English Made Easy-Std.XI & XII: XII - 2.2 Indian Weavers ( ICE BREAKERS & BRAINSTORMING )

2.2 Indian Weavers

- Sarojini Naidu

ICE BREAKERS

Ø Artisans are also called craftsmen. They are creators of diverse goods and use their hands to create unique, functional and also decorative items using traditional techniques. Now complete the web given below:

Goldsmith

Tailor

Different types Potter

Of artisans Weaver

Metal smith

Model maker

Calligrapher

Ø Discuss with your partner the seasons/occasions when we need:

(a) Woollen clothes –Winter Season

(b) Casual clothes – Daily wears

(d) Colourful, comfortable clothes- Marriages / festivals / party wears

Ø Let’s play a game. The teacher will ask the students some questions.

Students will understand that there are some exceptions to the general rules. Let’s start.

- One who weaves is - a weaver.

- One who sings is - a singer.

- One who teaches is - a teacher.

- One who plays a game is- a player.

- One who dances is -a dancer.

- One who cooks is - a chef / cook.

Ø We have often seen the picture of Gandhiji spinning on his charkha.

Discuss the reasons behind this. One has been given for you.

(a) To give rural people an opportunity to earn their livelihood.

(b) It shows the dignity of labor.

(c) It represents Swadesh, self-sufficiency, & at the same time interdependence.

(d) To facilitate finding constructive activities that would unite and represent our India.

Ø Name some tools used by the weavers.

(a) Loom

(b) Needle

(c) Warp yarn

(d) Shed stick

(e) Weaving comb

(f) Scissors

(g) dowels

Ø Name some types of yarns used by the weavers.

(a) Linen

(b) Cotton

(c) Silk

(d) Polyester

(e) Wool

BRAINSTROMING

(A1) Discuss with your partner about the following vocations:

(a) Weaving –

- The word weaving is related to textile. In ancient hand loom weavers worked from home sometimes in a well-lit attic room. The women of the house would spin the thread they needed, and attend to finishing.But now a days most of the looms are powered. The weavers have the security of their life and they have the fixed hours of working, except in times of hardship. Solapur, Sangali, Surat & Banaras are some of the famous cities for weaving business.

(b) Tailoring –

- The word tailoring means the skill or craftsmanship of a tailor. Tailoring is an art of designing, cutting, fitting and finishing cloths. Tailors are the structural engineers for fashions. Tailors show their art through stitching different types of clothing like trousers, fancy waistcoats, and sport clothing. Most of men and women are working in this field. In India, most of the workers are making clothes in their homes. It’s one of the famous domestic businesses.

(c) Knitting-

- Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile or fabric. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. Knitting is a technique for producing a fabric. Hand knitting is the leisure activities. Studies have found that rhythmic and repetitive action of hand knitting can help prevent and manage stress, pain and depression. Woolen swatter, scarf, hand gloves, caps are the example of knitted articles. Most of the people in the North and Eastern parts of India are indulged in this business. It’s also one of the most famous domestic works of women.

(d) Embroidering

- Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on caps, hats, coats, blankets, dresses, shirts, denim, stockings, and golf shirts. Embroidery is available with a wide variety of thread or yarn colour. Elaborately embroidered clothing, religious objects, and household items often were seen as a mark of wealth and status. It’s also one of the famous domestic businesses in India.

(A2) (i) Discuss the various products made by the weavers in the poem.

-dresses or robes for new-born child.

- the marriage-veils of a queen.

- a dead man’s funeral shroud.

(ii) The words in the three stanzas of the poem mention different times of a day. Complete the table.

Time of the day	Words/phrases	Weaver’s work
Early morning	Break of day	Weavers weave robes for the new-born child
Late in the evening	Fall of night	Weavers weave the marriage-veils of a queen
Cold night	Moonlight chill	Weavers weave a dead man’s funeral shroud

(iii) The poem reveals three phases of life. Fill in the blanks with feelings and colours appropriate to the phases of Life. One is done for you.

New-born/

Childhood

Youth/ Adulthood

Old age/Death

Colour

Blue

Purple and green

White

Feeling

Hopes and expectations

happiness or enjoyment/energetic

loneliness/peacefulness/lifelessness sorrow/loss

(iv) Complete: The weavers weave in the chill moonlight- dead man’s funeral shroud as a feather and white cloud.

(v) Pick out two words used to describe the weavers in the last stanza. Also state their importance.

The words used to describe the weavers in the last stanza are -

1) Solemn- They indicate their serious and calm attitude,

the old age, the feeling of loss of energy,

2) Still - uselessness and the approaching death

(vi) Express your views about the present condition of weavers.

The present condition of weavers is -

a) Due to the development in technology, most of the looms or handlooms are closed and weavers are turning to new jobs.

b) Power looms are advanced than handlooms so most of the handlooms & workers are outdated.

c) The schemes like Pension scheme, long term benefit scheme, health benefit schemes are no longer available for loom workers.

d) They don’t have good social & economic status.

(vii) Describe in your own words the steps or measures that can be taken to solve the problems of the weavers.

- Steps or measures that can be taken to solve the problems of the weavers –

a) To provide a good financial package.

b) To provide a low interest loan

c) To maintain good infrastructure

d) To help in marketing support and services.

e) Design and technology upgradation.

f) To provide welfare schemes for workers.

g) To provide a continuous electricity.

h) To provide insurance scheme for workers.

i) Government can provide raw materials at subsidized costs, and help with marketing and sales.

(viii) Express your own views and opinions from the weavers’ point of view and complete the following table.

Stanza	Activity (done by weavers)	Views/opinion
First stanza	Robes for a new-born child	The weavers feel happy /hopeful because childhood is free of burdens of life.
Second stanza	Weaves the marriage-veils of a queen	The weavers feel energetic /love because adulthood is full of energy.
Third stanza	Weaves a dead man’s funeral shroud	The weavers feel serious, calm & sorrow because approaching death in old age.

(A3) (i) Pick out the rhyming words from the poem.

- I st Stanza – day-gay

Wild –child

- II nd Stanza - night-bright

Green-queen

- III rd Stanza- still-chill

Cloud-shroud

(ii) Give antonyms and synonyms of the following and make sentences of your own.

Word	Antonym	Sentence	Synonym	Sentence
New	Old	My old car is much better than my new car.	Recent/ current	I met three recent graduates at the conference.
Bright	Dark	It was very dark on that day.	Radiant/ luminous	I saw radiant star falling down.
Dead	Alive/ living	As long as the plant is alive, he will continue to water it.	Expired/ gone	Expired medicines are dangerous for health.
Still	Loud/ sounded	A loud party, that went on all night, disturbed my sleep.	Calm/ quiet	Calm down before you hurt somebody.
Wild	Tame/ civilized/pet	Most of the city people are civilized.	Untamed/ ferocious	The untamed duck came out of the pool.
fall	Get up /rise	Sleep early, rise early	Drop/ descend	Drop your guns.
child	Adult/ grownup	This programme contains adult content.	Kid/ youngster	She is a kid

(ii) Make a word register for clothes/attire/dress

Outfit	Rags
Raiment	Garments
Formal	Costume
Casual	Suit
Sportswear	uniform

(A4) (i) Complete the following table.

Figure of speech	Line
Simile	Like the plumes of a peacock, purple and green, Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild
Imagery	Weavers, weaving at break of day.
Metaphor	Weavers weaving at fall of night.
Alliteration	Weavers weaving at break of day Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild