The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : It’s difficult to weave a contended life

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Thursday, Jul 31, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

It’s difficult to weave a contended life

— Photo: S.James.

Poor soul: S.R.Ramakrishnan, weaver of Krishnapuram Colony in Madurai, is at work.

They have been through various ups and downs in recent years. They weave their lives amidst setbacks and troubled times. For these weavers, a contended life has become a dream that eludes them even in their sleep. The gap is being widened further with the increasing inflation pushing them to the brink.

“Life has been so miserable that slowly and steadily we are losing the house which is the only property we have,” says 87-year-old S.R. Ramakrishnan of Krishnapuram Colony who weaves cotton and silk saris. He has been meticulously maintaining accounts of household expenses since 1971.

He says that in the seventies he was able to earn Rs.45 per month and lead a contended life besides saving around Rs.20 even after taking care of his brother’s and sister in-law’s families.

“But now, we are not even able to take care of ourselves. Every year, I incur a loss of Rs.19,647,” he says.

Mr. Ramakrishnan’s family now earns Rs.3, 500 through weaving and Rs.500 as rent. But monthly expenditure comes around Rs.7, 956.50, including an electricity bill for Rs.814. He has rented out a portion of the house and lives with his only son’s family.

“Every month, I lead my life with debts and I am slowly selling my house,” he says and adds that he is not able to cut down expenses, especially those related to his grandchildren. He has drastically reduced his and his wife’s expenses such as cutting down on tiffin and coffee.

The family spends Rs.1330 on education and Rs.403 for dress materials. For household expenses, Mr. Ramakrishnan’s family spends Rs.4304.50 on groceries, Rs.755 on miscellaneous expenses and around Rs.200 on medical expenses. For loom repair, he spends Rs.196 that varies from month to month based on the nature of work.

V. Issakimuthu of Sellur, who works in a handloom unit that manufactures towels, earns Rs.78 per day after putting in hard work for ten hours. She leads a hand-to-mouth existence. Her father, Venkatachalam, a watchman, contributes Rs.1000 that goes as house rent. Every day, on an average, the family spends around Rs.60 on food for four people. Issakimuthu’s children’s education is taken care of by the school, of course, with little contribution from parents for notes and examination fees.

“Otherwise it’s very hard to send our children to school. When our stomach is empty, how will they learn?” she asks.

T. Parimalam says that she earns around Rs.50 of which around Rs.15 will be spent on tea expenses, which they cannot forgo.

It is not that weavers alone are struggling. Even the manufactures face the same crisis at different levels. T.K. Kuppusamy of Krishnapuram Colony, who owns 100 handlooms, says that the cost of yarn, threads, dye and chemicals and labour charges are so high that he has reduced his number of looms from 250 to a mere 100. “There is 40 per cent increase in prices of all commodities, from rice to yarn, and online business also has taken its toll,” he says. S. Murugan, general secretary, Madurai District Handloom Workers Union, recalls that there were around 30,000 looms in Sellur providing employment to around 50,000 people. The number has been dwindling and now 2,500 looms provide employment to 3,200 people. In Krishnapuram Colony there are 250 looms in a gloomy state.

“Earlier, weavers would not go for any other job. Now they prefer to work as painters or in teashops for daily wages,” says K.V. Eswaran, Madurai Nice Raga Sangam president. “It is very difficult to find a youth on looms, especially those below 25 years of age,” he adds.

“Even the odd jobs do not last long. Many weavers are selling the looms for just a pittance and prefer to take up any job. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,” says M.K. Muruganandam, treasurer, Madurai District Handloom Workers’ Union.

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