Partha Roy, Kolkata: A special session titled on “Khaddar: The Fibric of Life” weaved National Handloom Day & Independence Day celebration by “WICCI’s India Bangladesh Business Council” and “6 years and 365 days” a Facebook group for women who are fond of sarees who calls the group as Facebook Sarees Group. The session was organised on 12th August 2023 at Wilson’s of The Lalit Great Eastern Hotel in Kolkata.
About 40 ladies from different walks of life attended the special session draped in “Chickankari” sarees. Khaddar had played important role during India’s freedom struggle and has become pride symbol of India’s freedom movement. Khaddar has propelled and sustained India’s economy for centuries and played important role in development of indigenous science, arts, crafts and culture. “Khaddar” is not just coarse textiles but include soft and smooth muslin, silks, linen, woolen textiles and other textiles made from natural fibres where threads are handmade and fibrics are hand woven and entire finished product is handcrafted.
“6 yards and 365 days” is a Facebook group of women promoting saree was founded by late Sunita Buddhiraja who propounded handloom sarees as a tool of empowerment for “Weavers” and “Wearers”. With members from across the world, this ladies only group promotes handloom and handcrafted sarees. Women are using social media to promote various designs of sarees those are handcrafted in various parts of the country by wearing them and making style statement.
The group is running informal campaign to promote and popularise Indian sarees as well as spreading awareness about rich Indian traditional textile crafts and textile heritage. The group encourages women to wear saree on daily basis from work wear to relax wear. The group is promoting wearing sarees, handlooms, weavers, handwork, craftspersons. The group has more than 32 thousands members from different walks of life. Textile Designers Bappaditya Biswas and his partner in life Rumi Biswas were Guest of Honour.
Bappaditya Biswas delivered talk on “Khaddar” which in popular parlance called “Khadi”. Aditi Mukherjee one of the admin of the Facebook group spoke on the groups aims and objectives. Aditi Mukherjee moderated the session. Sharmishtha Raha President of WICCI’s India Bangladesh Business Council introduced Bappaditya Biswas and Rumi Biswas to the guests. Bappaditya Biswas is founder of the brands “Bailou” and “Byloom” stores.
“Disco Khadi” an unique textile developed by Bappaditya Biswas has won UNESCO Seal of Excellence. Bappaditya Biswas spoke on various techniques of weaving , it’s rich heritage, handcrafted textile economy, including role of handcrafted textiles in social empowerment including job creation for women in rural economy. Bappaditya Biswas and Rumi Biswas enlightened the guests about the process to identify difference between handcrafted threads and machine/ powerloom crafted threads as well as it’s impact on handcrafted finished textile specially sarees.
Bappaditya Biswas also answered queries from the guests including on motifs, designs, quality, combination of threads in design development and making of sarees, weaving process, pricing etc. Bappaditya Biswas emphasized the need of buying authentic handloom and preserving it. Khaddar as textile has wide range of usage including in babywear of new born, menswear, home furnishings, medical textile and many others. Khaddar can be used from every day ordinary wear to highprofile special occasion wear. With climate change and ailing earth at hand, Khaddar has become more relevant, something all needs turn to, accept and embrace Khaddar in our lives.