Warangal:
Dhurrie makers from Warangal have gained recognition by winning the State-level Konda Laxman Bapuji Awards. The awards were given by Minister for Handlooms and Textile Tummala Nageswar Rao on National Handloom Day in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
The two winners, Samala Sadanandam and Adepu Srinivas, live in Kothawada, Warangal. They are among the few craftsmen fighting to keep this traditional art alive.
A dhurrie is a handwoven rug or thin flat carpet. Even though Warangal dhurries received the GI (Geographical Indication) tag a few years ago, their demand remains low.
Dhurries became famous in the mid-1970s with orders coming in from all over India and abroad, especially from Gulf countries. They were once popular in Indian Army billets. However, in the 1990s, dhurrie manufacturing units in north India, particularly in Panipat, Jodhpur, Agra, and Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, led to a decline in their popularity.
Speaking to The Hans India, Adepu Srinivas expressed his happiness over receiving the State-level award and a cash prize of Rs 25,000 for creating a dhurrie featuring Mahatma Gandhi. It took him more than 10 days to complete, using natural colors.
Samala Sadanandam also received the same award and reward for making a dhurrie of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. His creation took 11 days to finish. Both artisans urged the government to provide houses and free health facilities for struggling artisans. They mentioned that despite the dhurries’ popularity, the earnings are barely enough to live on.
