A day in West Bengal
At Saaral, we pay attention to and learn more about the process as much as the final product. We recently visited various handloom clusters located in the state of West Bengal, India, and that was validation enough to assure us that we were on the right path. The weavers’ lives were slow and sustainable, just as what we aspire for our brand, and we fell in love all over again.
A day in West Bengal
Weaving
Apart from agriculture, weaving is a huge and essential part of their livelihood and had been passed on to them through generations. The unit of measurement for weaving fabric is called ‘Thaan’. The weavers weave thaan after thaan tirelessly, and with an astounding level of attention to detail.
On an average, a weaver weaves for about 10 hours a day.
The rhythm of the loom forms a harmonious musical backdrop throughout as one walks through the streets of these beautiful villages.
A Weaver's home
A Weaver’s home is a simple structure with a thatched roof and space for weaving. There is a pit on the floor designed to enable them sit down next to the loom and weave for hours in comfort.
In small, rural settings, this kind of a house enables women to weave from the comfort of their homes, earn an income and become a part of the economy.
Food
The food is a healthy and balanced mix of vegetables, fish, roti and rice. On some days, especially the busy days of weaving, there are houses which cook food for the neighbours as well and function beautifully as a community. When we arrived, they were kind enough to offer us some home-cooked meal and we were overjoyed as we relished every bit of it… YUM!
Agriculture
Another major part of their livelihood is agriculture. The main sources of water for cultivation are the tributaries of the river Ganga. As one traverses down the paths along these rivers and fields in the evening, there are beautiful sunsets that can be witnessed.
A number of major food crops are cultivated in West Bengal including rice, maize, pulses, oil seeds, wheat, barley and even tea.
Living a day in a weaving village can let leave you yearning for a slow, simple and fulfilling life!