Role of E-Market in Marketing of Handloom Products: A Study on Cuttack District of Odisha

Abstract

Handloom Industry provides a large number of employment to the rural and semirural people of India and Odisha. Handloom weavers of Odisha produce various handloom products, which have demands in the national and international market for their quality and design. The Handloom Industry of Odisha is one of the oldest ways to earn bread among the people. It is always remained famous for producing World famous products like “Katki saree”, “Sambalpuri Saree”, various silk sarees, Tassar Saree, Tie-dye, Bomkai Cotton, glossy khanduas, “Gamchas”, furnishing and Handicrafts. The innovative weavers, with their skillful blending of myths, faiths, symbols and imagery, provide the appealing fabric dynamism. So far as designing and techniques are concerned, it varies from double ikat (tie and dye) involving highly intricate designs woven by the Bhulia weavers of undivided Sambalpur, Bolangir, Kalahandi and Phulbani districts (such as Pasapalli, Bichitrapuri, etc.) to single ikat woven in Maniabandha, Nuapatna area of Cuttack district (Khandua designs) to extra warp and weft designs like Bomkai, the silk of Berhampur, the cotton of Khurda district, vegetable-dyed fabrics of Kotpad (Koraput district), fine count sarees of Jagatsinghpur and Tassar fabrics of Gopalpur, Fakirpur in Kendujhar district. Odisha handlooms have a rich tradition. Its ‘Tie & Dye’ patterns are world-famous. Their Tie & Dye patterns are popularly known as ‘IKAT’. The Ikat technique is commonly known as “BANDHA” in Odisha. Handloom weavers of Odisha produce various types of fabrics such as sarees (which constitute the major component), dress materials, scarfs, dhotis, towels, other fabrics of day-today use such as wall hangings, etc. In the technologically driven society, handloom products are trading over the e-marketing/virtual platform like Amazon, Flipkart etc.