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Berhampur weavers worried

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

An artisan in Berhampur weaving the intricate border of a silk sari.

BERHAMPUR: The silk weavers of the city are worried by the inflow of fake ‘Berhampur pattu sarees’ into Orissa from outside. They allege that gullible customers who have little knowledge of the design and authenticity of pattu saris of Berhampur are often sold saris woven by powerlooms in different parts of south India.

Customers accept them as Berhampur pattu with pleasure as it comes cheaper than the original. "But these so-called pattus sold as Berhampur pattu are destroying our reputation built over centuries," said A. Pollaya, a senior weaver of the city. According to him the pattu woven in the city is a mark of purity since centuries as they are still used as the attire of Lord Jagannath of Puri.

Former secretary of the Berhampur pattu and Handloom Weavers Welfare Association, S.Brahmam said usually the traders were getting silk saris from powerloom units of Salem in Tamil Nadu to get them sold as Berhampur pattu. A senior weaver, B. Parvateesam, said the real connoisseurs of pattu saris can easily find out quality. The real ’Anchal’ and borders of Berhampur pattu sarees have intricate woven designs that take much time to make. But in the ones made on powerlooms, the similar designs are printed on silk saris. "But people buy pattu sarees only during festive occasions in a family so there are chances that they may get conned at a shop," Parvateesam said.

Mr Brahmam feels the gap between the demand and supply of Berhampur pattu is the reason for this sale of powerloom products from outside the State as handloom pattu of Berhampur. "We are able to produce around 50 per cent of the demand of pattu saris so there is ample scope for unscrupulous traders to fill the demand supply gap with so-called pattu sarees procured from outside the state," he said. He was confident that after start of cluster project for silk weavers by the Textile Ministry , their productivity would increase.

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