Weavers of Sircilla busy with Bathukamma sarees

This time, the Bathukamma sarees are being manufactured in 25 colours and 20 attractive designs as against the 10 colours and 17 designs that they were offered in last year.

Hyderabad: Weavers in Rajanna Sircilla are a busy lot these days, working long hours and well past midnight so that they can deliver the Handlooms department’s order of one crore Bathukamma sarees by October this year.

This time, the Bathukamma sarees are being manufactured in 25 colours and 20 attractive designs as against the 10 colours and 17 designs that they were offered in last year.

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Considering last year’s experiences, particularly due delays caused by the rains, the department placed the orders quite early this year. The department plans to commence distribution of the sarees from the first week of October as Bathukamma, the floral festival, begins from October 14.

Every day, about one lakh sarees are being manufactured to meet the deadline. These sarees were being manufactured in Sircilla by over 20,000 powerloom weavers. A buffer stock of three lakh sarees would be maintained to ensure there was no short supply, a senior Handloom official said.

The department has placed orders with the weavers for one crore sarees for the annual distribution during Bathukamma festival. The total order cost is Rs.339 crore, he said.

Of the one crore sarees, nearly 90 percent are manufactured in Sircilla while the balance are made in Karimnagar. Soon after the sarees are made at Sircilla, they are transported to Hyderabad for sorting and packing after adding finishing touches.

Apart from weavers, ancillary workers, including labourers, hamalis, auto-drivers and even traders get benefited through the Bathukamma sarees orders placed by the government, the official said.

Meanwhile, impressed with the work and quality last year, the Andhra Pradesh government has made enquiries to place orders for bedsheets, blankets and carpets with the Telangana Handlooms department.

Last year, orders worth Rs.15 crore were placed for one lakh bedsheets, one lakh blankets and 75,000 carpets. Senior officials have made a few enquiries and most likely, the orders would be placed soon, a senior official said, adding that these orders would be offered to weavers in Karimnagar, Warangal, Siddipet and neighbouring areas. They would be strictly handwoven and not made using powerlooms, the official added.

Year wise details of Bathukamma sarees distribution
* 2017: 95,48,439 sarees
* 2018: 96,70,474 sarees

* 2019: 96,57,813 sarees
* 2020: 96,24,384 sarees

* 2021: 96,38,000 sarees
* 2022: 96,42,000 sarees