Mat weaving a profitable rural house enterprise in Trichy District.

Mat weaving in SEVAI Project by women SHGs in Amoor

India is traditionally a country of artistic crafts and handicrafts.For a long period of time these craft works in India were found to be concentrated in specific geographical locations based upon a system of occupational specialisation which in small segments of community created a special art folk. Mat weavers, specialised in weaving of varieties of mats constitute a section of such Indian art folk. Weaving of mats has developed itself as an important cottage industry in Trichy district, offering employment to rural masses, particularly the women in villages. The industry thus helps them to earn subsistence income. Information collected from field survey reveals that mat industry in the district of Trichy typically represents the nature of a household industry. Production by the units is run in a household environment with the activeparticipation of household members. As such, the units in general are tiny in size. In terms of number of looms possessed, it is seen that nearly 86 per cent of the sample units are having one loom, while 14 per cent of the units operate with double looms. In terms of the number of artisans employed and annual value of output also, the mat weaving units by and large are smaller in size. Weaving operations of the units are carried on within the dwelling premises of the weavers. For all the sample units studied, work place is found to be attached to the dwelling place of the artisans. In fact, poor resource capacity and engagement of family workers, particularly the women in productive activities do not require a separate work place. In terms of duration of work, sample units have been classified into seasonal and perennial units. Production process of mat manufacturing is traditional and involves a number of labour intensive activities. The whole process of production consists of three distinct phases: (i) pre-loom weaving, (ii) loom weaving, and (iii)post-loom weaving. Pre-loom weaving phase consists of preparation of basic raw-material i.e., cultivation of mat sticks, the processes of sizing and dyeing them according to requirement. The manufacturing of finished mats through setting the sticks by threads on loom forms the part of loom-weaving. Throughout the whole process of mat manufacturing it is the most important and time consuming part. Technology as well as tools and equipments used in mat weaving are age old and highly labour intensive. Besides, the tools are fabricated locally and are usually purchased from local markets. Many of the units inherit these from their ancestors. From the stand point of nature of involvement, mat weaving units are classified into three important categories of organisation like : (i) simple,(ii) semi-composite, and (iii) composite. Lack of adequate resources to cultivate basic raw material of their own or procuring those in bulk at early stage, restrict the operations of simple units to loom weaving and finishing. Units of semi-composite organisation on the other hand, collect unfinished raw material, duly season and size them in required form before use. But the entire processes of production right from stick cultivation to post weaving finishing are completed by the composite units.-Govin