Weavers of Shantipur

by Jhumpa Mohapatra

A clattering noise fills the air as you walk down the bylanes of Shantipur where every household has at least one loom ('tant' in local parlance). It is no surprise then that the traditional handloom saree of Bengal is named after the place. But all is not well with the weavers of Shantipur. While their sarees fetch a handsome price in India and abroad, the artisans themselves struggle to make ends meet - thanks to exploitation by middlemen.