Why Sonia Ashmore wants Indian youth to revive the traditional art of muslin-making

The youth should understand the legacy of India's rich heritage in textiles and make efforts to preserve it, renowned design-historian Sonia Ashmore has said.

Ashmore, who specialises in the traditional craft of weaving, called upon students of textile science and fashion studies of a city institute, to keep alive the fabled craft of fine muslin, "which is gradually getting lost".

Reflecting on the craft of muslin making, the author of the seminal book Muslin said on Wednesday, “One must appreciate the amount of human effort and skill required to manufacture a Jamdani saree. It takes two men, 30 weeks, to complete weaving a saree.” Ashmore wondered if an average muslin worker has to work 10 hours a day for producing fabric materials, how one can expect the next generation to take up this profession at an early age.

Lamenting that Indians have stopped wearing traditional dresses, the design-historian said, “Also, lack of high-quality yarn and the danger of losing traditional skills and the role of intermediaries are killing this traditional craft of muslin making.” The interactive session 'In Search of Woven Air: Following the Threads of Muslin' was jointly organised by the institute and a prominent art studio.