All You Need To Know About 10th National Handloom Day

The handloom sector of India is a significant part of India’s cultural heritage, boasting a diverse range of handloom products from various states. It plays a vital role in the nation's economy. Some of the leading fabrics that India boasts are Kanchipuram silk from Tamil Nadu, Banarasi silk from Uttar Pradesh, Chanderi fabric from Madhya Pradesh, Muga silk from Assam, and Patola silk from Gujarat.  

History

In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi designated August 7th as National Handloom Day to honour India's handloom-weaving community and to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement, which started on August 7, 1905.

“The Swadeshi Movement which was launched on 7th August 1905 had encouraged Indigenous industries and in particular handloom weavers,” states MyGov.

“We reaffirm our resolve to protect our handloom heritage to empower the handloom weavers and workers financially and instil pride in their exquisite craftsmanship.”

Significance

According to reports, the handloom-weaving community in India addresses directly women’s empowerment with over 70% of weavers and other workers being dominated by females.

The National Handloom Day also highlights how this community has contributed towards the socio-economic development of the country.

Ministry of Textiles states, “National Handloom Day seeks to honour the handloom weavers and provide motivation and sense of pride to the handloom industry, by appreciating their contribution to the cultural, traditional and economic landscape of the country. The celebrations aim to generate awareness about the importance of the handloom sector and its contribution to the socio-economic development of the country.”

What is the Swadeshi Movement?

The Swadeshi Movement was a nationalist movement that began on 7th August 1905. The main objective of this movement was to boycott foreign goods and instead promote India-made products, aiming to advance local artisans and be a self-reliant country.