Craft Cluster Documentation

THE CLOCK FACE OF A BUNKAR
Copy right © National Institute of Fashion Technology,

New Delhi, Year 2017
All rights reserved: No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
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National Institute of Fashion Technology, except by a review/reader who wishes to quote a brief passage in
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CONTENTS
सूची ‫اﻧڈﯾﮑس‬
CHAPTERS
1 Acknowledgement
3 Preface
8 Barabanki
26 Folk And Folklores
36 Gamchha
44 The Process
70 Pashmina/Sari
76 Sales And markrting
82 Outcome
86 Zardozi
90 Future Prospects
92 SWOT Analysis
PAGES
98 Baragaon Weaves
104 Biblogarphy
105 Glossary
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
अिभस्वीकृित ‫اﻋﺗراف‬
The success and final outcome of this project required a lot of guidance and assistance from many people and we are
extremely privileged to have received this all along the making of this project.
This research was supported by National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi Campus. The ‘Craft Cluster Initiative’ gave
us an opportunity leading to a fresh perspective towards Indian crafts.
Heartfelt thanks to our subject mentor, Ms. Anupreet Dugal for her uncapped support without which this compilation
would not have been possible. Her knowledge has helped us charter the information in a crisp format. We thank her for
her valuable insights that greatly assisted the research.
Special thanks to Mr. Vishesh Azad for guiding us in the field, supporting us through all the hurdles during the process of
photography. We extend sincere thanks to all the faculty members from the Department of Fashion Communication for
enhancing our skill base that led to this compilation, chapter after chapter.
We also would like to thank Mr. Zahiruddin and his family for their assistance that greatly improved the documentation
process.
We would also like to extend our gratitude towards the people of Barabanki, Zaidpur, Rampur and Badagaon who
constantly watched out for us and welcomed us with extreme hospitality.
Because of all of them we were able to experience the uniqueness of Gamccha weaving, with a great learning.
1 2
PREFACE
प्रस्तावना ‫ﺗﻌﺎرف‬
Creating magic through the interlacing of yarns and the right play of colours is something only a dedicated
craftsman can achieve. The craft of weaving is intricate and arduous.
Weaving has been an integral part of the rich history of India, and one of the most promising sectors of the
Indian market. It has not only been the source to earn bread, but also a practice that people have been following
for centuries. Regions, villages, and communities throughout India have unique weaving traditions with distinct
customs and patterns. Even today, weaving remains important to India’s economy.
Barabanki is a district, of which the majority of villages have been involved in the craft of weaving. As we
walked through the lanes of these villages, the periodic melody of the looms synced with our footsteps. Around
five thousand families of weavers inhabit this place. While the majority of these families still have handlooms
installed at their homes, a few of them also work on electrical looms. What caught our attention though was the
fact that it’s not just one person of the family who does the work, but each grown up takes turns on the loom
in order to divide the work and hence lessen the burden of each member.
The weavers at Barabanki specialise in the weaving of stoles. The locals call it “Gamcha”. Earlier the chequer
pattern used to be the only one in which they used to make all the gamchas, primarily using red and white yarn.
But if one visits the place at present, one can not only find variations in the way they do the chequer pattern,
but also can see a variety of contemporary motifs and patterns being woven. In order to cater a bigger group of
consumers, the traders who worked in the district brought newer orders to the weavers and to meet the needs
of the traders, the weavers inturn moulded their weaving style according to these orders. Now, they weave
stoles, handkerchiefs and also saris at times.
The weavers, have an urge to learn within themselves. Not only do they want to incorporate new and innovative
changes to their traditional weaving style, but also have a curiosity towards understanding and knowing the
market. .Through this book, we try to bring the attention of the intended reader, to the story of a ‘bunkar’ that is usually not considered
worthy of being told. The hard work that goes into making a single piece of woven fabric is something an average consumer
is unaware of. Each piece goes through six intricate steps of processing to give an appealing result. From that process to the
lifestyle of a weaver, ‘cherukhi’ has it all. Each kargha, they say, sing the song of its own story. Cherukhi guides you through
the confound lanes of Barabanki. All along this journey Zahir and Razi accompany you and unwind the mystery of each song.
3 4
5
L O C AT I O N 6
BARABANKI
बाराबंकी ‫ﺑرارﮐﯽ‬
Away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan cities, there was once a small town.
The natives called it Barabanki which meant ‘the twelve quarrelsome men’, for the
rulers who conquered the town centuries ago, divided the lands into twelve shares, over
which the respective proprietors had once quarreled. This township had other smaller
villages surrounding it. Two of such villages were Zaidpur and Rampur, inhabited by the
ones who sang the song of the looms, the weavers.
7 8
Barabanki, though only 29kms away from Lucknow, has not let the
city alter the rural essence of it. In fact, over the years, it has developed
a feel of its own, that can probably not be defined in words. But if
one has to describe the place in a word, then ‘versatile’ would be the
closest to its true essence. Versatility is something that one can find
in all the aspects of Barabanki, be it religion or the occupations that
the denizens have taken up. In fact, the opinions and beliefs of the
people of Barabanki vary to a great extent.
The early history of the Barabanki district is perhaps more obscure

than that of any other place in Uttar Pradesh, mostly because less
has been done for its elucidation, partly owing to the frequent change
in the ownership of the land. Many rulers of different religions and
backgrounds have ruled this district and one can still see the influence
of each one of them on some aspect of the town or the other.
9 Barabanki B a r a b a n k i 10
In the War of Independence against the British from
the year 1922 to 1934 during the Khilafat movement
the district participated whole heartedly in the
growing movement against foreign fabrics. Hence,
one can say that the community of bunkars have
undoubtedly been the dominant one in many villages
that fall under the boundaries of this district.
Barabanki, the town though is a mere market to

what the weavers make. Most of the sellers live in
the town itself and get in contact with the weavers
through traders and middlemen. The real hustle
happens in the small houses of the villages that
surround Barabanki. Zaidpur, Rampur and Baragaon
Zaidpur Rampur Baragaon

are three of such villages.
11 B a r a b a n k i 12
Zaidpur
It would be unfair to call Zaidpur a village, considering its size and

population. It is, as the residents call it, a ‘kasba’. Zaidpur covers
approximately 3km2 of non-mountainous terrain. It is 27km away
from the main town of Barabanki. The Zaidpur Nagar Panchayat has
a population of 34,443, of which 17,747 are males while 16,696 are
females. Muslims form 81.89% of the total population. The remaining
population is overwhelmingly Hindu.
13 B a r a b a n k i B a r a b a n k i 14
The story of how Zaidpur came into existence is very fascinating.
The history of Zaidpur simply says that it was a Musalman military In order to thank Allah for showing him the right way, he started praying next to the Lake. Listening to his prayers, the
colony founded in 1070 AD by Abdullah Zar-baqsh, an immigrant people who lived nearby got collected around him. They were furious, for the only God they worshipped was nature.
from Qom, Persia and was named after Zar-Baksh’s only son, Zaid. “If Allah does exist, then he shall bless our people with gold”, said the residents of that land to Abdullah. Abdullah
But the real charm lies in the way the locals recite it. According prayed and prayed, and one day, Allah answered all his prayers with Gold. Since that day, Abdullah started preaching
to them Zaidpur was once inhabited by people who worshipped in that land and the people gave him the name “Zarbaqsh” which means ‘the one who gives gold’. When Sulaiman, the
the nature. Far away from this village, in a distant land Abdullah, nephew of Dawood Ghazi, who lived in the neighbouring village of Satrikh heard about him, he married his daughter Bibi
a prophet, met Allah in his dream. The God asked him to travel Kaneez Bano away with him and their only son Zaid, was the person after whom the place was named Zaidpur. With his
and spread his word and the religion of Islam. Abdullah, being an daughter, sulaiman, sent two families of each occupation, like those of weavers, barbers, washer-men etc. And that’s
obedient follower of the God, travelled for days and came to stop how Abdullah and his wife established the village.
by a lake. He knew that he had reached his destination.
Zaidpur has several ‘Madarsa’, a couple of primary schools and one
secondary school. The people who wish to provide their children with
higher education, usually send them to either Barabanki or Lucknow.
But such people are only a few, due to their poor financial condition.
Enterprises in Zaidpur include a postal service, bank, school, an LPG

gas agency, cinema halls, medical services and textile manufacturing.
Bunkars of Zaidpur reside together in localities. These localities are scattered all over the place. It is not very difficult to
find a locality of Bunkars in Zaidpur. In fact the houses are so similar that one can easily get lost in these lanes.
17 B a r a b a n k i 18
The three major landmarks in Zaidpur are the chota imambaada, the
badi kothi and the lake of Zaidpur. Badi kothi is an old abandoned
house which is very peculiar because of its red brick structure. The If you stroll through the roads of Zaidpur, you would come across a few eating joints, selling kebabs and
chota Imambaada of Zaidpur, also known as Sarkar-e-husaini, is korma, small barber shops, tiny grocery shops and of course, the periodic sound of the looms never leaves
very popular in not just Zaidpur but also in the villages around, due your side. Zaidpur is very dynamic in its ways. The people of this place have accepted all the shortcomings,
to its historical importance. It was founded in 1906 AD by Late and have created a universe of their own. Unaware of what is happening in the world out of Zaidpur, these
Ta’eed Husain to commemorate the Martyrdom of Karbala. folks have nothing in their minds to compare what they have with, and so they live blissfully.
Rampur, in contrast to Zaidpur, is calm and restful. One
can hardly find locals strolling around in the streets.
It is a small village with a population of 11,303. Males
constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. It is
located 23km towards North from District head quarters
Barabanki, 40km from State capital Lucknow.
The majority of population in Rampur is indulged in the

craft of weaving. The unique thing about the Bunkar
houses of this village is that each member of the family
has a role to play in the entire process, from warping
to ornamentation. Each house has a member who can Rampur, though lost in the crowd of the various villages, contributes fairly in Barabanki’s share of woven products.
either hand paint or knows the fine art of sticking stones
to the gamchas and the stolls.
Baragaon is a quaint little village, around 40 kms east
of the state capital – Lucknow, close to the popular
pilgrimage shrines of Deva Sarif and Basa Sharif.
In Baragaon, there are only a few families of bunkars.

The unusual thing about some of these families is the
fact that other than gamchas, they weave Saris. The
weaving of saris is not a craft that belongs to this cluster,
but the people of Baragaon believe that weaving saris
is more profitable than weaving Gamchas. Thus, these
weavers do not work throughout the year, but only when
they get special orders for saris. Barabanki, with all these diversities, work in unison and is one of the most important craft clusters of weaving in
India.
Folk And Folklores
लोक और लोकगीत ‫ﻟوک اور ﻟوک ﮔراؤﻧڈ‬
This is the story of Zahiruddin and Razi, one

who weaved and the other who traded the
woven. Zahiruddin lived in Zaidpur in a small
house and baked and sold bread, other
than weaving fabrics. Razi was a resident of
Rampur and was one of the most prosperous
traders of the village. Both of them followed
Islam, and had a colossal amount of faith in
the existence of ‘Allah’.
25 26
The people of Barabanki cannot be defined en masse,
for each one have a different and rather unique way of
looking at life. Individuality is something that they have
incorporated in their personalities, through the means of
experience. Their views on different aspects of life, like
education or the condition of the females, weather good
or bad, vary to a great extent. population. The quality of adapting well that their ancestors had acquired due to the frequent changes, is still one
of the most striking features of the people of Barabanki. This reflects in their work as well. Every time the market
The history of Barabanki, has been very turbulent. Many and the demands have changed, the weavers of Barabanki have adapted themselves and their working manners
rulers and dynasties have ruled this land of bunkars, and to these changes. The weavers, who once only wove Gamcchas, can now weave stoles, handkerchiefs, scarves
each one of them succeeded in leaving a mark on the and also saris. These people can easily surprise an outsider with the virtues that they have acquired over time.
27 Fo l k A n d Fo l k l o r e s Fo l k A n d Fo l k l o r e s 28
However, the most pleasing attributes of these people
remain their simplicity and humility. Even with all the troubles
that life brings their way, they have learnt to live and to lead
a contented life. They have issues and they are clearly aware
of each one of them, but the charkhi of their lives goes on.
Largest religious group that resides in Barabanki is of Hindus

(76.84 per cent), followed by Muslims (22.61 per cent).
The men usually wear cotton ‘lungis’ , and ‘Kurta-pajyama’ on special occasions. The women wear
Most of the Muslims reside in the Bunkar dominated areas.
‘salwar-kurta’. Sari is not a very popular attire in Barabanki. The major reason behind the kind of clothes
Among many languages spoken in the district Awadhi, a
they wear is the climate which is hot for most part of the year. Skull caps and burkas are very common
vernacular in the Hindi continuum, is the most common
amongst the Muslim population.
language, followed by Hindi and Urdu.
The majority of the population is non-vegetarian. One would come across many small dhabas selling The residents of Barabanki have a very strong inclination towards keeping pets. Every other house in the
kebabs and kormas while venturing through the streets of Barabanki. The place also holds the essence of villages of this district has either a pair of rabbits to take care of, or local birds, especially parakeets and
Uttar Pradesh and serves you with delicacies like samosa, kachori and jalebi. mynas. Some of the households also pet goats, but that is specifically for religious purposes.
The literacy rate of the Population of Barabanki is not very high ( 47.39% ). The people living in the main town have
more opportunities to choose from, than the people living in the villages around. Each village and kasba has around
1 to 5 primary schools, and hardly any scope for higher education. There are around 50 colleges in the entire district,
The district's economy is primarily based on agriculture. Agriculture, bio-gas plants, animal husbandry and other most of which are situated in Barabanki, the town. Some citizens of the villages around have started sending their
such small-scale industries provide direct and indirect employment to the people of the district. Cottage industries children to schools far away, in order to educate them well. Also many government aided schools now send buses and
provide the second largest number of employments, weaving being the most common among them. The products other vehicles like vans to pick the children up from villages far away. Only a few households believe in educating the
are scarves, shawls and stoles, which have a good export market. female members of the family. It is a rural area and is still undergoing the process of development. Though, at a slow
pace, the folks of Barabanki are changing with the changing times.
GAMCHHA
गाम्छा ‫ﮔﯾﻣﭼﮭﺎ‬
Zahiruddin and Razi, both believed that their work
brought them closer to Allah. They weaved threads
together to make what they called a “gamcha”, just
the way God weaves lives together to make stories.
While the art of weaving ran through Zahir’s blood,
Razi had the rules of trading at the tips of his fingers.
35 36
The meaning of this word though has changed over time. For a person living in Barabanki, Gamccha, does not only
Traditionally, Gamccha is a thin and coarse piece of cloth and mean a sweat towel. The stoles and scarves that they make vary only in length and pattern. The weave is same as
is a local term for a sweat towel, often worn on one side of the that of a traditional ‘Gamccha’. People still misunderstand ‘Gamccha’ for the red and white, thin cotton cloth that it
shoulder by men. With time villagers have started wearing it used to be. In terms of style, it has come a long way.
as Dhoti widely. It is weaved in cotton and worn especially in
summers as it absorbs sweat, is porous enough to let the air Earlier ‘gamccha’ used to be made primarily in red colour as, according to the weavers, red was the easiest colour to
pass through, easily washable and very affordable. It remains make. It is not the case anymore; hence it is available in numerous colours.Gamccha is the bread and butter of many
intact in the long run as well. Gamccha is also worn as a knee weaving oriented villages in Uttar Pradesh. This simple weave cloth was traditionally worn by men only, but with time
long loin drape at times by menial labourers and farm workers. women have also started using it, though in different styles than men.
37 G a m c h h a G a m c h h a 38
Over the years, Gamccha has become popular not only in Uttar Pradesh, but also in other states and With the changing demands of the consumers, these craftsmen have started experimenting with materials
even abroad due its constant use in the Indian cinema. It gives one just the right feel of Uttar Pradesh. other than cotton and newer techniques to increase their sales and keep their product in demand.
Movies like gangs of Wasseypur have turned Gamchhas into a style statement. In 90s bollywood cinema
one can see gamccha being used a lot by Amitabh Bachhan. He usually ties it around his head in order Because of the traditional Urban-Rural differences in India, rural area is the chief consumer of coarse cloth
to transform the complete essence of his character. Other movies like Sarkar, Bade Miya Chote Miya, which is woven using a handloom. Whereas the Urban area is a major market for machine processed
Bunti aur Babli etc have also extensively used gamccha to develop a character’s essence. cloth. For the same the cloth count varies as following -
Coarse - average cloth count between 17s’ and 25s’
Gamcchas speak a lot about the geographical and economical aspects of Uttar Pradesh. It emerged in Lower medium - average cloth count between 26s’ 34s’
this state, because it is thin and porous and is perfect for the climate of U.P.. Also, it is not very expensive Higher medium - average cloth count between 34s’ and 47s’
and is affordable for an average resident of this state. Superfine - average cloth count between above 47s’
The versatility of Gamccha has even increased its demand in the foreign markets, especially in Saudi on three sides and red woven motifs on the fourth side. Although cotton yarn is the most common material for making/
Arabia and Dubai. The keffiyeh or kufiya which is a traditional Middle Eastern headdress fashioned from weaving gamosas, there are special occasion ones made from Pat silk.
a square scarf and is usually made of cotton. It is very similar to a gamccha. Earlier these scarves were
largely imported from China, but now India, is also amongst the list of importers. Gamccha is readily available all around the villages of Barabanki and some other districts. Every house has at least
one power loom or handloom. Weaving is so prominent here that these villages are now more commonly known as
A ‘Gamccha’ should not to be confused with Gamosa or Gamucha which is similar to gamccha but Bunkar Gaon.
made in specific color and design. It is an article of great significance for the people of Assam and its
usage is more pious than that of a gamccha. It is generally in a white rectangular form with a red border
PROCESS
They had no concept of time
anymore. The needles of their
clocks moved along the 6 faces of
the charkhi. Each day started with
the dying of threads, and ended
somewhere in the local bazaars of
Barabanki.
43 44
Dyeing & Drying Assembling
At the break of Dawn Bracing Up
Making Of Naari Weaving

Later In the Morning The Crucial
Taana (Warping) Finishing

The Morning Workout Packing Up
Weaving, no matter how simple the weave is, is an elaborate process and demands
patience. The yarns go through six major steps to finally come out as a fine piece of fabric.
Each of these six steps requires the same amount of patience and presence of mind.
Let us define a day of a weaver’s life through these six steps.
45 P r o c e s s 46
D y e i ng & D ry i ng
At the break of Dawn
In the making of a gamcha, the weavers always use pre-dyed yarns. A 240 meter cotton yarn is first made The dye is available in a powdered form. The desired colour is made by mixing these
into a hank. A hank is called ‘fully’ in the local tongue. This yarn, which can be of different thread count, is colours in the right amount and adding water to it.
then bleached.
The dyeing process is nt taken up in this cluster; dyers operate from their household.
47 P r o c e s s 48
The amount of water used depends upon the intensity of
colour which is needed.The weavers are usually provided with
a shade card popularly known as the ‘neelam shade card’ in
the area, for reference and precision. It is more or less like a
pantone shade card, but is manufactured locally by a company,
‘Neelam’.The fully is now dipped in the colour solution multiple
times to get the desired shade. Each time after the hank is dipped in dye; it is pulled out
and wrapped around dadiya, which is nothing but a pair
The same colour with more intensity is sometimes prepared of thick metallic rods. One of the rods remains static under
and kept in a separate container, just in case they need a the dyer’s feet and the other one is rotated to squeeze out
darker shade. the water.
49 P r o c e s s P r o c e s s 50
The loop is immersed and squeezed several times till the desired effect is achieved. In certain instances
like for the colour black, the dye is kept inside a furnace to maintain very high temperature, in order to give
out the best result.
Mostly these loops are kept in sun to dry off, but sometimes a hydraulic machine is also used to dry them
off faster. This hydraulic machine is basically a cylindrical arrangement in which the wet fully is placed and The dried fullies are then sent for getting the reels made.
is made to rotate at a very high speed. The use of this machine is not very common as it requires electricity.
2.
Making Of Nari
Later In the Morning
The colored fullis are now placed around a charkhi which is a six cornered rotatable structure and is attached to
another part called the ‘rata’. When the ‘rata’ is rotated manually, the charkhi rotates along with it and the yarn from
the ‘fully’ keeps getting rolled on to the reel. This reel is called the ‘nari’ and is useful in both warping and wefting.
55 P r o c e s s 56
Taana(Warping)
The Morning Workout
Taana is the process in which the weft yarns are placed in the required order. About 80-100 naris are all fitted to a vertical
frame and yarns are manually pulled out of each of them and are attached to an octagonal wheel.
57 P r o c e s s 58
The wheel is then rotated and the warp yarns keep getting
wrapped around it to form a big hank. If any of the yarns
breaks during the process, the person handling it has to
rejoin it. It is quite a tedious process but mesmerizing to
look at. It takes a long time to complete and about 25 Naris are used to form 1 yard of fine looped yarn.
Assembling
Bracing Up
This new formed big loop of thread is then transferred to a big heavy rod which is a detachable part of the loom
and provides with the warp yarns. The craftsmen have to very carefully take off the yarn loop from the big octagonal
wheel and put it around this rod. The rod is then fitted back to the loom for the process of weaving to begin.
61 P r o c e s s 62
Weaving
The Crucial
For the weaving of gamchas in Barabanki, pit looms are still in use. As the name suggests,
this is a type of loom which is fit in a pit where the artisan weaves through the use of pedals.
The technical name of these pedals is ‘treadles’ but the locals at Barabanki call it ‘paudi’.
63 64
Once the big roll with the warp threads is attached to the loom, the
next step is to pull each thread out, pass it through the heddle and
attach it to the cloth roller. A heddle is a frame to hold the heald wires
and is more commonly known as ‘ranch’ in the local language. Heald
wire is a wire with a hole or eye in its centre through which a warp
yarn is threaded. In some cases heald wires made out of cotton or
synthetic yarn are also used.
After properly positioning the warp yarns in the loom, an appropriate

amount of tension is maintained for making the process easier and
the resultant fabric close to perfect.
65 Process Process 66
The next step is to prepare the loom for wefting. Wefting is done by using a shuttle which is a detachable part of the
loom. In the common language there, it is called a ‘dhota’. The bobbin or the ‘nari’ is fitted inside the ‘dhota’ which
provides the weft yarn. The open end of this yarn roll is pulled out of the ‘dhota’, by sucking it out. Now the ‘dhota’
is fitted back to the loom. The loom is now ready to start wefting.
A handle that hangs from above, controls the periodic motion of the ‘dhota’. When the weaver pulls the handle in
two opposite direction, this movement throws the shuttle into a periodic motion. Every time the shuttle moves from
one end of the loom to the other, the weaver pedals the ‘paudi’ in order to separate the warp yarns into two layers
Finishing
for the insertion of a weft. The function of the ‘paudi’ is basically to raise & lower the heddles (ranch). Now the weaver
pushes the weft thread that has been inserted across the warp threads up to the fell of the fabric (fell of the cloth is
the position of the last weft in cloth woven on the loom). The beating up of the weft to the fell of cloth is carried out
by the beater. It is a combination made up of metallic wires set vertically in a frame. The weaver holds the beater and
gives it a to and fro motion for beating the last weft to the fell of the cloth. Packing Up
After completion of weaving the woven fabric is rolled around the fabric roller. It takes around 7-8 hrs of labour to
carry out this elaborate process. After the weaving is done, the fabric is cut off and sent for finishing. First the big reel of cloth is sent for ironing. The
fabric is made to pass through two thick rotating heavy rods which are fixed above a furnace. The creaseless cloth is
pulled out from the other side of the machine.
67 Process 68
PA S H M I NA / S A R I
Razi would frequently travel to the city for work. He

knew the market well. He had understood that they
would have to keep changing the work according
to the demands of the consumers. He would ask
his weavers to weave whatever would bring profit
to him and to his workers. Zahiruddin was a keen
After ironing, the fabric is cut into the required dimensions and sent for packaging where a final weaver, who had the curiosity to learn. He and
visual inspection of the cut and hemmed cloth is done. Some of the stoles are also made to go other weavers like him now weaved stoles, scarves,
through chemical treatment in order to make them shine. In the last finishing step they are hand Afghani mufflers and also Sarees at times, on
folded sent for sales. special orders.
And that’s where a weaver’s hardwork comes to a hault after a day of grinding. The next
morning though the charkha of his/her life begins the same cycle right from the beginning.
69 Process 70
PA S H M I NA
पश्मीना ‫ﭘﺷﯾﻣﯾﻧﺎ‬
The name ‘pashmina’ has been derived from the famous pashmina
shawls of Kashmir. For the Bunkars of Barabanki, any fabric that’s
soft enough is a Pashmina. The stole that these weavers make by
gamccha weaving is kept of the same size as that of a true pashmina
and the tassels that hang along the edges of these stoles are also
inspired by the same.
A pashmina is made with viscose yarn. Viscose is a semi-synthetic

fibre and is often used as a synonym of rayon. It is usually made in a
single colour and minimal patterns. The ornamentation process takes
place once the weaving is done. The dimensions of these stoles are
different from that of a gamccha (28in x 80in).
71 Pashmina / Sari 72
The ornamentation of these stoles is done by various traditional methods like block printing, hand
painting, tie and dye, using studs and beads and patch work. Mostly, acrylic paint is used for
the process. A few houses in Zaidpur specifically do the work of ornamentation in collaboration
with the neighbouring weavers. Tassels are also attached to some of the Pashminas. The locals
SARI
call these tassels ‘murri’. साड़ी ‫ﺳﺎڑی‬
To add a shiny texture to these pashmina stoles, a chemical called Wacker is sprayed all over
the surface. It softens the fabric as well. Some of these Pashminas are also exported to many Gamchha sari is another extension of the same weave. In Uttar Pradesh, Mubarakpur is where the maximum pro-
countries in Europe. These are made in very unconventional colours, like pastel pink and lavender. duction of saris takes place. A small start-up have taken up the initiative of providing a few ambitious weavers with
70% of the households have moved on to making Pashminas as it is undoubtedly more profitable work that can produce products which are more marketable, i.e. the sari. This has been done in Baragaon, and
than the production of Gamchha. the start-up is thus called ‘baragaon weaves’.
73 Pashmina / Sari Pashmina / Sari 74

SALES AND MARKETING
Zahir and Razi were religiously dedicated to

what they did. Though God had blessed them
with all the virtues, they were mere humans and
were unaware of what was coming their way.
The tradition of fabric making, which had always
been tax-free, was not anymore. The rulers who
ruled the land of Barabanki had imposed tax on
weaving. This change brought with it a tornado of
uncertainties and complications.
The sarees that are weaved in Baragaon, are often mistaken to be gamccha saris. Only a very small percentage of
their annual range of products is occupied by gamccha saris. The patters are very similar to that of a gamccha.
A sari could be 4 .5m to 8m in length and 60m to 1.20m in breadth. Making of a sari takes a very long time and is
a tedious process. Another reason for the same is that the design of a sari is much more complicated than that of a
gamccha or a stole. It is also more versatile and thus a weaver has to deal with a new design each time. The colour
of the yarn changes after every few inches. Sari, though not a craft of this cluster, seems to have a bright future in
Barabanki.
75 Pashmina / Sari 76
Marketing and sales management is a detachable
aspect of anything that involves buying and selling of
goods or sevices. The sales of ‘gamchas’ was going
down because of its decreasing popularity with time.
The variations which were incorporated in the product
range increased the sales to a great extent. This is the
indicator of the fact that the traders of Barabanki have
the basic knowledge of sales and marketing. They
know how to react to the demands of the consumers, in
order to maintain their position in the market. This was
the case until GST came into existence. The weavers
are still learning to tackle with this obstacle.
77 S a l e s A n d M a r ke t i n g 78
The price range of the products that are produced in Barabanki, is pretty wide and depends upon the intricacy of the
product. It is as follows:
The market the weavers of Barabanki cater to is vast and far-flung. While certain gamcchas are sold in the local bazaars,
• Gamccha - 50 Rs. - 200 Rs. some of the pashminas and saris make it to the European market. Several exporters act as a gateway for the weavers to
• Pashmina -100 Rs. - 300 Rs. (the simple ones with basic craftsmanship) explore opportunities.
• Pashmina - 300 Rs. - 500 Rs. (the finer qualities with intricate craftsmanship)
• Saree – 1000-2500 (basic pattern) One of the major markets we in Barabanki is the Satti Bazar. It is a weekly market and is also popularly known as the
• Saree – 2000-4500 (intricate pattern) ‘jumma bazaar’ (Friday market). The market has every flavour of the Indian culture, from textile to spices. It is very dynamic,
in terms of the arrangements of shops, and distribution of space. One can get heavy discounts on these commodities
The price range speaks a lot about the hierarchy of these products in the market. since most of the sellers are wholesalers. This market is flooded by the citizens of Barabanki, tourists, and also weavers
from neighbouring villages, who come there to buy ration and raw materials for weaving.
79 S a l e s A n d M a r ke t i n g S a l e s A n d M a r ke t i n g 80
OUTCOME
Both had to make a decision now.
They had two choices in front of
them ; to look for a new occupation
or to have patience and continue
the tradition that their families had
protected for years.
Other local markets include the bazaars of lucknow and Masauli market. On an average 10-15 gamcchas can be sold by a
seller in one day at a local market. The products of the Barabanki weavers have also found a market base in other states like
Maharashtra, Assam and Bihar.
There is no denial to the fact that the weavers, traders and the sellers of Barabanki have taken various measures in order to
maintain the age-old fame of the ‘gamccha’. But these people dealing with other aspects like packaging is still a far-fetched
dream. The introduction of GST (Goods and Services Tax) and demonetisation made a heavy impact on the market of these
‘Gamcchas’, be it local or international.
81 S a l e s A n d M a r ke t i n g 82
And that day, two people, completely
unaware of each other’s existence
chose to follow the same path, the
difficult one. And since then, not
once has the melody of the looms
stopped. It still echoes in the lanes of
Barabanki.
83 84
OUTCOME
पिरणाम ‫ﻧﺗﯾﺟہ‬
The whole experience has definitely given us a fresh perspective towards what our Indian craftsmen go
through in their day to day lives. Hard work, perseverance and skill, all these virtues evolve gradually, with
time. To learn effectively it is important to tailor your study habits to your own needs and approach, this often
means choosing techniques that work for you and evaluating them from time to time. The weavers knew
this quite well.
These people are humble and have a lot of gratitude for what they have. Even though they have not always
got the best returns of their hard work, they keep up the legacy of their family. They are proud of their
ancestors and thus the work too. This opportunity of getting to know this craft has left us with plenty of new
insights.
But some questions still remain unanswered. What would it take to rebuild the pride and honor that was
once associated with this craft and to bring an end to the austerity that may one day lead to its culmination?
For now, hope is the only answer.
Zardozi
We hope to safeguard our ancestral crafts and take them forth.
The unexplored Craft

The term Zardozi is derived from two Persian words, “Zar” and “dozi” (Zar-Gold, Dozi-Work). Zardozi embroidery is a type
of metal embroidery, which was once used to embellish the attire of Kings and royals in Persia and later introduced to
India. It was also used to adorn walls of the royal tents, scabbards, wall hangings and the paraphernalia of regal elephants
and horses. Zardozi embroidery work involves making elaborate designs, using gold and silver threads along with studded
pearls and precious stones.
85 86
The tools that are used include curved hooks, needles, salmaa
pieces, sitaaras, round-sequins, glass beads, plastic beads,
dabkaa (thread) and kasab (thread).
First, the craftsmen take a tracing sheet on which they get the
pattern printed or drawn by hand. They then put small pin holes
all over the design.
After they have tied the cloth nice and stiff, along the edges of
the frame they place this tracing sheet on the cloth, take a spare
piece of cloth dipped in kerosene and press it all over the sheet.
87 Zardozi Zardozi 88
They then take a white powder and spread it across the tracing sheet, thus imprinting the pattern on the cloth. They carefully
remove the sheet and repeat the process.
The embroidery is carried out using a specific needle. The hook on the tip helps the craftsman, pass the needle from both above
and below the fabric. Zardozi was formally a craft with use of pure silver and gold metal wires but as the demands and prices
started to fluctuate, craftsmen started using other inexpensive yarns as well.
The motifs drawn with zardozi are usually floral or geometric. This kind of ornamentation is done over different kinds of apparels
like Saris, Salwar-kameez, Stoles, etc and still is considered the best for occasional wears in India.
89 Zardozi 90
SWOT - ANALYSIS
स्वोट अनािलिसस‫ﺗﺟزﯾہ‬ ‫ﺳوﻓٹ‬
F uture P rospects
भिवष्य की संभावनाएं ‫ﻣﺳﺗﻘﺑل ﮐﮯ اﻣﮑﺎﻧﺎت‬
If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

- Milton Berle
Gamccha being affordable and skin friendly has a bright future ahead, if marketed smartly. There is
not only a domestic but also an international demand for this cloth. Just like pashmina, gamccha
sari, gamccha kurta, etc, there are many products which can use gamccha weave as their base.
Better understanding of the factors affecting our initiative has put us in a better position for action.
This understanding helped us:
• Identify the issues/problems which could be worked on to bring change.
• Reaffirm goals the weavers can set up.
• Create a portal for the weavers to reach out to bigger markets.
Swot Analysis
91 Future Prospects 92
STRENGTHS
• The weavers are good at using the resources they have to make the most out of it.
• They are closely related and thus have a good networking system amongst them.
• The cloth is made of mainly cotton yarn which is extremely comfortable during summers.
• It is grown in abundance in India.
• There is also a huge demand of cotton products in India and also the neighboring countries that experience
somewhat the same weather conditions.
• The easy availability of raw material increases its affordability.
• It is highly durable.
• It is worn by both men and women.
• By using viscose as the raw material the apparels can also be used during the winters.
• Education is given importance.
• They are very welcoming towards new design opportunities for their weave.
OPPORTUNITIES
• There is a big market through social media and other websites.

• Because of the huge amount of available labour, it can be a hub for big textile companies to put a setup and
thus bring employment to the village.
• The film industry is a potential market.
WEAKNESSES
• There has been some recent changes which have inturn opened up new doors for this craft in the direction of
unconventional use of the gamccha weave (sari, men’s wear and pashminas).
• The cloth does not look as rich as other cloths like silk thus is held back from many markets even though the
hard work and effort put in to the making is tremendous.
• Barabanki people experience good sales but do not have good marketing skills.
• The packing of apparels from Barabanki is very basic and does not aesthetically appeal the customer to go THREATS
forth and buy the product.
• It is rather coarse because of which some designs reject this material. • There is a lot of competition as every house is making these products in that area.
• There is a lot of risk in this business as there is no guarantee of good sales. • The middle men who control the process can’t be fought back as they might trouble them furthermore.
• If the weave goes wrong at any point the entire hard work go waste. • They do not have enough capital to start up new business if this does not give them the needed result.
• There is a constant struggle to get the aid given by government, as most of it is taken up by the middlemen. • The risks these people face also include daily life struggles.
• There is a lack of systematic approach amongst the whole village. • Because of not understanding how GST works, the big traders have been fooling the weavers (as taxes have
• There are a lot of middle men during the whole process. not changed, just compiled) into lowering the prices of their craftsmanship.
• The people who can’t afford power looms may someday lose all their customers due to the time-taking
process.
• The weavers who have power loom are also at loss sometimes because of poor power supply.
Following these footsteps, the Baragaon weaves has taken the initiative of saving this craft from dying out.
95 Future Prospects Future Prospects 96

Baragaon Weaves
Baragaon weaves is a brand started by Mr. Jamal Kidwai. It is a social initiative to provide the bunkars of Barabanki with
better working conditions and wages. Jamal and his team had a great vision for the future. They saw and understood
how the products these weavers made had a high scope of success in the cities.
The story in their words -
“ Inspired by the village of Baragaon and the life of the weavers, we began with the aim of assisting weavers in distress. Our
mandate is to work with all weavers in India who are struggling under the onslaught of mechanization and exploitative middlemen,
providing them capacity building, design development and marketing assistance. We started off in Baragaon – a quaint little village
in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh, around 40 kms east of the state capital – Lucknow, close to the popular pilgrimage
shrines of Deva Sarif and Basa Sharif. We have also set out working with the Pashmina weavers in Kashmir, and soon plan to
reach out to the Tussar weavers in Bihar. Our ambition is to provide just and dignified wages, make handloom weaving fashionable
and exclusive all the while expanding the market for handloom products. Our inspiration is the complex craft of handloom weaving
and the skill of our weavers. Our challenge is to make a niche and stop the exploitation of weavers in the current scenario of
mechanization. “
99 B a r a g a o n We a v e s 100
Their product range includes -
Women’s wear - Pashmina | Sari | Stole | Dupatta
It is true that there is nothing more permanent than change but a change requires persistence, handwork,
Mens’s wear - Shirt | Kurta
time and patience. It took the team almost two and a half years to launch their first sari design. The team
had to put in a lot of efforts to collect, refine and then convince the weavers, make them believe in their
The Indian crafts need more patrons of art like the Baragaon weaves to help them flourish.There is a pool of
vision and also in the fact that they are there to stay.
opportunities to explore; one only has to make the effort of learning how to swim.
The organization till now deals with cotton as the only raw material for their products. They have introduced
a variety of new products which have a wide market in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
101 B a r a g a o n We a v e s B a r a g a o n We a v e s 102
N I F T I N I T I AT I V E
The craft cluster initiative of the National Institute of Fashion
Technology, focuses on highlighting the importance of
Indian handloom and handicrafts for higher value realization.
Through this manoeuvre NIFT wants its students to become
more and more perceptive towards the handicraft of India.
The Institution believes that this initiative helps the students
to strengthen the existing craft clusters and promote the
newer ones. It gives the artisans a sense of freedom and self-
sufficiency, which is what they need more than anything else.
103 B a r a g a o n We a v e s 104
BIBLOGRAPHY G L O S S A RY A
ग्रन्थसूची ‫ﺑﺎﺋﺑل‬ शब्दकोष ‫ﭼﻣﮏ‬ addaa - the vertical supporting pieces of a wooden framework
B
bazar - market
BOOKS
bunkar - weavers
Crill, Rosemary. (2006). Textiles From India- The Global Trade by Rosemary Crill. Calcutta: Seagull Books
C
Lynton, Linda. (1995). The Sari. London: Thames And Hudson
ONLINE ARCHIVE charkhi - a spinning wheel
https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Gamcha chinchi - an eye shaped bobbin used in handloom (a cylinder or cone holding thread, yarn, or wire, used
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Gamchha especially in weaving and machine sewing)
http://baragaonweaves.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weaving D
https://books.google.co.in/books dadiya - 2 wooden sticks used for dyeing of yarns.
http://www.census2011.co.in/data/town/801099-zaidpur-uttar-pradesh.html
dakaa - a thread
TALKING HEADS
dhaba - small eateries that offer affordable Indian food.
Zeheruddin Ji - Guided us throughout Zaidpur
Muhammd Ali - Zardozi craftsman in Zaidpur dhota - the shuttle of a loom
Muhammad Sufian - Owner of workshop in Zaidpur
Muhammad Ali - Part of Nagarsabha from Zaidpur dupatta - a piece of cloth worn by women
Shabeena - Eldest sisters from the house of 7 sisters who gave us an insight about
cultural boundaries on girls in their village also were immaculate in hand painting on pashmina. F
Shabuddin - Shop owner is state bazar, Barbanki fulli - a hank of yarn
Sites which provide gamccha products

J
jumma- Friday
https://www.amazon.in K
https://www.indiamart.com kasab - a thread
https://www.tjori.com
http://baragaonweaves.com
105 106
kasba - a small town
M
mothersa - muslim education hub
murri - tassels
N
nagarpanchayat - village council
nari - the reels of processed yarn
neelam - shade card
P
paudi - pedal on the loom
R
raata - A wooden frame attached to charkhi to make nari
ranch - the comb to comb the threads
S
salma - gold wire
sitaras - metal stars/ beads
T
taana - warp and weft
W
wacker - a chemical sprayed for softening and shining
107

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THE CLOCK FACE OF A BUNKAR

Copy right © National Institute of Fashion Technology,

The early history of the Barabanki district is perhaps more obscure

Barabanki, the town though is a mere market to

Zaidpur Rampur Baragaon

It would be unfair to call Zaidpur a village, considering its size and

Enterprises in Zaidpur include a postal service, bank, school, an LPG

The majority of population in Rampur is indulged in the

In Baragaon, there are only a few families of bunkars.

This is the story of Zahiruddin and Razi, one

Largest religious group that resides in Barabanki is of Hindus

Making Of Naari Weaving

Taana (Warping) Finishing

After properly positioning the warp yarns in the loom, an appropriate

Razi would frequently travel to the city for work. He

A pashmina is made with viscose yarn. Viscose is a semi-synthetic

73 Pashmina / Sari Pashmina / Sari 74

Zahir and Razi were religiously dedicated to

The unexplored Craft

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

• There is a big market through social media and other websites.

95 Future Prospects Future Prospects 96

ONLINE ARCHIVE charkhi - a spinning wheel

Sites which provide gamccha products

nari - the reels of processed yarn

neelam - shade card

ranch - the comb to comb the threads

sitaras - metal stars/ beads

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