From
Hindusim Today.....CHENNAI, INDIA, February 16, 2003: A glut of
unsold inexpensive handloom saris designed
for the poor have become an overnight favorite of college students in Tamil
Nadu.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was faced with the task of selling 4.5 million
saris after the "Free Sari - Dhoti"
distribution plan was scrapped. Following this, the handloom businesses were
plunged into an unprecedented crisis with more than 21,000 weavers facing
unemployment. However, university women decided to address themselves to the
cause of the weavers and started wearing the saris, and the entire stock was
sold out in two months.
Recently a women's college came out with the plan of celebrating "Handloom
Day" by wearing the saris. The entire women staff at the State Secretariat
wore them on January 30, and later all women MLAs were seen in handloom saris in
the State Assembly. Buoyed by the overwhelming response, Co-optex, in a bid to
retain the market, has introduced one million saris in
new designs.
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