Organisation takes up project of making 25,000 Assamese gamochas

HT Correspondent

JORHAT, Aug 20: In a bid to give a socio-economic boost to Titabar sub division and its adjacent areas and in keeping up with the concept of a self-reliant India, the Janmabhoomi Karmabhoomi organisation based at Titabar has taken up an ambitious project of making 25,000 traditional Assamese gamochas.
The president of the organisation Hemanta Kalita, who was a former MLA of Titabar, said that the organisation had met chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during his visit to Jorhat on Thursday and the chief minister had assured them of all help and also of buying the handwoven gamochas.
Kalita who contested the Titabar seat on a BJP ticket against Congress’s Bhaskar Jyoti Baruah, lost by a slender margin. In 1996 he won the seat on an AGP ticket.
Addressing a press meet here on Friday, Kalita said that the initiative was on the lines of freedom fighter and nationalist Ambikagiri Raichoudhury’s – Amar Kaam, Amar Bazar concept, which meant that farmers would be able to sell what they produced in the market.
Kalita said that Janmabhoomi Karmabhoomi also worked with the motto of ‘My Village, My Work’.
Regarding the production of 25,000 traditional Assamese gamochas in the next few months, Kalita said that immediately 5,000 would be produced in collaboration with the Pub Titabar Samabai Samiti.
“Machine made gamochas which come from outside the state do not have proper length and are usually mixed with other thread,” he said.
“The handwoven traditional gamochas are qualitatively superior and we will not allow fake imitations to take over what is traditionally ours,” he added.
He added that Janmabhoomi Karmabhoomi had earlier feted craftsmen who had worked with bamboo and would always encourage weavers and craftsmen who worked with indigenous items and showcased the culture and traditions of Assam.