Mysore Silk Sarees

Forming a line for anything and everything is becoming a hallmark of our civilisation. Starting from getting into a bus, train or an aircraft and up to buying something, line formation can be seen anywhere. Line formation starts from birth of a child at the labour room and continues through nursery school and so on. Those who have visited electric crematorium know that there is a long line of dead bodies there too, waiting for their turn to be burnt down to ashes. Wherever there is no line formation, chaos is assured. There are many news reports about stampedes and deaths and injuries from time to time, most of which happen due to not following "line discipline". In fact, line discipline comes earlier than "lane discipline" on roads to manage traffic. 

We often have situations where one line leads to another. When the first cricket test was played in Bangalore between India and West indies, many people moved for half an hour in a line near the stadium and then realised that they were in the line to buy a ticket while they already had a season ticket! They were in the wrong line to enter the playground. We form lines to buy a ticket first, then a line to enter the place or vehicle and then a line even to exit and come out. Lines, lines and lines everywhere! Someone violates a line somewhere, fist fights are assured. Even those not suffering from "High Blood Pressure" develop one instantaneously if someone crashes an existing line.  "Might is right" works sometimes, but generally lines always work. 

However, a news item a few months ago about women standing in queue from as early as 4 AM in the morning before the Mysore Silks showroom in the silk factory at Mysore made a lot of news and interesting reading. A fixed number of sarees were up for sale there and in order to avoid huge rush of prospective buyers, the showroom announced that only one saree per customer was available and the sale will be regulated by issue of tokens, on first come first served basis. In fact, the queue was not for buying sarees, but get tokens! Some 50,000 sarees were said to be on sale and yet long lines were seen in front of many such outlets. 

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One of the factories of KSIC (Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation) that makes the famous Mysore Silk sarees was also in the news recently. The factory at T Narasipura near Mysore supplies processed raw silk for weaving these sarees, to other manufacturing units. A parcel of five acres of land out of the factory area was allotted to the Department of Youth Affairs by the Government for construction of a taluk level stadium for sports and allied activities. Protests soon followed on the assumption that the factory will be closed. State Government had to yield to popular pressure and the Government ultimately issued orders cancelling the allotment and confirming that the factory will not be closed. 

The allotment and cancellation of land to construct a stadium had its side effects too. It is a travesty of justice that most of the workers in the factory that make these sarees are themselves unable to buy one for their own use, in their life time. These sarees (good quality) cost anywhere between 25,000 rupees (USD 250) to 2,50,000 rupees (USD 2,500) and most households won't be able to buy one as the cost far exceeds their total family earnings for several months. Bhagyamma worked in the factory for 30 years. Her husband also worked there for 15 years. Yet, the family responsibilities did not allow her to buy a Mysore Silk saree. Many factory workers participated in the strike for several days and made sacrifice by way of losing wages for the strike period. After the land allotment to the stadium was cancelled, as a mark of honouring the workers who fought for saving the factory, KSIC introduced a scheme for employees to buy sarees at concessional rates in instalments. Bhagyamma availed the benefits of the scheme and bought a Mysore Silk Saree for herself!

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What makes Mysore Silk sarees tick despite the high cost and lower supply? The answer lies in its luxurious, highly lustrous, handwoven pure mulberry silk coupled with authentic Jari (a combination of silver and gold threads). It has a long history behind it. The craftsmanship of generation of weavers has kept the premium quality alive. It is not possible to increase production level easily because it takes years to train these weavers. Strict quality controls also restrict availability. 

The present edition of Mysore silk started in the year 1912 when the then Maharaja of Mysore started the factory in Mysore. The sarees last for generations if cared and preserved properly. As the sales punch line says "Your granddaughter will wear it", we know by personal experience that this is true indeed. There are also pure Mysore Silk Dhotis, Ties, Shirting materials as well. 

Karnataka accounts for nearly 50% of all silk produced in the country. Most of it is centred around Mysore and Bangalore, though there are other pockets as well. The production of silk at the stage of cocoon rearing is a difficult one due to the vagaries like disease for silkworms, variation in yields and fluctuation in market rates for cocoons. Cocoons are to be sold immediately and cannot be stored away for sale when you get a good rate. Sometimes one makes a bumper profit and at other times everything may be lost. It is also labour intensive and the farmer has to keep constant vigil on the activity. Slight carelessness results in entire crop being lost.

Conversion of agricultural lands into industrial and real estate business is constantly reducing the land available for mulberry cultivation. Younger generation from weaver families are taking up other jobs like being cab drivers, delivery personnel etc. as these activities give immediate income as against waiting for lump sum income with some doubt about it actually coming always lurking in the side.

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The total value of Mysore Silk Saree industry is approximately valued at around 1,000 crore rupees with a production of around 300 sarees per day. The various factors detailed above has kept the supply at much lower levels than the demand.

It's time to buy a Mysore Silk Saree for your granddaughter now! Of course, you (or your spouse) and your daughter can use it till it is passed on to her!