01- A 15 year old boy operating the power loom in Khari Bazaar, Varanasi. Most of the young boys work on power looms and do not study, earning around $ 40 a month. 02- The role of women in the weaving process is time consuming yet unrewarding. 16 year old Afsana Bano from Lohta, Varanasi earns around $ 22 a month, sitting for hours doing embroidery on the dress material. 03- 9 month old Mohammed Yakub is suffering from severe malnutrition and is the youngest of the10 children of Sultana Bibi. Her husband no longer works as a weaver and they are finding it difficult to feed a large family. 04- 40 old Rahmat Ali alias Kallu died of TB (Tuberculosis) on June 23, 2010 with the regret that he could not get a BPL (Below Poverty Line) Ration Card he had been trying for past three years. His wife, Asgari Bano and an 8 year old son too are infected with TB. His two sons, 8 and 10 yrs old, have been working as child labourers since they are the ones left to take care of the family. 05- 26 year old Bilal Ahmed from Lohta, Varanasi is weaving on the handloom. They have six looms and three of the looms are now dead due to less demand of work. His 3 brothers have now joined the power loom factory.
The tradition of weaving silk sarees ( Varanasi brocade) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India is slowly losing its legacy and facing a serious decline due to the introduction of cheap import of silk yarns and fabrics. Ironically, globalization has been a bane for the ancient Indian craft.
There are approximately 500,000 weavers in Varanasi. Most of them are now living on the brink of survival, facing poverty, malnutrition, chronic ailments and trying to struggle for a new livelihood option. Suicide and Child Labour are some of the alternatives to solve their problem. To further add to their misery, some of the sarees produced on power looms are now sold as fake ‘handloom product’.
The intricate gold and sliver thread woven sarees that have been a prized possession of every Indian bride are slowly dying, and with them the heritage and dignity of the weavers. This project is the visual documentation of the present day lives of Varanasi weavers that demands serious attention.