National Handloom Day: Epitome Of Indian Dressing That Started With Weaving

The day August 7, 1905, marks the proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement by Lokmanya Tilak, Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal. The empowerment of the handloom sector started during this time of 1905 whose mere symbol became a source of strength for the Indians. To showcase the hard work and talent of handloom weavers, the Indian government marked August 7 as the National Handloom Day in 2015. The rural-centric handloom sector is one of the largest income-generating sources in India. It also is a women majoritarian sector with 70% workers and allied workers being female. The attraction of handloom has consistently been growing worldwide and is also popular among several Indian designers. “Finely-crafted handloom pieces will always win the creative battle over all things factory-made," said designer Anita Dongre, who prominently works with artisanal communities. Meanwhile, the Textile Ministry is taking measures for the betterment of the community disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.