“Weaving a handloom saree is an art in itself. It has been an age-old profession for more than 200 years. But because sustaining on traditional handloom weaving has become increasingly challenging nowadays, many youngsters are moving away from it. My sons are not interested in taking this profession for a living. Even though they learnt the craft, they are willing to start some business on their own in the future. Can I blame them?

The wages for the weavers differ based on the complexity of the work. Our Pochampally weavers usually get paid anywhere from 9,000 to 15,000 a month. Some also get paid based on the fabric they weave or per meter.

Also, the entire process of making a Pochampally saree is quite time-consuming, and both men and women in our families are involved in the process of a handloom saree. There are different steps in handloom weaving right from processing the raw threads, designing, dyeing, and weaving. We make about 7-8 sarees in a month each.

The silk we use for the Pochampally saree is sourced from Karnataka and the cotton from Telangana as well as Maharashtra. These days, due to the power loom machines, there is stiff competition. The material which is used for power looms doesn’t suit us. Those sarees have more shine, but not the sheen of a handwoven Pochampally saree and are therefore cheaper. However, we ensure the best quality in our sarees. There are many challenges but we are still trying to continue with our craft to preserve our Telangana’s handloom heritage.

There’s no marketing due to the ongoing pandemic situation but that’s okay. I want to continue in this occupation as long as I have energy and strength. We are just hoping for more orders from our dealers this festive season so that we could come out of the severe losses incurred due to the covid pandemic.”