In the late nineteenth century, competition from British made textiles led Indian weavers to invent new types of garments.[2] In Bhavani, a community of weavers called Jangamars weaved a type of blanket using colored coarse threads called Jamakkalam.[4] The popularity of the product led to the production of jamakkalams by other weavers replacing the production of traditional sarees and other cloths.[4]
Types
Two types of jamakkalams are produced in Bhavani.[5] The first type is made from coarser cotton threads capable of producing carpets with colored bands.[5] As the thread was coarser, designs could not be weaved on to this type of carpet.[5] Hence, a second softer variety of jamakkalams were introduced that were made of artificial silk threads enabling weavers to weave different kinds of border designs.[5] Jamakkalams are also used to make fashion products such as backpacks.[6]
Community
Traditionally, jamakkalams were weaved by independent weavers in their houses.[7] Later it moved into a system where jamakkalam is weaved by weavers on hand-looms supervised by master weavers.[8] The master weavers lease hand-looms and contract weavers. The hand-looms are owned by trade merchants who procure raw materials such as thread from neighboring cities of Coimbatore, Salem and Karur.[9] About 1500 workers are involved in the production of jamakkalams with women forming two-thirds of the work force.[10]
Weaving loom
A pit loom is used to weave jamakkalams.[10] The looms are made of wood with the threads stretched horizontally from end to end.[10] The weaver sits in a pit dug in the ground, on level with the weaving surface.[10] The weaver operates two pedals with his legs while enabling the hands to move the shuttle across to produce the weaving pattern.[10]
Exports
The jamakkalams manufactured in Bhavani are exported to various countries such as Sweden, Germany, Italy, U.K., U.S. and Singapore.[11] In 1993, Swedish major IKEA started procuring jamakkalams from Bhavani to be sold across its stores.[11]
Competition
Since the 2000s, the hand weaved jamakkalams from Bhavani have faced competition from power-loom products.[12] The Government of Tamil Nadu offers subsidy to weavers and has enacted laws to outlaw the use of power-looms.[12] The government also sells the blankets through government run Co-optex stores. Competition from blankets produced in Solapur, Maharashtra and cheap imports from neighbors China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has resulted in drop in demand for Bhavani jamakkalams.[12]
