?product=Shawls

• http://chanderiyaan.net/

• http://handicraftsindia.org/handlooms/handloom-products-india/curtain/

• http://post.jagran.com/designers-fusing-modern-1372391855

• http://www.pinterest.com/pin/566820303072511140/

• Chanderiyaan brochure

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