International Women's Day 2018: Women weave their way in male bastion

VARANASI: Sari weaving and traditional gulabi meenakari (pink enamelling) have traditionally been believed to be men's preserves. But women are now increasingly entering these fields in Varanasi.
Meet Sundari Patel, Shakuntala Devi and Rekha Patel of Bhatpurva village in Araziline block of Varanasi who, like many other women from the Patel community, have opted for these occupations.

"Though women have been involved in side work like reeling thread, they have never been at the centrestage to lead weaving on handloom by handling the dharki (shuttle). We can easily do this work, as we have been familiar with it. It is wrong to say that women cannot weave saree independently," said Rekha Patel, echoing the sentiments of many other women like her.

Similarly, a group of girls including Fatma Khatun, Nurafsa Bano, Nisha Khatun and others in Dindaspur village in Jansa area are learning the famed Banarasi kadhua weaving technique. Another other group of girls in Sajoi village is getting training of Kadhua technique from master weavers.

"Kadhua weaving technique is the ancient and original weaving form of Banarasi pattern," said Rajani Kant, an expert of Geographical Indication (GI) and director of Human Welfare Association (HWA) which is instrumental in getting GI tags to many traditional goods of eastern UP.