Handloom weavers in Thirubhuvanam hit by rising price of zari thread

The rising outgo of zari (gold thread) and precocious levels of taxation person deed the accumulation of Thirubhuvanam’s famed handloom silk saris, arsenic much weavers look for alternate employment to marque ends meet.

The Thirubhuvanam sari is known for its usage of golden thread and precocious prime silk that creates a brushed and pliable garment. It is considered unsocial arsenic the some the conception for draping (body) and escaped extremity (pallu) of the sari are woven successful the aforesaid warp.

“A ‘mark’ of zari thread (four spools with a nett value of 240 grams), utilized to outgo ₹13,000 past year. Today, its terms has changeable up to ₹30,000. Though we request zari for our sari designs, the precocious outgo is affecting our work, and making it unprofitable,” N.B. Nagenthiran, a weaver from Thirubhuvanam and the authorities caput of Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers Association (CITU), told The Hindu.

Handloom weavers crossed Thirubhuvanam (Thanjavur district), Arani (Salem) and Kancheepuram person each been affected by the precocious zari outgo successful caller months.

“We are incapable to implicit our orders connected time, arsenic the zari banal tin lone beryllium bought sporadically. The levying of Goods and Services Tax (GST) astatine respective levels of accumulation has added to our woes,” said the seasoned weaver.

As a result, the minimum outgo of a Thirubhuvanam silk sari is pegged upwards of ₹8,000 these days. “Our busiest periods are dictated by the auspicious wedding season; nevertheless customers volition person to ammunition retired astatine slightest ₹50,000 for a heavy zari embellished sari,” helium said.

The livelihood of implicit 1,000 weavers belonging to the Thirubuvanam Silk Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Production and Sale Society (Thico Silks) is said to beryllium successful dire straits owed to the inflationary economics.

The Assistant Director of Handlooms, Kumbakonam said that fiscal and selling enactment was being extended to weavers successful Thirubhuvanam. “We person introduced respective initiatives to beforehand the merchantability of Thirubhuvanam silk saris, specified arsenic the ‘Illam Thedi Pattu’ scheme, a mobile vending work wherever customers tin petition to spot the banal successful the comfortableness of their homes. We are besides trying to adhd innovative designs according to the marketplace trends. The banal volition beryllium sold done income promotions,” the authoritative said.