August 7 is observed as National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement and to celebrate our country’s rich fabrics and colourful weaves. This year, India will mark the seventh National Handloom Day to showcase the legacy of the Indian handloom industry and to honour the weavers across the country. The day is dedicated to raise awareness among the public and to increase the contribution towards the socio-economic development of the weavers. The day was first observed in 2015 by the Government of India.
NATIONAL HANDLOOM DAY : HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE
The handloom sector is one of the major symbols of the Indian cultural heritage. It has been an important source of livelihood, especially for women. They form around 70% of the weavers or allied workers in the sector. National Handloom day is celebrated to honour the handloom community and acknowledge their contribution to India’s socio-economic development. The government of India announced August 7 as National Handloom Day to mark the 100th anniversary of the Swadeshi Movement, which started in 1905.
The first National Handloom Day was organised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai. The main aim of this day is to make people aware of the rich history of Indian handloom as synthetic fabrics have taken over the textile industry in the present era. Hence, the day is observed to celebrate India’s rich fabrics and colourful weaves.
Last year, our PM launched several campaigns to help these weavers after the Coronavirus pandemic started disrupting the economy. Several programmes like the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘vocal for local’ campaign, and ‘Make in India’ were launched to solidify the country’s positioning in the global textile market.
Last year before lockdown, UK organised an exhibition under the aegis “Forgotten Masters: Indian Painting for the East India Company,” to honour and pay tribute to the painters from India.
