Chapter 2.2 Indian Weavers Solutions

Time of the day

Words/ phrases

Weaver’s work

Early morning

break of day

Weavers weave robes for the newborn child

Late in the evening

fall of night

Weavers weave a wedding veil for a queen

Night

Moonlight chill

Weavers weave a shroud for a dead man’s funeral

Question (iii)
The poem reveals three phases of life. Fill in the blanks with feelings and colours appropriate to the phase of life.
Answer:

Question (iv)
Complete the sentence:
The weavers weave in the chill moonlight ………………...
Answer:
The weavers weave in the chill moonlight a cloth as white as a feather, as a cloud, a shroud, for a dead man’s funeral.

Question (v)
Pick out two words used to describe the weavers in the last stanza. Also state their importance.
Answer:
‘Solemn’ and ‘still’ are the two words used in the last stanza to describe the weavers. The words describe the occasion for which the craftsmen are working. A shroud is being woven for a funeral. The workers’ mood is also serious and unsmiling because of the occasion.

Question (vi)
Express your views about the present conditions of weavers.
Answer:
Weaving has existed for thousands of years in India. It was second only to agriculture. The weaves and fabrics from various regions were known around the world. From the Bengal muslin, to Kashmiri, Banarasi and Kancheevaram silks the cloth from India was renowned for the quality and fineness, the designs and richness.

Industrialization then brought problems for them. Power-looms are faster and manufacture large quantities in short time, Fashion-houses buy fabric from the weavers, put their labels and sell off the cloth at a very high price compared to the price paid to the craftsmen.

The craftsmen remain unknown, their craft under-valued and their life is in poverty. Ancient skills are lost and some take loans to somehow struggle. When debts are too much they commit suicide. Master weavers send away sons to cities to take up jobs.

They do not want the sons to struggle. Parents will not give girls in marriage to weavers. They lack facilities like lighting and water supply. Though the government has given subsidies for weavers most of it is lost to bribes and the weavers receive negligible sums.

Question (vii)
Describe in your own words the steps or measures that can be taken to solve the problems of the weavers.
Answer:
Weavers are unorganized. Buyers offer very low prices and if one weaver refuses, they go to another weaver. So the prices are at lowest. The government allocates crores for Handloom Promotion Council, but the weavers get nothing. Weavers’ organization can help the situation.

The weavers are forced to sell their creations to designers at low rates. No one helps to update weavers of the latest fashions trends. Also their creations are not commercially advertised. Handloom industry is eco-friendly in every way. It should be promoted by the Government, designers and supported by the public.

Subsidies for buying yarns and dyes should be given to the craftsmen. Clean water and proper lighting facilities are needed for the craftsmen. Some designers and activists for the weaver communities have begun working for the upliftment of the community and marketing the product.

The buyer can buy directly from the weavers and cut out corrupt middlemen. Exhibitions for selling wares to the public will bring the craftsmen and buyer closer. We can hope that soon the craftsmen of handloom will regain the lost glory which they deserve.

Question (viii)
Express your own views and opinions from the weavers point of view and complete the following table:
Answer:

(A3)

Question (i)
Pick out the rhyming words from the poem.
Answer:
1st stanza: day – gaywild – child
2nd stanza: night – bright; green – queen
3rd stanza: still – chill; cloud – shroud

Question (ii)
Give antonyms and synonyms of the following and make sentences –
Answer:

Question (iii)
Make a word register for clothes/attire/ dress:
Answer:
garments, togs, outfit, wardrobe, raiment, apparel, get-up, gear.

(A4)

Question (i)
Complete the following table:
Answer:

Question (ii)
The rhyme scheme in the first stanza is ‘aabb’. Find rhyme schemes in the second and third stanzas:
Answer:
The rhyme scheme in the second stanza is – aabb.
The rhyme scheme for the third stanza is – aabb.

(A5)

Question (i)
The poet has asked a question at the beginning of every stanza. Explain the effect it creates on the reader.
Answer:
Each stanza of the poem begins with a question to the weaver. The first is at dawn as the poet asks why they are working so early. The second question asks why they make the bright coloured garment at dusk. The third stanza begins asking them why they are working so late, in the cold darkness.

In the question the reader knows about the time of day, the colour of the cloth. The reply gives information about the purpose of the new cloth and why that colour is chosen. The poem is like a conversation between the poet and craftsmen. It conveys the metaphor using time of day and stage of life, the colour and cloth suited for that stage. The mood of the weavers matches the time and purpose of their work. The poem thus flows easily.

Question (ii)
Write an appreciation of the poem with the help of following points:

Answer:
The poet Sarojini Naidu’s poem ‘Indian Weavers’ tells about the work of India’s famous handloom craftsmen. The three stanzas mark the three stages of life itself. The weavers reply to questions about why they are weaving that particular piece of cloth, of a certain colour at that time of day.

The theme is cycle of life. The weavers use colours associated with birth, marriage and death through weaving cloths for a newborn, a queen- bride and a dead man. Three stanzas of four line each in the form of questions & answers. The conversational tone gives a flow like life, one stage moving into the next.

The poem is a metaphor for the cycle of life: new life-dawn, marriage-dusk, and death-night. Simile compares the woven garments to objects in colours apt for that stage of life. The sound of ‘w’ occurs a total of 20 times, at least once in all lines except one. This alliteration gives a musical quality.

The poem is dedicated to the talented weavers and the fabrics of India which were world famous. It shows the hard work of craftsmen and how we use their products in every occasion of our life. This poem is a beautiful way of the poet to salute the weavers of India. I find that the weavers are not only skillful but also talented. They combine colours and create patterns that are eye-catching. They know which colours are apt for occasions. The poet brings out their talent as well their hard-working nature.

Question (iii)
Compose four lines on ‘Importance of clothes’.
Answer:
The attire indicates the man he is
His coat brings him confidence and protects too
The colour indicates her mood and occasion The weaver makes the christening, wedding and celebration.

Question (iv)
Write an appeal to use handloom products in our daily life.
Answer:
An Appeal

THREADS -The Handloom Research And Development Society, Maharashtra is proud to present to you the wonderful creations of THREADS for the first-time.
The weaves come directly from the craftsmen to you, the customer.
The range of products includes Pure silk Silk-cotton Cotton Linen Jute
Come and see, appreciate the skills and support the craftsmen who practice our ancient art.
There are wedding saris and Punjabi suits in pure silk, casual wear in all the materials, bed linen, towels, door mats, carpets, hand towels, handkerchiefs, scarves to suit every budget.
Come support our artisans and appreciate the fine quality of our finest Indian weaves!!
Come. Support us. You will Love our Indian fabrics. We need your support.

Contact: Incharge Mrs. Das.
99123 xxxx Email: MrsDas@xxx.

Question (v)
Visit a handloom factory near your locality and write a report of it.
Answer:
Weavers Of Dreams
– by Team A, SYJC -Com. 25/02/2020. The SYJC students of the S.K.Nayak Junior College went on an educational tour to Moinbad village to take a tour of the handloom factory there.

The students viewed many of the processes involved in the weaving of a saree. The students were taken on a guided tour by a local who is a family member of one of the weaver – households of the village. In the first stage the bundles of white yarn were strung on iron frames. The frames held by two men were dipped into hot iron vats of boiling dye.

The yarn is dipped several times, thoroughly drenched for the colour to coat the yarn evenly. After several minutes the men transfer each bundle on to short thick wooden rods. They twist the sticks to wring the bundle dry. A third man takes the hot bundle on another stick and lays the bundles to dry.

The next stage the students saw was coloured yarn stretched on frames several metres long. This was outside in the open. The guide told us it was for a sari. It was a blue yarn in the middle with purple yarn on both sides lengthwise, for borders. Each yarn is stretched, the number of threads for each colour counted.

There were long buildings which are the workshops. Here are frames, looms and the weavers seated before each loom. Each weaver was working on a saree. The guide told us that one saree averagely takes four to seven days. If the design is complicated and in different colours it takes longer.

The finished products are folded and packaged for the market. The tour ended with the students speaking to the weavers at the looms and craftsmen dyeing the yarns. The craftsmen spoke to the visitors giving interesting details about the popular colour combinations. They told us about auspicious colours for special occasions. The artisans also spoke about a different place where traditional nine-yard long are woven. Those are mostly for weddings. The students took photographs of the various processes and the artisans happily posed for them.

Question (vi)
A handicraft exhibition is being organized in your college. You are given the task to compere the inaugural function. Write the script for compering.
Answer:
1. Introduction: A very Good evening and warm welcome to all. This is for a very special kind of occasion we have gathered here this morning. We want to bring the spotlight on that section of our nation’s citizenry who are carrying thousands of years of our heritage on their shoulders! No in their skilful fingers!! Yes our very talented craftsmen. We have our craftsmen with their various talents to showcase their beautiful creations.

We have the weavers of the rich Paithani silks, the Warli painters, the makers of the famous Kolhapur Leather – Footwear, the intricate Bidri brassware, the Dhurrie Weavers, Banjara Embroidery…. all these from Maharashtra. We have men and women with magic in their hands from other states too. Craftsmen have come from distant Meghalaya and Nagaland, from neighbouring Gujarat. We have the makers of the amazing Kashmiri embroidery to the wooden toymakers from Andhra. And so any more.

2. Welcome speech: Our Respected Principal, Sri. Harsh Nayak, our beloved teachers, staff and all my friends join me in welcoming the Honourable Chief Guest, the textile Minister, Shrimati Mandakini Gadge, to this exciting and colourful programme. A very warm welcome to you Madam! It is a great pleasure and an honour to have you here. And a warm welcome to all the parents and all guests.

3. Inaugural Ceremony – Lighting of the Lamp: I request our Chief Guest Shrimati Mandakini Gadge and our Principal to kindly come to the dais. We request you to light the ceremonial lamp, in the traditional Indian way, to declare the exhibition open.

4. Prayer song: And now kindly take your seats for a short programme before we go around viewing the exhibition. Music is such a positive influence. So starting on a note of gratitude we have the prayer song by the stars of our music-club, Nandini, Sonia, Bhaskar, Jay and Kavita. Manjeet is accompanying them on the violin.

5. Welcome Programme: Thank you for that lovely song to begin the programme my friends. Now for a unique performance! We have a Fashion-show!! It is unique because the students of our college and our participating craftsmen-guests worked together for the last few days. This is a first! A big round of applause for our models on the catwalk!

6. Concluding Remarks: Thank you for your encouragement! Wasn’t that wonderful? You may have noticed for yourself, but let me clarify. The stylish saris, salwar suits, elegant kurtas, those shawls, the stunning neck-pieces, the baskets on the ladies’ arms, the wooden screens in the backdrop, the lampshades on the stage, the carpet on the catwalk… and all the decor you can see on the stage are all creations of the masters who are displaying their creations in the exhibition! You now have an idea of what is in store for dressing stylishly, or doing up your home elegantly. That was only starters! The main course is still waiting for you. And there is dessert as well…!!

1. I now request our Chief Guest Shrimati Gadge to address the audience.
2. Thank you, for those words of praise and appreciation of the craftsmen Madam. They richly deserve them.
3. This is the first time a college is hosting such an exhibition. We welcome you all to go around and view the stunning collection of handicraft products. There are master workers who will show you how some of their handicraft is created. They will happily demonstrate their ancient skills. You can watch how the lovely designs we wear are made at the loom.

There are demos to show the yarn being dyed and informative presentations showing the stages in the process. The beadwork artists can help guests to select stones and make them into elegant neck-pieces. There are stalls selling numerous stunning products. Apparel, Decor pieces for your homes, gifts for the festival season.

I invite our Honourable Chief Guest to formally declare the exhibition open and take a leisurely round of the displays.
4. Thank you all for making this festival of crafts a resounding success.

(A6)

Question 3. Find out information about the Mahavastra of Maharashtra – Paithani