Weaving-Tejsi Dhana Marwada

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The Herder’s Life

-Tejsi Dhana Marwada

The village of Kuran was surrounded by Banni grasslands and forest. Many Muslim herders lived around there including Sama, Sumra, Haleypotra, Raysipotra. There were Sodha Rajputs also, who were cattle herders. The weavers were closely tied to all of these Maldhari communities.
Maldharis moved with their animals through the forest and as they walked they constantly spun camel hair on drop spindles. Along the roads, the camels transported the produce in the big bags woven by my family.

Shearing took place in the village. The camel hair was collected and cleaned before being spun. Notice that Maldhari houses are square and made of stone or concrete while ours are round and made of mud, stone and thatch.

The camels were also used for plowing and irrigating the fields and even while working on the land, the Maldharis never stopped spinning the yarn ready for us to begin weaving. It was a smooth transfer from animal to Maldhari to the weaver and back to the Maldhari.