Lockdowns leave Bargarh weavers without jobs, money

SAMBALPUR: With markets across the country shut owing to the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the weavers of Bargarh district are finding it difficult to sell their products.
Ashis Meher of Jandol village in Bheden block of Bargarh district, who is doing his PhD on weavers from Tamil Nadu’s Central University, said they have fallen on hard times. “Markets are shut everywhere.As a result, the sale of Sambalpuri saris, dress materials and bedsheets woven by the weavers in Odisha has been badly affected,” said Meher, who himself comes from a family of weavers in Bargarh district. He added that while some weavers in Bargarh district work for cooperative societies, others work under a master weaver and still others work independently. The hand-woven saris, dress materials and other items made by these weavers are sold at the outlets of cooperative societies across the country. The master weavers engage others to weave saris while they do the marketing of the material in the open market. Those who work independently themselves market their hand-woven saris, dress materials and other items.
But the marketing of these products has been hit as the markets are shut. More than 12,000 families of Bargarh district depend on weaving to earn their livelihood.
“Many weavers depend on the open market for the sale of their products. But they have been unable to sell the saris and dress materials owing to the lockdown now,” said Anand Meher, whose family also depends on weaving.