CLATTER OF CONCERN

TNIE highlights how the famed weavers of Chendamangalam are battling an existential crisis

- KRISHNA PS

About four centuries ago, a weaver community from Tamil Nadu migrated to Kerala's Paravur. They settled in the hamlet of Chendamangalam, and began serving Paliyathachan, the then prime minister of the erstwhile Kochi kingdom.

Now, centuries down the line, this exceptional artisan community has transformed. Tempered by several upheavals—from colonialism to deluges, including the 2018 flood, and the pandemic.

One thing that hasn't changed is the beautiful, soft, traditional weaves. Everything is handcrafted in the weaving centers of Chendamangalam, from making the yarn and dyeing the spun fabric to weaving them into garments.

At every stage, the thread moves through human hands. Each fabric holds centuries-old tales.

Now, the weavers are busy preparing for the Onam season, the boom time for everything handspun. But they clearly are not excited. The cherished legacy, they say, is on the brink of extinction.

The rhythmic clatter of the looms is fading. The number of weaving centers has dwindled. There are just 11 weaving societies remaining in Ernakulam.

Paravur taluk has just five. "Now, we have just around 75 weavers," says M K Venu, the president of H 47 Chendamangalam Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society. "But no youngster is keen to learn the craft. It's likely to end with us."

Can't blame them, he says. "Weavers now earn just about ₹300 to ₹400 a day. One can earn ₹800 for other daily wage jobs. So, why would one pursue weaving?" Venu asks.