Bhavani jamakkalam revival: Can reinvention secure the future of the GI-tagged craft?
The traditional Bhavani jamakkalam weaving craft is undergoing a revival through modern design experiments and international exposure. Younger generations and designers are working to preserve the GI-tagged textile by adapting it for contemporary fashion.
Why it matters
Illustrates the intersection of traditional craftsmanship preservation and modern market adaptation for sustainable economic growth.
A skink shoots past M Susheela, disappearing behind a clump of logs behind her. Seated on the mud floor, she continues to weave, chuckling at my panic. “Relax, it’s harmless,” she assures me, sliding the palm-sized shuttle through a sheet of cotton threads at the pit loom. “I’ve seen worse.” The threads — a combination of black and olive green — will take the shape of a jamakkalam that is part of an export order for her employer, Thillaiyappa Textiles.
The report is a factual, observational piece on cultural heritage and industry trends.
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