Maha Kumbh Mela started on Monday, coinciding with Paush Purnima Snan (bath), and millions of people have already taken holy dip in the Triveni Sangam.
Meanwhile, around 200 weavers of Bhagalpur, known as the Silk City of Bihar, are racing against time to meet the deadline of contracts. A senior functionary of the Bhagalpur Weavers’ Association said the local weavers had received contract orders worth Rs 5 crore.
Kaushal Kumar, a Bhagalpur-based garments dealer, said he has received contract orders for bandis (vests), and shirts made of linen. “The bandis and shirts, all in saffron colour, are being prepared at the ‘karkhana’ (stitching shop),” he said.
Champanagar, a hub of weavers, is now abuzz with activities with the demand for various items keeping on growing in view of the Maha Kumbh Mela.
“The demand may further go up in the days to come. Orders for saffron-coloured towels, sarees, shirts and bandis have been received in bulk. We are working overtime to meet the deadline,” said Mohammad Tariq, a weaver of Champanagar.
He said that cloth merchants from Prayagraj have set a 15-day deadline for them to supply 15,000 sarees, 10,000 shirts, and 1,000 bandis made of Matka Silk (a special variety of silk).
‘Very, very happy’
“We are more than happy with these orders,” remarked Tariq, who has been in the business for more than 15 years.
Clothes made of Bhagalpuri Silk are in great demand both within the country and beyond. At least 70 weavers are engaged in the production of sarees, lehenga (a form of ankle-length skirt from the Indian subcontinent), quilts, and other clothes for supply to foreign countries like Russia, Nepal, the US, Italy, and Japan.
Talking to this journalist, another weaver from the area said that the saffron-coloured gumchhas are in great demand as this is the favourite of Nagas and saints who come to Prayagraj during the 45-day long Maha Kumbh Mela.
“Gumchhas are in great demand because of their low cost and good quality,” he said, adding that they don’t keep these items in stock as the designs keep changing.
“Our stocks are empty because of the spurt in demand right now,” he revealed.
The prices of towels, sarees, bandis and shirts depend on the quality of the clothes. The weavers, however, said the profit margins have reduced due to a spike in the prices of indigenous yarn.
“Despite this, a large number of families depend on this traditional industry of Bhagalpur for livelihood,” said Sunil Das, a weaver of Bhagalpur.
Situated on the southern bank of the Ganges River and the third largest city of Bihar by population, Bhagalpur is home to around three to 3.5 lakh weavers.
The silk of Bhagalpur is as soft as your heart.
The silk of Bhagalpur is as soft as your heart.