VIRAASAT Exhibition Celebrates 10th National Handloom Day in New Delhi
The Textile Ministry is hosting a two-week exhibition called ‘VIRAASAT’ at Handloom Haat in Janpath, New Delhi, to celebrate the 10th National Handloom Day. The event, organized by the National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd, features 75 stalls for handloom weavers, workshops, live demonstrations, folk dances, and regional cuisines.
Prime Minister Modi praised the handloom artisans and encouraged sharing photos with the hashtag ‘#MyProductMyPride’. The exhibition aims to boost the market and earnings for the handloom community.
Event Highlights
- 75 stalls for handloom weavers and artisans
- Workshops on natural dyes, Kasturi cotton, design, and exports
- Live loom demonstrations
- Folk dances of India
- Delicious regional cuisines
Prime Minister’s Appreciation
During the 112th episode of Mann ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi appreciated the widespread work of handloom artisans and the popularity of handloom products. He urged people to upload photos with local products on social media using the hashtag ‘#MyProductMyPride’.
National Handloom Day
National Handloom Day is celebrated on August 7th every year, starting from 2015 when it was first held by PM Modi in Chennai. This day honors the handloom weaving community and highlights their contribution to the socio-economic development of India.
Government Initiatives
The Indian handloom sector employs 35 lakh people, second only to agriculture. The government has launched various schemes to brand high-quality handloom products with zero defects and zero environmental impact. The Ministry encourages exhibitors to display their unique products to improve the market and earnings for the handloom community.
Unique Handloom Products
The exhibition features unique products like Banarasi, Jamdani, Baluchari, Madhubani, Kosa, Ikkat, Patola, Tussar Silk, Maheshwari, Moirang Phee, Phulkari, Laheriya, Khandua, and Tangaliya, attracting customers worldwide with exclusive weaves, designs, and traditional motifs.
Doubts Revealed
VIRAASAT -: VIRAASAT is the name of the exhibition celebrating handloom crafts. It means ‘heritage’ in Hindi.
National Handloom Day -: National Handloom Day is a special day in India to celebrate and promote handloom weaving, which is a traditional way of making cloth by hand.
Textile Ministry -: The Textile Ministry is a part of the Indian government that looks after the production and development of textiles, including handlooms.
Handloom Haat -: Handloom Haat is a place in Janpath, New Delhi, where handloom products are displayed and sold.
Janpath -: Janpath is a famous street in New Delhi known for its markets and shops.
National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd -: This is an organization in India that helps handloom weavers by providing support and resources.
stalls -: Stalls are small booths or stands where people can display and sell their products.
workshops -: Workshops are sessions where people can learn new skills or techniques, in this case, related to handloom weaving.
live demonstrations -: Live demonstrations are when people show how something is done in real-time, like weaving cloth on a loom.
folk dances -: Folk dances are traditional dances from different regions of India, often performed during celebrations.
regional cuisines -: Regional cuisines are traditional foods from different parts of India.
Prime Minister Modi -: Prime Minister Modi is the current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
handloom artisans -: Handloom artisans are skilled workers who make cloth by hand using a loom.
hashtag -: A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the ‘#’ symbol, used on social media to categorize posts.
#MyProductMyPride -: This is a hashtag suggested by Prime Minister Modi for people to use when sharing photos of handloom products they are proud of.