Textile industry has played an important role in shaping economies and societies since centuries. One of the significant transformations in this industry is technological transformation to mechanized power loom. This transformation not only revolutionized textile manufacturing, but also had significant impacts on the lives of individuals engaged in this industry.

Solapur, Maharashtra is a hub for production with around 6000 operational power looms and more than 30000 employed workers. Solapur is world famous for its GI tagged products- Solapuri Chaddars and Towels. Through the snapshots of power loom factories and intimate portraits of workers in it, this story is trying to explore life in and around the industry.

Every power loom unit is privately owned by small scale industries and has around 10-40 looms. The industries in Solapur involve the process of importing raw materials, spinning, warping, weaving, bleaching, dyeing, cutting, sewing, packing, quality control, shipping to wholesale market etc. The weaving looms are semi-automated shuttles and jacquard machines. It is a traditional livelihood of the Padmashali community that migrated from Andhra Pradesh to Solapur at the time of independence and most of the looms are owned by the same community. For these communities, textile production is not just merely an occupation but it is the way of life. Generations pass down the weaving techniques to next generations, fostering the sense of tradition, heritage and culture. Power loom shows the collaboration between tradition and technology preserving the heritage crafts while embracing the efficiency of modern production techniques. The power loom industry supports a host of ancillary industries and creates employment for a large number of people. The ecosystem surrounding the power loom is diverse and vibrant from a small-scale vendor peddling the colorful fabrics to the artisan skillfully crafting the garments.

This industry also faces various challenges such as low wages, scarce government support, uncertainty of work, gender barriers at workplace, etc. These spaces are clearly gender segregated and showcase gendered division of labor. Amidst all of this, the community takes pride in this work and women too have a sense of agency and empowerment attached to the work they do.

These pictures are an attempt to show the lives around the power loom units and production of the textiles. Photos and observations in this essay are taken at power loom units in Solapur.

While the power loom can be seen as a symbol of industrial progress and technological advancement, it is also testimony to the resilience and adaptability to the human spirit in these spaces. It is a thread that weaves together not just the fabric but also the lives of people who work here.

Vrushali is currently pursuing Masters in Development from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru.  She is passionate about the theme ‘gender, livelihoods and women empowerment”.