ABSTRACT
Weavers constituted the primary resource on which early modern South Asian textile production depended. Along with the weavers, other workers such as cotton spinners (primarily women), cleaners and cotton and silk growing peasants too formed significant groups of workers who contributed to the success of the early modern textile industry. South Asian textiles in all their exquisite varieties, colourfulness, artistic designs, techniques of painting and printing have attracted scholars’ attention in the last few decades. While works in art history focused on designs and patterns, researches in economic history devoted more attention to the organization of production and trade in textiles.1 The textile trade from Coromandel, Bengal and Gujarat to the overseas markets naturally became the subject matter for discussion in maritime economic history. In such discussions weavers mostly appear as mute figures no more than peasants who grew cotton, or transporters who brought bales of cotton to the marketplaces. The existing literature has not yet fully explored the social life of South Asian weaver communities. We know precious little about the weavers’ day-to-day life, cultural practices, social and economic mobility. About three decades ago Mattison Mines made such an effort when he discussed some of these aspects related to Kaikkoolar weavers in south India.2 However, the social history of weavers continues to get lopsided geographical attention. For example, there are a number of works on weavers in the Coromandel Coast or southern India in general, while Bengali
and Gujarati weavers appear to remain peripheral in the existing historiography, let alone the weavers of Hindustan or Punjab.3
