https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Bhavani_JamakkalamBhavani Jamakkalam - Revision history2026-07-31T23:51:50ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Bhavani_Jamakkalam&diff=491064&oldid=prevBrockVanhoose67 at 03:36, 18 January 20252025-01-18T03:36:58Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Type of blankets and carpets}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2017}}<br />
{{Infobox geographical indication<br />
| name = Bhavani Jamakkalam<br />
| image = Jamakalam.jpg<br />
| image_size = 200px<br />
| caption = Bhavani Jamakkalam<br />
| description = [[Blanket]]s and [[carpet]]s manufactured in [[Bhavani, Tamil Nadu|Bhavani]]<br />
| type = [[Handicraft]]<br />
| area = [[Bhavani, Tamil Nadu|Bhavani]], [[Tamil Nadu]]<br />
| country = India<br />
| registered = 2005–06<br />
| material = [[Cotton]]<br />
| official website = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Bhavani Jamakkalam''' refers to [[blanket]]s and [[carpet]]s manufactured in [[Bhavani, Tamil Nadu|Bhavani]] in [[Erode district]], [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The worlds of Indian industrial labour|author=Parry|author2=Breman|author3=Kapadia|page=380}}</ref><ref name="Jamakkalam">{{cite book|title=The Everyday Politics of Labour|author=de Neve|page=42}}</ref> It has been recognized as a [[Geographical indication]] by the [[Government of India]] in 2005–06.<ref name="GI">{{cite web|url=http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/|title=Geographical indications of India|publisher=Government of India|access-date=28 June 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826183844/http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/|archivedate=26 August 2013}}</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
In the late nineteenth century, competition from [[East India Company|British]] made textiles led Indian weavers to invent new types of garments.<ref name="Jamakkalam"/> In [[Bhavani, Tamil Nadu|Bhavani]], a community of weavers called ''Jangamars'' weaved a type of blanket using colored coarse threads called ''Jamakkalam''.<ref name="Jamakkalam1">{{cite book|title=The Everyday Politics of Labour|author=de Neve|page=43}}</ref> The popularity of the product led to the production of jamakkalams by other weavers replacing the production of traditional sarees and other cloths.<ref name="Jamakkalam1"/><br />
<br />
==Types==<br />
Two types of jamakkalams are produced in Bhavani.<ref name="design">{{cite book|title=The Everyday Politics of Labour|author=de Neve|page=87}}</ref> The first type is made from coarser cotton threads capable of producing carpets with colored bands.<ref name="design"/> As the thread was coarser, designs could not be weaved on to this type of carpet.<ref name="design"/> Hence, a second softer variety of jamakkalams were introduced that were made of artificial silk threads enabling weavers to weave different kinds of border designs.<ref name="design"/> Jamakkalams are also used to make fashion products such as [[backpack]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/events/when-fashion-met-passion/article5909543.ece|title=When passion met fashion|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=13 April 2014}}</ref><br />
<br />
==Community==<br />
Traditionally, jamakkalams were weaved by independent weavers in their houses.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Everyday Politics of Labour|author=de Neve|page=167}}</ref> Later it moved into a system where jamakkalam is weaved by weavers on hand-looms supervised by master weavers.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Everyday Politics of Labour|author=de Neve|page=45}}</ref> The master weavers lease hand-looms and contract weavers. The hand-looms are owned by trade merchants who procure raw materials such as thread from neighboring cities of [[Coimbatore]], [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] and [[Karur]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Everyday Politics of Labour|author=de Neve|page=44}}</ref> About 1500 workers are involved in the production of jamakkalams with women forming two-thirds of the work force.<ref name="loom">{{cite book|title=The Everyday Politics of Labour|author=de Neve|page=86}}</ref><br />
<br />
==Weaving loom==<br />
A ''pit loom'' is used to weave jamakkalams.<ref name="loom"/> The looms are made of wood with the threads stretched horizontally from end to end.<ref name="loom"/> The weaver sits in a pit dug in the ground, on level with the weaving surface.<ref name="loom"/> The weaver operates two pedals with his legs while enabling the hands to move the shuttle across to produce the weaving pattern.<ref name="loom"/><br />
<br />
==Exports==<br />
The jamakkalams manufactured in Bhavani are exported to various countries such as Sweden, Germany, Italy, U.K., U.S. and [[Singapore]].<ref name="exports"/> In 1993, Swedish major [[IKEA]] started procuring jamakkalams from Bhavani to be sold across its stores.<ref name="exports">{{cite book|title=Globalizing India: Perspectives from Below|author=Assayag, Fuller|page=93}}</ref><br />
<br />
==Competition==<br />
Since the 2000s, the hand weaved jamakkalams from Bhavani have faced competition from [[power loom|power-loom]] products.<ref name="competition">{{cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/140101/news-current-affairs/article/no-takers-erode-blankets|title=No takers for Erode blankets|newspaper=[[Deccan Chronicle]]|date=31 March 2013}}</ref> The [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] offers subsidy to weavers and has enacted laws to outlaw the use of power-looms.<ref name="competition"/> The government also sells the blankets through government run [[Co-optex]] stores. Competition from blankets produced in [[Solapur]], [[Maharashtra]] and cheap imports from neighbors China, [[Bangladesh]] and [[Sri Lanka]] has resulted in drop in demand for Bhavani jamakkalams.<ref name="competition"/><br />
<br />
==Geographical Indication==<br />
In 2005, the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] applied for [[Geographical Indication]] for Bhavani jamakkalams.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/GI-tag-TN-trails-Karnataka-with-18-products/articleshow/6458268.cms|title= GI tag: TN trails Karnataka with 18 products|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=29 August 2013}}</ref> The [[Government of India]] recognized it as a [[Geographical indication]] officially since the year 2005–06.<ref name="GI"/><br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
{{Geographical indications in Tamil Nadu}}<br />
{{Kongu Nadu}}<br />
<br />
==Bibliography==<br />
*{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ppbkEJAEVCIC&q=bhavani+jamakkalam|title=The Everyday Politics of Labour: Working Lives in India's Informal Economy|author=Geert de Neve|publisher=Berghahn Books|year=2005|isbn=9788187358183}}<br />
*{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o7-yAAAAIAAJ&q=bhavani+jamakkalam|title=The worlds of Indian industrial labour|author1=Jonathan P. Parry |author2=Jan Breman |author3=Karin Kapadia |publisher=Sage Publications|year=2000|isbn=9780761993957}}<br />
*{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GGJ8CAAAQBAJ&q=bhavani+jamakkalam|title=Globalizing India: Perspectives from Below|author1=Jackie Assayag |author2=Chris Fuller |authorlink2=Chris Fuller (academic)|publisher=Anthem Press|year=2005|isbn=9780857287243}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Indian handicrafts]]<br />
[[Category:Erode district]]<br />
[[Category:Textile industry in Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:Indian rugs and carpets]]<br />
[[Category:Geographical indications in Tamil Nadu]]</div>BrockVanhoose67