Paper short abstract:

Highlighting the significance of culture of cloth in Manipuri society, this paper critically examines: i) the gender construction of weaving, ii) transition of handloom industry from a lineage based activity to the growth of women entrepreneurship and iii) the politics of dress highlighting how traditional costumes are used as a means for propagating the ideology of self reliance and cultural identity.

Paper long abstract:

In Manipur, every household is a production unit for handloom related items. Handloom weaving in the state is entirely the work of women and it forms an integral part of their domestic duties. However, it is not just an economic activity that can be accounted for only by economic explanation. It is a medium, which serves as a repository and transmitter of its culture and civilization. The costumes serve as narratives of a different kind, which inheres and tells the history, cultural identity, social structure, and gender roles of the society. There is a close relationship between the expansion of handloom weaving as an industry and the socio-cultural and political exigencies of the society. This paper, therefore, critically examines i) the gender construction of weaving, ii) transition of handloom industry from a lineage based activity to the growth of women entrepreneurship and iii) the politics of handloom highlighting how traditional costumes are used as a means for propagating the ideology of self reliance and cultural identity.