Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi who popularised the charkha as part of the Swadeshi movement, Arunachal Pradesh Governor's wife Neelam Mishra has launched a drive to revive the state's traditional "loin loom" after learning the weaving technique herself.
Mishra has given a new direction to loin loom weaving after realising that the traditional skill is on the wane and the unique dresses of the state could be lost, if the skill was not revived.
Made of bamboo and wood, the loin loom is also referred to as back strap.
It is a weaving technique, which has a back strap with a continuous horizontal wrap and produces narrow strips of cloth with not more than 18 inches of finished width. Different strips are stitched together to achieve a bigger width.
Mishra not only sported her self-woven traditional dress during an exclusive interview to PTI, she has also helped to make two documentaries to popularise loin loom weaving across the state.
After arriving in the state capital town of Itanagar in October, 2017, she learnt from young girls and women that though their grandmothers and mothers had been weavers, the modern generation purchased traditional attire from the market for not having learnt the weaving skill from their ancestors.
"Their forefathers might have made lot of efforts to develop traditional weaving methods. This traditional heritage is now easy to learn with dyes readily available for which every Arunachalee woman should have a loin loom.
"This will not only empower them but also improve the local economy," she said.
Mishra, wife of incumbent Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra, said that she has succeeded in developing natural dyes from Sindura plant "by tapping nature's treasure trove for which Arunachal Pradesh is known".
To a question, she said, while reading a biography of Mahatma Gandhi she learnt that the Britishers had banned khadi products and wanted the charkha to disappear.
"But Gandhiji had boycotted British products and was committed to wear self-woven dhoti made of khadi. He toiled hard to get a charkha and yarn," she said.
Gandhiji spun a 42-inch dhoti for himself with a charkha provided by a woman, she said.
Motivated by the idea, Mishra started looking for a loin loom and assisted by Mublang, the wife of the governor's ADC, she started to learn weaving in March 2018.
After learning the skill, she made a documentary, 'Bunai Ki Rangin Duniya - Loin Loom Weaving', showcasing the glamorous, exclusive designs and patterns of the traditional Arunachalee weaving. The film is screened across the state by NGOs to promote loin loom weaving.
She was also instrumental in developing another documentary film on the same subject for Itanagar Doordarshan Kendra.
Mishra lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for signing on a picture of loin loom weaving during his visit here. The photograph would be displayed across the state to capture the attention of the people.
Mishra said she advocated branding of traditional attires of various tribes, like the Mishmi, to boost the value of the products and enable the weavers to get remunerative prices.
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