Their sense of pride was heart-rendering says designer Jai Ramrakhiani. Despite poverty and death knocking at their doorsteps, these weavers would earn their meals rather than take charity even for their malnourished children. Even God has been unable to provide a helping hand. More than 50 suicides in the last couple of years and closure of hundreds of the local hand loom units have taken a toll on the once famous weavers of the Mughal Era. On account of the recent boom in the cloth manufacturing industry owing to the power looms coming into picture, sarees have become cheaper and faster to produce, greatly contributing to the downfall of this local industry that employs nearly half-a-million artisans.
But now, the entering of the Taj Group in the local scenario have seen to stabilize the much dreaded situation. Initially a handful of non-government organizations have been trying to save these people from their deaths but starvation, malnutrition,selling of blood and babies for food have greatly diminished the hopes of these weavers for long. The efforts of R K Krishna, the Vice Chairman of Indian Hotels, Tata company which runs the Taj Group of Hotels and his wife Ratna, aided by a 550 women strong elite batch from the front desks of the Taj Group who started buying these elegant sarees made by the weavers led the sales and marketing team to quickly grab onto this fresh opportunity.
But the start wasn't as easy as it looks. Hurt by the empty promises of the "middlemen" especially in the past, the weavers were a little skeptical about working with the Taj Group. Even then initial talks were very apprehensive. To win over their confidence, the Taj Group opened up medical camps in three villages to deal with the ailing people, installed water pumps, brought in solar lamps to an otherwise electricity hampered area. As the mutual understanding grew, work started rapidly. Payments were made on the spot unlike earlier times. The Taj Group pays them Rs 1800 per saree and assures them of work for atleast two sarees a month. Seeking such assurance, more and more weavers are enrolling and this seems to be a positive step in betterment of their lives.
The Taj Group has shown the way for a better India and its up to the other corporate houses to take the initiative and take steps for a more culturally and socially developed country.
But now, the entering of the Taj Group in the local scenario have seen to stabilize the much dreaded situation. Initially a handful of non-government organizations have been trying to save these people from their deaths but starvation, malnutrition,selling of blood and babies for food have greatly diminished the hopes of these weavers for long. The efforts of R K Krishna, the Vice Chairman of Indian Hotels, Tata company which runs the Taj Group of Hotels and his wife Ratna, aided by a 550 women strong elite batch from the front desks of the Taj Group who started buying these elegant sarees made by the weavers led the sales and marketing team to quickly grab onto this fresh opportunity.
But the start wasn't as easy as it looks. Hurt by the empty promises of the "middlemen" especially in the past, the weavers were a little skeptical about working with the Taj Group. Even then initial talks were very apprehensive. To win over their confidence, the Taj Group opened up medical camps in three villages to deal with the ailing people, installed water pumps, brought in solar lamps to an otherwise electricity hampered area. As the mutual understanding grew, work started rapidly. Payments were made on the spot unlike earlier times. The Taj Group pays them Rs 1800 per saree and assures them of work for atleast two sarees a month. Seeking such assurance, more and more weavers are enrolling and this seems to be a positive step in betterment of their lives.
The Taj Group has shown the way for a better India and its up to the other corporate houses to take the initiative and take steps for a more culturally and socially developed country.
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