#100sareepact #22\/100
\nIn Honor of National Handloom Day and Dedicated to My Favorite Handloom Weavers in Bangalore: Mr. Ganganna and Rajeshwari\u200b<\/p>\n
Today we are honoring the art and craft of Indian handloom weaving. When I mentioned to my husband that August 7th is National Handloom Day \u2013 he asked, \u201ceven here in the United States?\u201d My quick response: \u201cOf course, here in the United States \u2013 right here in our house\u201d! For me the most iconic representation of Indian handloom is the saree; consisting of six meters of gossamer fabric, carefully woven together with artistry and love. Why shouldn\u2019t we celebrate the rich heritage of handloom but most importantly, why shouldn\u2019t we celebrate the weavers who do the work?<\/p>\n
Today, I am dedicating my post to two gifted handloom weavers – Mr. Ganganna and and Rajeshwari. Below is a portrait that was taken of all of us together in July in Mr. Ganganna\u2019s studio in Bangalore. I am wearing a beautiful handloom saree of silk and cotton that THEY made.<\/p>\n
I was fortunate to meet with Mr. Ganganna on more than one occasion for my Silk Stories thesis project. He allowed me to \u201cgo deep\u201d into his world of handloom weaving and shared his perspective and experiences from a career that has spanned over 40 years. Handloom weaving has afforded a basic income that has supported his family, but like most handloom weavers, Mr. Ganganna\u2019s living conditions are modest. His home and studio are one. The work is tedious, physically demanding and requires a high level of concentration. Although he still runs the family business, Mr. Ganganna has given up weaving because he can no longer see the details. Rajeshwari shares the handloom work with 2 other weavers.<\/p>\n
This lovely saree took 3 days to make and consists of over 8,000 strands of silk. Each individual thread was literally glued together by a lady named Shankaramma, to create the required warp length.<\/p>\n
Not only is this saree with the traditional Indian temple and mango design a true work of art, I think it is masterpiece. And, is a true honor to wear.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
#100sareepact #22\/100 In Honor of National Handloom Day and Dedicated to My Favorite Handloom Weavers in Bangalore: Mr. Ganganna and Rajeshwari\u200b Today we are honoring the art and craft of Indian handloom weaving. When I mentioned to my husband that August 7th is National Handloom Day \u2013 he asked, \u201ceven here in the United States?\u201d…<\/p>\n