Assamese innovator Deepak Bharali’s newly-invented extra-weft insertion for Handloom Design, Chanekee, was introduced to Jharkhand weavers’ in the appropriate technology exhibition in Ranchi a couple of days back. Earlier, the weavers were visiting outside the state to know about the latest technologies in handloom.
Demonstration of the new and easy way of weaving designed fabrics through handlooms is expected to impart new knowledge to talented weavers of the state during the five-day training programme organized by Weavers’ Service Centre, Bhagalpur.
Taking a step towards modernization, Jharcraft has introduced this device to maximise the skill of weavers’ and increase productivity of the loom. Four weavers’ of Jharcraft are dedicatedly learning to handle this machine.
Mohammad Mobin a weaver of Jharcraft weaving a saree on the device said, “This machine is a revolution in the field of weaving. Earlier a saree was weaved in 9-10 days but by this machine we can weave a saree within 3 days. The innovation reduces the time required for making designs to one third of what is required in the traditional way of doing it.”
Innovator Deepak Bharali, a resident of Sualkuchi, Assam said his device named Chanekee makes designs in one third of the time required by the traditional way of making designs, in which the task of the insertion of weft threads needed to make a variety of designs is done manually by tying knots, which is cumbersome and time consuming.
Invention of Chanekee - the weaving miracle has become an innovation in the lives of weavers not only in Assam but also in Jharkhand as earlier work was tedious, cumbersome and time consuming.
H.K Gupta, Assistant Director WSC, Bhagalpur said, “The device consists three components; base frame, magnet-bearing shaft and specially designed bobbin. These components can be fitted to any handloom Jacquard machine. The uniqueness lies in using the magnetic clamping systems and specially designed bobbin to achieve its efficacy.”
Jharcraft had already placed orders for five ‘Chanekee’ to B.H Innovations- Saulkuchi initially. Deepak himself has setup 760 machines across India- in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal. Using locally available components, and low cost, this attachment could deliver a lifetime value for thousands of handloom units by achieving better utilization of loom and time spent by workers.
The three national award winning discovery was invented in 2006 and patented in 2008.The machine costs Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000.