Even as the original Bomkai weaving tradition stands on the verge of disappearing in Ganjam district, the Odisha govt has begun work on a revival plan to preserve the heritage craft. The handlooms, textiles and handicrafts department has, over the past few months, initiated efforts focused on two key areas – documenting the traditional designs and motifs of original and rare Bomkai weaves and training a new generation of artisans in the weaving technique.Commissioner-cum-secretary of the department, Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, said the initiative is aimed at safeguarding the authenticity of the original cotton Bomkai saree, which today survives in only a few weaving families in Bomkai village. “The documentation process is expected to preserve the weave’s distinctive motifs, colour combinations and patterns for future generations, while the training programme seeks to revive the dwindling artisan base in the region,” she said. The project ‘Revival of Languishing Products (Cotton Bomkai Saree) was approved by the state govt in the last financial year.To understand the problems being faced by the existing weavers, the department recently conducted a five-day orientation programme at the village under the project in coordination with the State Agency for Development of Handloom Clusters.Officials of the department said during the orientation programme, details of the Bomkai designs, its colour specifications were collected from the existing weavers’ families of the village.“Owing to the growing demand for Bomkai sarees, we have noticed extensive modifications in traditional designs, which in a way dilute the originality of the weave. We are, therefore, documenting the original motifs and patterns and creating a database that can serve as a reference in the future,” said department official Dipan Krushna Sahoo.The next phase of the project will focus on training more weavers from Ganjam district in the original Bomkai weaving technique. However, sustaining the tradition remains a challenge due to the lack of younger artisans in the village.Sapna Nayak, one of the remaining weavers, said most youngsters from Bomkai village have migrated to work in cotton mills in other states or taken up alternative businesses. Officials said the department plans to rope in people from villages surrounding Bomkai who may be interested in learning the craft and pursuing it as a livelihood.
