“The face that’s behind the brightest clothes you wear is often a sad one. Dressed in rags as we work our way through the intricate details of your fabric, the only concern on our minds is to make sure we get paid to feed every stomach in our home. I have been a weaver for over 20 years now, and life has always been a struggle. However, things got better when big textile companies started partnering with us and buying from us by eliminating the middlemen.

But that joy didn’t last for long too. With Coronavirus spread, the number of people buying clothes has come to zero, and so did the exports. This means a direct hit on the production orders that we get. A few NGOs like the United Way have come forward to help us with the expenses, and have offered to even pay me for one of the three weaving machine’s electricity costs. While it might not make much of a difference to the family now, it sure is better than not having anything at all.

This has been my family’s profession for several generations now, so giving up on it is unfair, but we have stomachs to feed too. That’s why I got my son to pursue his passion for mechanical engineering, and he now works in a company in Pondicherry. The machines that took over our livelihood as weavers are going to allow my son to earn. Ironic are the ways of life!”

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