National Handloom Day is celebrated across the country under the aegis of the Ministry of Textiles.
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| National Handloom Day |
Aim:
It focuses on the handloom industry's contribution to the country & aims to raise awareness about this sector.
Significance of the Day:
- The National Handloom Day is celebrated to honour the handloom weaving community.
- It highlights the contribution of the community in various sectors of the country, including rural employment.
- The day also stands for the protection of India’s rich handloom heritage.
- It empowers the handloom community with bigger and better opportunities.
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The day aims at increasing reliance on Indian-made products, encouraged
the indigenous industries, particularly the handloom weavers.
Handloom Sector of India
- It is a significant employment source in rural areas and is also a key player in the field of women empowerment.
- Roughly 70 percent of all weavers and allied workers are women.
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The Indian handloom sector exports its products to more than 20
countries across the globe, including the USA, the UK, Germany, France,
and South Africa.
- Handloom has natural roots and eco-friendly production processes which require minimal capital and power.
History
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The handloom sector played an important role during the Swadeshi
Movement, which was launched as part of the Indian independence
movement, on August 7, 1905.
- The movement was started to curb dependency on foreign goods and to boost domestic production.
- The National Handloom Day is celebrated on August 7 as it was the same day the Swadeshi Movement was birthed.
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The government of India, on August 7, 2015, inaugurated and celebrated
the National Handloom Day for the first time in Chennai.
Back to the Roots
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Mahatma Gandhi started the movement by using ‘khadi’ with the objective
of promoting self-sustainability among the rural villages.
- He used this hand-spun fabric as a tool of passive resistance against British rule.
- Every Indian was urged to spin their own yarn by using a simple ‘charkha’ and to proudly wear Khadi.
