THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: MA Subramonian sits on the verandah of his house with an eye on his workplace, as a few weavers work on looms. The ‘kuzhithari’ (traditional weaving machine) is located in a shed opposite his house. Subramonian’s traditional loom is the only one that survived industrialisation in the famous weaving village of Balaramapuram located south of the capital district. Six decades ago, the village boasted of over 2,000 traditional looms.

Ninety-three-year-old Subramonian is fondly called ‘Kannadi Subramoni’ by the dwellers of Chaliya Theruvu at Balaramapuram. “I was the first person to wear spectacles in the village,” says Subramonian with a smile, citing the reason for his nickname. 

Subramonian belongs to the family of handloom pioneers who were brought from Tamil Nadu by the then ruler of erstwhile Travancore. He started weaving when he was 14. Until a few decades ago, he possessed 12 traditional looms which dwindled to two due to lack of work force. “Nobody wore pants or full-sleeve shirts 60 years ago. Sarees and dhotis were prominent and there were more customers for handloom products,” recollects Subramonian. 

The livelihood of weavers was affected by the arrival of power looms. “There were no shuttle looms available when I started weaving. The method was introduced in Balaramapuram by a person who returned from Tamil Nadu after learning to use the equipment. Many followed it eventually,” says Subramonian. 
“The ‘paavu’ (liquid to soak the thread) used in power loom is different from the one used for handloom fabric. Handmade fabrics are more comfortable, they last long and have a cooling effect on the body,” says Subramonian. 

Despite teaching tricks of the trade to all his nine children, only one took it up. Neyanar S chose to follow his father’s footsteps while simultaneously working as a clerk. According to him, poverty prevailed in the industry from the beginning. “We survived on two square meals a day. Every house in the village went through severe poverty during my childhood,” says Neyanar.  Though bogged down by poverty and lack of proper income, Subramonian’s family still preserves the tradition of handloom.