P. Dhandapani, manager of the Maragathaleswarar Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society at Thiruengoimalai near Tiruchi, has only two bundles of saris to show visitors on a recent Saturday. “We despatched an order of 300 saris only yesterday,” he tells The Hindu, as he opens the steel cupboard at the society office situated at the base of the Maragathamalai hillock, 40 km away from Tiruchi. Equipped with a Wi-Fi-enabled computer workstation and a room full of yarn skeins in sparkling colours, the office looks ready for business. Mr. Dhandapani is one of the many handloom weavers in this part of the district who are literally weaving their own success story through a new age handloom product called the ‘Manamedu’ sari.
Manamedu is a village in Thottiyam taluk with a historical link to weaving. Though the power looms and labour shortage stole its thunder in the 1990s, today artisans in and around Manamedu have come up with a composite genre of lightweight and colourful cotton saris that has revived the fortunes of at least 10 weaving societies in the region. Six groups at Manamedu, two in Kottathur near Perambalur and one each in Thulayantham Pudur near Musiri and Woraiyur in Tiruchi support nearly 1,000 weavers. They have scripted a revival with the support of Co-optex (Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Co-operative Society).
