National Handloom Day: Priyanka Chopra and Vidya Balan posted pictures donning Indian textiles. (Source: priyankachopra/Instagram, balanvidya/Instagram)
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to promote handmade products on the occasion of , several celebrities also took to social media to spread the message of “vocal for local” products.
On National Handloom Day, we salute all those associated with our vibrant handloom and handicrafts sector. They have made commendable efforts to preserve the indigenous crafts of our nation. Let us all be #Vocal4Handmade and strengthen efforts towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. pic.twitter.com/XD7cs9ES7F
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 7, 2020
Among them were Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who posted a throwback picture in a lemon green jamdani sari. “Indian handlooms are known to be unique and a work of craftsmanship. Let’s lend our support to the weavers and artisans of the textile industry,” she wrote on Twitter.
Indian handlooms are known to be unique and a work of craftsmanship. Let’s lend our support to the weavers and artisans of the textile industry.#NationalHandloomDay#Vocal4Handmade@smritiirani @TexMinIndia @MadhuryaGallery pic.twitter.com/A1bvbVEXKx
— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) August 7, 2020
Kangana Ranaut also took to Instagram to share pictures of herself and sister Rangoli donning Indian textiles. “Let’s promote handloom, handmade, artisanal, and everything our nation should be proud of. When you choose handloom you choose weavers who are struggling for their survival, you choose to be #vocalforlocal, you choose mother earth, and love for every single being on this planet,” her team captioned the pictures.
Read| Revisiting some rare weaves, this National Handloom Day
Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani posted pictures of herself wearing a handloom sari and a handmade face mask on Instagram and wrote, “Handloom can enrich our daily lives and surrounding in many ways; from clothing to furnishing to Masks in Covid times to wall hanging. Bring home handmade in India!”
#NationalHandloomDay | @smritiirani, the Minister for Textiles and Women and Child Development spoke to us about Indian handloom, her favourite weaves and the designers she loves. pic.twitter.com/cb96USE2uV
Posting a picture in a mustard coloured Kanjivaram sari, Vidya Balan captioned her post on Instagram, “On #NationalHandloomDay let us all resolve to support our weavers across the country in these difficult times by buying and wearing their beautiful creations in our everyday life and also help keep #India’sHandloomLegacy alive. Appreciate the labour of love.”
Fashion designer Manish Malhotra shared a quote by Mahatma Gandhi on this occasion to highlight the importance of handloom. “‘I believe that the yarn we spin is capable of mending the broken warp and weft of our life.’-Mahatma Gandhi. For me handloom is truly special .. my brand Manish Malhotra World and me celebrate the 6th national handloom day 2020,” he wrote.
Janhvi Kapoor wrote on Instagram, “Today is National Handloom Day! This is my most favourite and most special handloom saree. The weavers and artisans in our country are truly unmatched in skill and creativity- the best in the world!”
National Handloom Day is observed annually on August 7 to commemorate the Swadeshi movement that started on the same day in 1905. This day aims to raise awareness about the handloom industry and honour the contribution of weavers to socio-economic development.