By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Textiles is facilitating weavers of Varanasi to showcase and sell in retail their handloom products at Dilli Haat in coming October. According to a statement from the ministry on Monday, advertisements will be published in Urdu and Hindi papers in Varanasi giving details about the exhibition and selection procedure for weavers.
Handloom sector occupies an important place in preserving Uttar Pradesh’ heritage and culture. Varanasi has a rich cultural past and Banaras silk sarees are an integral part of the Indian sartorial landscape. The handloom products of Varanasi have got wide recognition all over the country and abroad for their highly artistic design, colour combination, superior craftsmanship and long durability.
Marketing has always been concerned for the weavers so as to sell their products to the buyers. In order to facilitate weavers of the Varanasi region, the Ministry of Textiles had announced holding a special “Varanasi Weaves” Haat at the well-known marketing place “Dilli Haat” situated at INA, New Delhi from 16th October to 31st October, 2012. Dilli Haat in New Delhi is one of the prominent marketing platforms where weavers and artisans from all over the country are given stalls for display and sale of their products on rotational basis. This special fortnight which will have a presence of 162 stalls of various individuals and societies from Varanasi, will provide a platform to the weavers of the city to showcase their artistic products besides the retail sale.
“An advertisement for selection of weavers for participation in the Exhibition will be released shortly in regional newspapers of Varanasi editions in Hindi and Urdu. The weavers should submit their application at the office of WSC, Varanasi on plain paper indicating his name, address, phone number, product of Varanasi proposed to be displayed for sale alongwith 2 passport size photographs and a certificate to the effect that the products produced by them are made on handlooms. The last date to receive the application at WSC, Varanasi has been fixed as 14th August, 2012, and the draw for selection will be held on 27th August 2012 at 11.30 am in WSC, Varanasi by a Committee constituted for the purpose,” says a statement from the ministry.
In order to provide support to the handloom weavers and for the holistic development of the handloom sector, the central government has taken up various developmental and welfare programmes. It has approved 12 small clusters (covering 300-500 looms), one large cluster (covering 5000 looms) and one Mega cluster(covering 2500 looms) in Varanasi with the objective to empower handloom weavers and build their capacity to enhance competitiveness of their products in the domestic as well as global market in a sustainable and reliant manner.