• By the early years of the Common Era, Padmashalis in India had already established themselves as prosperous artisans, producing handwoven fabrics and exporting them to various countries. The fact that these handloom textiles were being shipped abroad by sea during that period speaks volumes about the strength of the Padmashali system.
• As descendants of sages, the Padmashali community adhered to Brahminical traditions and showcased their exceptional skills in weaving. Handwoven textiles were highly valued in Arab countries, and the Padmashalis gained significant expertise in their craft.
• By 1766, the British Empire turned its attention specifically to disrupting India’s handloom industry. At that time, textile mills were established in Britain, but the handwoven fabrics from India were sold at a fraction of the price of machine-made fabrics. Unable to compete with the lower prices of Indian handlooms, British mills struggled to stay afloat. This led them to study India’s handloom production methods and find ways to undermine it. By this time, Padmashalis had expanded predominantly in South India.
• The handloom industry operated as a self-sustained rural system, where all the fabric required by villagers was locally produced. Handloom workers had stable incomes, and the production of cotton and wool was free from any significant market disruptions. Padmashalis were known for producing beautiful textiles and had a lasting presence in the industry. However, this thriving handloom industry soon became a target for the British, who devised strategies to destroy it systematically. One of their first steps was to limit cotton production.
• The British began exporting cotton from India and using their mills to spin it into yarn, selling it at high prices in India. They created an artificial shortage of locally produced cotton and imposed strict controls on the production of yarn. The British then implemented a rationing system for yarn, forcing handloom workers to depend on these imported resources. With cotton scarce, the handloom industry, which had once thrived on local production, was increasingly dependent on the mills. As a result, the prices of textiles rose, and handloom workers found themselves struggling.
• At the same time, handloom workers faced brutal treatment. British authorities intimidated skilled workers, coercing them into taking menial jobs instead of continuing their craft. Many were unable to make a living and suffered from hunger and starvation, leading to widespread deaths during that period. It is said that thousands of people were forced into migration, with many heading to Africa via ship. In the face of such dire circumstances, workers were often forced to abandon their traditional craft and seek menial jobs under the jagirdars (feudal lords) of the Nizam.
• Once a prosperous community, the Padmashalis found themselves in the ranks of the marginalized by the time India achieved independence. They were classified as economically weak and recognized as below the poverty line.
• The British devised a deliberate plan to reduce cotton cultivation in India. They promoted the cultivation of tobacco, a crop unknown to India, encouraging farmers to switch from cotton to tobacco, promising it would be more profitable. Naive farmers, in search of better returns, followed this advice and replaced cotton with tobacco. Cotton was once widely cultivated in the East and West Godavari districts, but the British, seeking to divert the attention of cotton farmers, built the Dhaleshwaram barrage on the Godavari River as a strategy to address food shortages in their own country. This led to a shift from cotton to rice cultivation, which further depleted India’s cotton production. Consequently, the handloom industry was pushed into a state of decline, as cotton became scarce, and the industry was left in financial distress.
