Shashwat Parhi

Photographer

Shuto Booni: A Life of Weaving

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Location: Pondicherry, India

Nationality: Indian

Biography: I always wanted to tell stories. As a child I drooled over comics and dreamed of becoming a cartoonist. But my drawing skills never really went beyond the basic doodles and scribbles. I never really took my essay writing classes too... MORE

A short train ride north, away...he staccato sound of the loom.

A short train ride north, away from the din and rush of the big city, Calcutta, lies a small village. From morning to night, its still air is filled with the staccato sound of the loom.

A view into the courtyard of a...arate one house from the next.

A view into the courtyard of a housewife spinning bobbins. Most homes are very humble in nature and construction. Cane fences are all that separate one house from the next.

These artisans today, are litt...as this village a trading hub.

These artisans today, are little known outside the world of traditional handicrafts. No holy river flows through this part of the world; no gold-roofed temple welcomes pilgrims on their way to and fro; nor at any point in its short history was this village a trading hub.

Descendant of the iconic Jacqu...e and half below ground level.

Descendant of the iconic Jacquard Loom, the intricate machines sit half above and half below ground level.

The exquisite, handwoven fabri...were known as â€œwoven airâ€.

The exquisite, handwoven fabrics from this part of Bengal were once so renowned that throughout the Roman Empire they were known as â€œwoven airâ€.

These weavers, mostly immigran...and Tangail styles of weaving.

These weavers, mostly immigrants from Bangladesh, represent a long tradition in the famous Dhakkai and Tangail styles of weaving.

The age-old tradition of hand-... process requires electricity.

The age-old tradition of hand-weaving lives on here, sheltered from modern methods and machinery. Even now, not one single aspect of the process requires electricity.

Although traditionally a male-...learn how to prepare the yarn.

Although traditionally a male-dominated craft, women share in the making and from an early age, girls here learn how to prepare the yarn.

A young man sits with a large ... the yarn is ready to be dyed.

A young man sits with a large bundle of silk yarn, stretched around his knees, carefully removing knots and twists before the yarn is ready to be dyed.

Natural ingredients can be fou...to make natural, organic dyes.

Natural ingredients can be found in abundance in rural India. Here a young dyer holds up Annatto seeds ready to be used to make natural, organic dyes.

Weaving here is a cooperative ...at every stage of the process.

Weaving here is a cooperative enterprise. Instead of being direct competitors to one another, the villagers, often related by blood or marriage, depend on each other at every stage of the process.

The village is now home to onl...cs, have all taken their toll.

The village is now home to only a few dozen weaving families. The high cost of hand-looms, changing tastes and competition from cheap, mass-produced fabrics, have all taken their toll.

Children no longer want to fol...scape the life in the village.

Children no longer want to follow in their parents' footsteps. Although they know enough to help in the work, most want to get a better education so that they can escape the life in the village.

There is something timeless in...s us human in the first place.

There is something timeless in handmade things, temporal yet ageless. no two elements are ever identical; they are similar but not the same, perfect in their imperfections, a reflection perhaps of what makes us human in the first place.

What is to become of this uniq...these villages can ill afford.

What is to become of this unique, and priceless, artistic profession?

We are all involved. The choices we make could sustain the livelihood of an entire village system. Only Time will tellâ€¦

Yes, Timeâ€¦ the one luxury these villages can ill afford.

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Thumbnail of A short train ride north, away _the staccato sound of the loom.

Thumbnail of A view into the courtyard of a _parate one house from the next.

Thumbnail of These artisans today, are littl_was this village a trading hub.

Thumbnail of Descendant of the iconic Jacqua_ve and half below ground level.

Thumbnail of The exquisite, handwoven fabric_ were known as â€œwoven airâ€.

Thumbnail of These weavers, mostly immigrant_ and Tangail styles of weaving.

Thumbnail of Shuto Booni: A Life of Weaving

Thumbnail of The age-old tradition of hand-w_e process requires electricity.

Thumbnail of Although traditionally a male-d_ learn how to prepare the yarn.

Thumbnail of A young man sits with a large b_e the yarn is ready to be dyed.

Thumbnail of Natural ingredients can be foun_ to make natural, organic dyes.

Thumbnail of Weaving here is a cooperative e_ at every stage of the process.

Thumbnail of The village is now home to only_ics, have all taken their toll.

Thumbnail of Children no longer want to foll_escape the life in the village.

Thumbnail of There is something timeless in _es us human in the first place.

Thumbnail of What is to become of this uniqu_ these villages can ill afford.

Public Story

Shuto Booni: A Life of Weaving

Updated Feb 2016

Location West Bengal, India

Topics Arts, crafts, Documentary, handmade, Photography, Photojournalism, weavers

A photo essay on the life and work of village weavers in rural West Bengal, India. This is part of a larger personal project that I would like to undertake in documenting anything and everything hand-made.

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