ECONOMIC REFORMS AND INCREASING TREND OF GULF

ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
ISSN 2349-9392 (Online); DOI: 10.16962/EAPJMRM/issn. 2349-9392/2015; Volume 7 Issue 3 (2016)
www.elkjournals.com
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
ECONOMIC REFORMS AND INCREASING TREND OF GULF MIGRATION OF
MUSLIM WEAVERS: AN EVIDENCE FROM DISTRICT AZAMGARH
Amir Hussain Akbar Ali khan
Research Scholar, Department of social Research Scholar, Department of
Work,AMU,Aligarh(U.P),202002, E-mail- Commerce,AMU,Aligarh(U.P),202002
siswarkalan@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
In the concluding decade of the 20th
century, India came across with economic crisis related to its external debt.
The government failed to make repayments on its borrowings from abroad; foreign exchange reserves, which we
generally maintain to import petroleum products and other imported items, dropped to levels that were not
sufficient for even a fortnight .This crisis was further multiplied by rising prices of essential goods. These were
persuasive reasons that forced the government to implement the advices of the international funding agencies.
There are studies indicating that Economic Reforms provided an opportunity for the educated class, as
International businesses started opening their offices, manufacturing units, Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs),
and Legal Outsourcing and associated. Further, it has increased the income and quality of consumption of only
high-income groups’, growth has been in telecommunication, information technology, finance, entertainment,
travel and hospitality rather than in vital sectors such as agriculture and household industry, particularly weaving
which provide livelihoods to million people in the country. The occupational significance of handicrafts worker
has increased many folds in post independent India (Post 1947), as handicraft emerged the main source of
employment for Muslims. Finding it tough to sustain with the traditional work due to tough competition from
multinationals and further they do not possess the technical knowledge (skill) to place them in the new industrial
setup in Metropolitan India there seems increasing trend to Gulf Migration as plumbers, unskilled labour for
construction sites, and other associated.
Keywords: Economic Reforms, Handicrafts, Muslim weavers, Gulf Migration
Introduction
In the concluding decade of the 20th
century, India came across with economic
crisis related to its external debt. The
government failed to make repayments on
its borrowings from abroad; foreign
exchange reserves, which we generally
maintain to import petroleum products and
other imported items, dropped to levels
that were not sufficient for even a fortnight
(Srinivasan, 2004). This crisis was further
multiplied by rising prices of essential
goods. These were persuasive reasons that
forced the government to implement the
advices of the international funding
agencies. The Reforms consisted of
structural adjustment policy in the

ISSN 2349-9392 (Online); DOI: 10.16962/EAPJMRM/issn. 2349-9392 /2015; Volume 7 Issue 3 (2016)
neoclassical framework, liberal industrial
policy (liberalisation) with a stress on to
take away of the state from several
economic functions and depend on the
market for economic efficiency (Dutt &
Sundram, 2006). The exceptional
Nehruvian model emphasised on the
public sector to shape modern India was
given short-lived treatment. It was alleged
by scholars and activists that the public
sector that has provided a socialist base in
a pluralistic society was not considered
important in the spectre of globalisation
(Chalam, 2011). The social antiquity and
exceptional Indian cultural background of
an exclusive character of the country were
given a low handling by policy maker who
were only concerned with the balance of
payment crisis than anything else. While
India’s economy is being socially
regulated (White 2003).
In a globalised world, developing nations
are forced to open up their economies to a
greater flow of goods and capital from
developed countries and rendering their
industries vulnerable to imported goods
(NCERT, 2006). There are studies
indicating that Economic Reforms
provided an opportunity for the educated
class, as International businesses started
opening their offices, manufacturing units,
Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs),
and Legal Outsourcing and associated.
Further, it has increased the income and
quality of consumption of only high-
income groups’, growth has been in
telecommunication, information
technology, finance, entertainment, travel
and hospitality rather than in vital sectors
such as agriculture and household
industry, particularly weaving which
provide livelihoods to million people in the
country (Siggel & Agrawal, 2009).
Chalam (2011) argues that, the opportunity
created by reforms have been wisely
utilised by competing class group making
the marginalised groups socially excluded
(Table, 1).
Table: 1 Assets of 20 Business groups, up to 2005-06 (Assets 100 crore = 1billion
Rank Group/Family 1989-90 1991-92 200506(Postreforms
period)
1 Reliance(Ambani) 3,241 9,167 163,989
2 Tata 6,851 15,564 101,219
3 Birla 7,235 13,817 67,544

Source: (Chalam, 2011, pp 8-9)
Census of India (2011) enumerated India’s
Muslim population at over 138 Million or
about 14.1 percent populations of the
country. Hence, they are the largest
minority and second largest religious
group of India, their demographic
distribution in the country is not
consistent, it differs from region-to-region.
Uttar Pradesh (UP) has 31 million or 22
percent population of Indian Muslims.
1
Popular Urdu in North India and in Indian
subcontinent which refers brothers on caste lines
Muslims of UP as of other parts of the
country, are not homogeneous, they are
heterogeneous community. The important
factor of their heterogeneity is the presence
of caste like (Ahmad 1962) groups.
Among them most of the artisans belong to
biradari1
having lower social status but
they occupy a significant place in the
occupational structures of Muslims.
4 Esar(Ruia) 437 1,898 30,012
5 L.T.C. 742 4,047 30,012
6 OmPrakash Jindal 635 26,886
7 Hinduja(AshokLeyland) 422 1/277 23,197
8 Bharti Telecom 29 21,808
9 Sterlite Industries 2,480 19,457
10 Larsen & toubro 1,130 3,199 17,589
11 Bajaj 1,228 1,908 16,994
12 Goenka 570 3,583 16,151
13 Ispat(Mittals) 1,092 15,142
14 Mahindra&Mahindra 620 1,223 14,947
15 T.V.S Iyenger 929 1,582 14,176
16 Unilever(F) 925 3,368 13,669
17 Jaiprakash 484 1,164 12,845
18 Vdeocon 873 11,373
19 WIPRO 103 9,595
20 InfosysTecnologies
Ltd
8 9,114

The occupational significance of handicrafts
worker has increased many folds in post
independent India (Post 1947), as handicraft
emerged the main source of employment for
them.
Handicraft industries and consequently
Muslim artisans are the main strength of
Muslims in urban economy (Imam, 1975).
UP occupies a significant place in
handicraft industry of the country. Art and
craft developed in the state both as culture
and occupation. Not only social groups
which have been socially engaged in craft
occupations are found in handicraft
industry, but also people of many social
groups whose traditional occupation has
not been craft entered into handicraft
industry. Therefore, Muslim artisans
belong to both artisans and non-artisans
‘biradari’. Growth of handicraft industries,
no doubt has led to the emergence of
jobopportunities to many poor Muslims
and some of Muslims become
entrepreneurs. But the benefit of
development in handicraft industries has
not permeated down to the poorest artisans
who are still living in the midst of poverty.
They have not been provided raw materials
and other infrastructural facilities for
production, so they are reliant upon
middlemen who exploit them. In fact,
poor, illiterate Muslims are struggling hard
to earn their livelihood and at many places
they have been displaced of their works
due to decline in handicraft industries
because of global conditions. This lead to
Poor artisan’s health, housing, and they
still occupy a lower social status (Arshi,
2008).
Educational status of Muslims is very
poor as it is evident from report duly
prepared by the Justice Sachar Committee
in the year 2006. Hence, they failed to get
benefited from the Economic Reform.
And their traditional occupations were
opened for competition from International
and highly sophisticated firms. Apparently
who were affected were Artisan Labourers
who produce their product with
indigenous and simple tools to produce
product for local markets. To make their
life better in term of dignity and financial
betterment government has
introduced several programmes,
but they are not able to strengthen them to
stand by foreign and internal highly
sophisticated setups.
Finding it tough to sustain with the
traditional work due to tough competition
from multinationals and further they do not
possess the technical knowledge (skill) to
place them in the new industrial setup in
Metropolitan India there seems increasing
trend to Gulf Migration as plumbers,

unskilled labour for construction sites, and
other associated.
Trend of Gulf Migration from India
According to the latest estimation of
Government of India approximately six
million people are working in GCC (Gulf
Cooperation Council) countries. They are
mainly engaged in unskilled, semi-skilled
profession. The GCC countries encircling
the Persian Gulf are endowed with oil and
natural gas which has made these countries
one of the emerging economic powers in
modern era. Oil boom of the 1970s has
attracted semi-skilled and unskilled labours
from various Indian states. Migrants are
mainly getting employment in three
categories of employment, a) white collar
jobs (Doctors, Engineers, Architects’,
Accountants and Managers). b) Semi-
skilled worker or blue collar job (Craftsman,
Drivers, and other technical workers). c)
Unskilled labourers in construction sites,
farmland, livestock ranches, shops, stores,
and household maids. Former category of
workers comprises about 30 percent of the
total Indian emigrants and latter two
categories comprise almost 70 percent
(Binod,2010)
Source: The MOIA, 2012 Theoretical
framework on Migration: Commencement
and Perpetuation .Hicks’s neo-classical
macro theory explains both macro and
micro aspects of migration. He states that the
unbalanced distribution of capital and labour
at the macro level causes inequality in wages
and living condition and leads to migration.
Migrants moves towards the places where
employments, wages and others economic
conditions are more favourable to them. The
neo-classical micro approach of migration
considers condition of other market such as
the capital market or unemployment
insurance market as reason for migration,
this theory also considers household
Table 2: Migration to GCC countries from India
S.No Name of GCC Indian Migration
(In millions=m)
i Saudi Arabia 2 .0 m
ii UAE 1.7 m
iii Kuwait 0.6 m
iv Oman 0.7 m
v Bahrain 0.35 m
vi Qatar 0.50 m
Total 5.94 million

strategy behind migration as the real drive of
migration to change the source of income
rather than maximize the income. Moreover
it helps to understand why individuals of
particular community are potential migrants
(ILO, 2003).
Situation Oriented Approach (Push – Push
Theory), Lee (1966) explains the
unpredictable nature of migrants. According
to this theory, the push and pull factors are
the most important propelling factor for
migration. Here the push factors are
negative factors (adverse condition) at the
place of origin while the push factors are the
positive ones at the destination place.
Wallerstein (1974) propounded the World
System Theory in which he attempted to link
the development process of the countries
with international migration. He asserts that
the root cause of migration is the unequal
development between the central developed
countries and the peripheral agricultural
countries, developed countries will develop
by exploiting the peripheral countries. This
theory also emphasizes that migration is
natural consequence of globalisation and
market penetration across the national
boundaries.
Dual Labour Market Theory states that the
labour market of industrialise countries have
a dualistic structure, skilled worker
(primary) segment and unskilled worker
(secondary) segment. Skill worker are
wellpaid whereas wages of unskilled
workers in the secondary are poorly paid.
Employer do not pay high wages to local
unskilled worker as a result of labour
shortage at the bottom of job hierarchy,
hence employer are forced to recruit foreign
unskilled labour who do not plan to stay
permanently (Piore, 1979; Stalker, 2000).
As per the dual economic model labour
migration has a key role in the development
of a country. Migration between countries is
due to differences in wages
and employment opportunities. This
theory argues that migration is individual
decision for income maximization. Hence,
the flow of migration over a long period of
time is due to the prolonged disequilibrium
that exists between the countries (Lewis,
1953; Todaro, 1980).
Migration network theory takes as a network
process in which migrants helps each other by
communicating with the close friends and
family members. They provide information,
provide financial assistance and even help to
find a job for the migration. It is asserted that
such interaction facilitates migration by
reducing the cost and risk, but there is also
example of migration through illegal means

by friend and relatives that results in hardship
(IOM, 2003).
Weaving (Ansari) Community in Uttar
Pradesh
Ansari (1960) identified many Biradari
(Hindu caste group) among Muslims of UP.
In the year 1985 Anthropological survey of
India under its People of India Project (POI)
recorded socio-economic and Ethnographic
profile of innumerable caste, community of
India, including those of Muslims. It has
listed 6748 community out of which 4635
are located and studied in different parts of
India (Singh, 1992). Singh (2005)
mentioned, a total of 237 communities in
UP out of which 69 communities are
Muslim. Ansari Community claims to be the
descendants of companion of Prophet
Muhammad known as Ayub Ansari. He use
to weave and another companion Abu Musa
Ashari, he was also weaver and was referred
as Haaik2
(Azmi, 2001, p.3). They fall under
occupational castes of Muslims. They have
an Organisation called as ‘All India Momin
Conference’ (Rai, 2012) to look into the
problems of the community. There is
another local level body named as ‘District
weaver’s action committee’ they are
landless and are engaged in their age old
2
Haaik, Arabic word meaning weaver, Ali, son -in
law of Prophet Muhammad usually referred
traditional occupation of weaving.
(Waheed, 2007).
Muslim participation in
traditional manufacturing
Muslim participation rates in traditional
manufacturing and trade is much higher than
for other groups particularly in Wearing
apparel, auto-repair and electrical machinery.
Muslim women working with their home
based industry is 70 percent. They are
landless labourer, and are engaged in various
forms of manual, semi-skilled or as artisans.
The most noticeable occupational groups are
Julaha (weavers), Dhuniya (cotton carders),
Darzi (tailor), Qassab/ Qasai (Butchers)
(Khalidi, 2006). In commerce Muslims
certainly did not lag behind others, contrary
to popular perception. A survey conducted by
National Council for Applied economic
Research (NCEAR) in 1991, highlights
Muslim employments in various handicrafts;
art metal ware (76 percent), embroidery (87.5
percent), cotton rugs (67 percent), wood ware
(72 percent). Varanasi (Banaras) is noted for
its silk saris, silk embroidery, and zari (gold
embroidery) (Showeb, 1993). Bhadohi and
Mirzapur are famous for Carpet, Bed sheets.
Handloom clothes are made in Mau. These
weaving centres are concentrated by Muslims
julahas.
Companion Abu Musa Asharii as Haaik in a letter
to him.

Pre Economic Reforms condition of
weavers
Raman (2010) writes about the
socioeconomic conditions of weavers of
Banaras (Varanasi) and of nearby, that ‘the
period between the 1970s and the 1980s was
the golden period of the weaving industry….
This was the period when the printing
industry (screen printing and block printing)
developed. The complete Sari industry
flourished … there was the section of
weavers who become prosperous. There was
a steady expansion of the power loom sector
and the overall prosperity did absorb, it is
estimated that one power loom displaced 14
handlooms, but it was gradual process,
slowed by restrictions on the power loom
sector…the contradiction between the hand
loom sectors is more recent one arising out of
policy since 2000.
The Handloom (reservation of articles for
production) Act, 1985 aimed at protecting
the livelihood of handloom weavers and
also protecting the heritage of the handloom
industry. Under this Act, earlier 22 textile
articles were reserved for exclusive
production through handloom but in post
economic reforms period i.e. in 1996 it was
reduced to11 articles (CSDS, 2015)
Weavers under Economic Reforms:
Ghandhiji has taken up the cause of weavers
as one of his life’s mission. But the
condition of weavers after introduction of
Economic Reforms, liberalisation and
liberal imports from outside made the
handloom weavers to experience
lifethreatening deprivation. There are cases
in daily newspapers of weavers’ suicide.
Cotton growers are committing suicide
(Chalam, 2011). Many are leaving their job
as they fail to make their both end meet.
Williams (2011) states that in all the areas of
eastern UP nearly 10,000 have abandon the
weaving profession because of the lack of
demand. The price of the raw material has
gone up, but the product is not valued by
consumers. This is causing unemployment.
So people are becoming Rickshaw puller,
labourer, hawker and subzi-wala (vegetable
seller). Many are dying from hunger. There
is no adequate support from government, no
education, no healthcare; the government
does not have any plan to provide for them.
Wood (2014, pp. 48-49)) writes that:Since
1991, weavers of Varanasi have been
abandoning the craft in droves, shifting to
other occupation such as fishing, rickshaw
driving, or construction work. In 1980s,
Ansari wavers began investing in power
looms. As power looms weavers have
increasingly dominated the weaving industry
in Varanasi, forcing handloom weavers out of
business, power loom weavers themselves
faced stiff competition from textiles mills in

other parts of the country, particularly Surat
and china, hits the entire Varanasi weaving
industry hard, but imposed particular
hardship upon handloom weavers.
Furthermore, in 2001, the Indian Government
lifted restrictions on the import of finished
Chinese silk cloth in according to WTO
(World Trade
Organisation) Rule.
Dayashankar (2004) reports about poor
condition and closer of power loom in
Sircilla (Karimnagar District in Andhra
Pradesh) which forced weavers to opt for
bidis 3
rolling to meet the daily needs.
Acharya (2012) reports the plight of
weavers in Andhra Pradesh. It states that
some shed worker receives a paltry Rs 6570
a day’s work. Quoting official estimations
claims that nearly 900 debtridden weavers
committed suicide from 2002 to 2012. It
further writs that 57 percent of weavers in
country are below poverty level and almost
80 percent either indebted or dependent on
moneylenders. The looms are packed within
a small space with no ventilation or
provision of drinking water. The men sit
bare-bodied, dripping with sweat.
Salvadore (2013) writes about worse
condition of weavers in India, On the one
3
Indigenous Indian Cigarette
hand, we have the Indian Fashion industry
celebrating the beauty of the Indian
handloom on its ramps, both nationally and
internationally, and on the other hand, a
staggering number of weavers are ending
their lives due to poverty and depts. Despite
Indian handloom being at the centre-stage of
world fashion, the people responsible for
weaving these gorgeous fabrics see no
monetary coming their way. Something is
clearly amiss.
Further explores that there is some 3,50,000
looms are in operation in Andhra Pradesh
and each loom is worked by a family. The
average income of a four member family is
around 2000 to 5000. And abject poverty is
forcing weavers to abandon their craft and
look for other profession in city.
Devnath (2013) reports, about three suicides
of weavers belonging to Madurai district of
Tamil Nadu (TN). They borrowed money
from sharks and were pressured to repay the
money failing to which committed suicide.
Nemana and Rao (2014) opined on the impact
of global economy on Indian handloom
Pochampally, a sun-beaten town in the
southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, is
famous for textiles and saris. But its weavers,
like many others in the country’s 6.5-million-

person handloom industry, are struggling in a
globalised economy which depends on cheap,
machinemade cloth. As expenses exceed their
modest incomes and crushing debt pushes
many weavers into poverty and suicide, they
are looking to new solutions — from different
livelihoods to cooperative
handloom enterprises.
According to Peoples’ Vigilance Committee
on Human Rights (PVCR) (2013) for the last
15 odd years, weavers in Varanasi have been
grieved with the weakening of the weaving
industry. The supremacy of the well-known
Banarsi sari has weakened with the increased
acceptance of synthetic and imported
substitutes. Depression has arisen as a
frequent illness as more weavers are unable
to provide needs of their families, and has led
to an increase in weavers’ suicide.
Ahmad (2012) discourses about Mau (earlier
part of Azamgarh) is known for weavers from
centuries. This city was made for weavers by
beloved daughter Jahan Ara of Mughal
emperor Shahjahan. But now due adverse
governmental policies weavers’ situations are
deteriorated. People were shifting toward
other means of earning, moving to other cities
and young generation is looking for Gulf
nation as new destination to earn to meet the
needs of the family members back at home.
Samantroy & Upadhyay (2012) expresses
concerns over the closure of handlooms all
over the UP. Which is mater of serious
concern to government as it is creating
situation of joblessness for Banarsi silk sari
weavers.
Garg (2015) in her analysis based on
handloom census 2010 opines that the
number of handloom is dwindling. Coming
generation is sceptical and disinterested.
Unfortunately it seems that handloom is on
the verge of a sunset industry. The cause for
this decline is weavers earning. Weavers
merely earn 3400/ month Indian Rupee, while
other manual workers earns 4500 Indian
rupee for a month. Census further reveals that
this is due to migration to urban areas. Nearly
33 percent decline of weavers is registered
during the last 15 years. Presently there are
43.3 lakh weavers as against the 65 lakh
during second handloom census in 1995(as
cited in SME Times News Bureau). Further
census enumerates that 87 percent are located
in rural India and only 13 percent in urban.
Objectives of the study
The foremost intention is to explore the
existing trend of Gulf migration of Muslim
weavers (Ansaris’) who are highly skilled in
weaving of Banarsi sari of world fame.
• Factors and reasons for Gulf
migration of skilled Banarsi Sari
Weavers, and

• Impact of migration on the
socioeconomic condition of weavers
family members.
Methodology
The context of the empirical study is the
Azamgarh district of UP. It is one of the
eastern districts of UP it is known as doab4
region. Banarasi Sari Udyog (industry)
constitute the most vital industry in the
district affording highest engagement and is
accountable for major percentage of values
of industrial fabrication in the district. It is a
home based manufacturing unit with looms
setup in the most of rural families. The main
seats are Sariyan, Nevada (Mubarakpur),
Jahanaganj, Jeeyanpur etc. Since the
inception of Economic Reforms
multinational firms started making Banarsi
Sari at Surat (Wood, 2014), and further
change of taste in Indian wearing tradition
(Naraisaiah & Krishna, 1999) has adversely
affected the handloom sector and now they
are looking for other profession particular
youth. In search of opportunity youths are
moving towards Gulf nations.
4
Doab is a Persian word , ‘do’ means two and ‘aab’
means water hence, it mean region between two
rivers.
5
Second of two religious holidays celebrated by
Muslims world-wide each year, it honours the
Hence village Saraiyan under village
panchayat Nevada is visited and sampled.
The article draws from the data collected
from migrant households and from migrants
who returned from Gulf on the occasion of
Eid-ul-Adhha commonly known
as Baqreed5
in Indian subcontinent.
The study used the Exploratory Research
Design and qualitative approach for the data
collection and analysis. The field visit
involved interaction and focus-group
discussions (FGD) with youth who have
returned from gulf countries and who intend
and possess passport to leave to find work as
casual labour. Further guardians
(Significant others) were also interviewed to
know the reason why they prefer Gulf as
destination to work and leaving behind the
highly skilled ancestral profession of
weaving.
Migrant Households: Refers to those houses
of weavers of which at least one member
visited to Gulf country and stayed for
minimum two years or more and those houses
of which at present one weaver is staying in
Gulf countries for last two years.
willingness of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice
his son, as an act of submission to gods command.

Migrants: Those weavers who stayed for
minimum two years and returned for Baqreed
celebration and those prospective weavers
who poses passport and waiting for Visa
through relatives, village mates and many
contacted Agents. Those waiting for Visa
clearance said that the weaving at home is not
profitable occupation to carry out.
Introducing to the field
Sariyan6
, the term is corrupt form of sarai
(Persian word), which means an open space
outside a locality (village or a town), in
English Inns. With gradual increase in
population it seems like full fledge village.
According to Census data, 2011 total
number of house-holds is 324 and its
population is 2175 among this male share is
1038 and female is 1137 it seem good sex
ratio. Total Scheduled Castes (SCs)
population is 469.
During field visit it was observed that
majority of population is Muslim and
predominantly from other Backward Castes
(OBCs). They are called Momin Ansari and
their main occupation is handloom and
power loom weaving. In local dialect they
are referred as jolaha (Persian word
6
Revealed by Dr Anwar Jaheer, a resident of village
and who earned his Ph.D degree in Hindi from
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, U.P (India).
7
Named after the city Banaras, officially referred as
Varanasi situated on the bank of river the Ganga, Holy
river in Hinduism.
meaning ball of thread). Even Hindu
community of village who comes under SCs
categories are weaver, most of them are
owner of handloom while other weaves on
looms set up by Muslim Master Weavers.
They earn a sum of 700- 800 Indian rupee
per Banarsi Sari which generally takes 3-4
days to be completed. Whole region is
famous for Banarsi Sari in world (Ahmad,
2012). Weaver feels that they are not
recognised because the original Banarsi sari
is weaved in Mubarakpur, Amilo, Nevada,
Khairabad and in Mau and the region
attached to them but it is famous as Banarsi7
sari.
Most of the house owns handloom but they
are gradually shifting towards power looms
as it saves time and energy but many poor
Ansari weavers are unable to install it, as it
costs 60-70 thousands of Indian rupees. For
this male member opts for migration. At
home handloom and power looms are run by
many members but actually it does not
require and is unpaid and unrecognised. They
do so because they are free at home8
.
8
This is revealed by Shakil, in an interview who has
returned after completing two year of contract to
celebrate Baqreed.

Gulf Migration from Sariyan (Nevada),
Azamgarh
The field study conducted in the month of
September and October, 2015, Shehzad
Jaheer acknowledged about the increasing
trend of migration he said. “Yaha nharghar se
koi na koi arab jaroo hai” (here from almost
from every house hold someone is in Arab
countries). 9
. Members of SCs are also
migrated Gulf Countries as they are marginal
farmers, to assist their family financially.
Weavers’ Migration (Reasons
and Factors)
Weavers’ migration is a well-established
phenomenon. Some section of the weavers
stood always mobile, keen to pick up from
region in decline and move to those showing
sign of expansion. Movement has always
been a strategy for ensuring subsistence,
surviving famine, improving economic
livelihood and in some cases, resisting efforts
to control weavers labour. Such movements
reshaped the places that received the weavers,
stimulating the growth of towns, long distant
trade and enterprises (Haynes & Roy, 1999,
p. 36). By the late nineteenth century a large
number of Muslim weavers, particularly from
the eastern United Province (Presently UP)
9
This is revealed by Shehzad Jaheer (name changed),
a Post Graduate from Aligarh Muslim University, U.P,
India, his family owns handloom on which hired
had begun to move to western India, mostly
to places close to the Bombay-Agra highway,
for example to Indore, Dhulia, Dharangaon,
Yeola and Malegaon. Some took up
handloom weaving, but most of them got
work in mill industry. This was due to
catastrophic events in the mid nineteenth
century, such as riots in Faizabad and
Ayodhya (Haynes, 2012, p. 80).
Nearly 200 young weavers are in Gulf
countries from our village and from
nearby villages. They are in age group
15-35. Says Anwar Zaheer, further
speaks “ek loom pe sare ahl-e-khana
kam kar ke mahan 5000 rupaiya kama
pate hain” (whole family assist on a
single loom and earns hardly 5000 India
rupees per month) due to this youths are
moving towards Gulf to assist family
financially.
In Post Economic Reforms period
Businessmen gets Banarsi Sari from big
cities, such as from Surat whereas earlier
they use to visit eastern UP. A weaver
narrates
“Pichle das pandrah salo se bayapari
mubarakpur nahee arahe hai. Unhen surat
anr dusre shahron se mal mil jata hai. Pehle
labours work, and presently he is working in an NGO
in Bihar (India).

wo advance paisa de kar banarsi sari
bunwaya karte the, ab hame khud banaras
jana padta hai, jaroori mal late hai, bunai
karte aur hafto aur mahine Sariyan ghar par
hi pade Rahtee hain, khud hi banaras le jate
hai aur majboori me ghair maqool dam me
bech dete hai, majbori hamari hai. Badi
compania hamara rozgar chenti ja raheen hai,
ab apne bhachoo ko is kam me nahi rakhna
chahte, ab yahan se nawjwan Aram mulkon
me jata hai aur mehnat mazdori karta hai,
ekhata paisa bhejta hai aur apne doosre
sathiyon jo ko bhi bula leta hai.”
(For the last ten to fifteen years
Businessmen’s are not coming
to Mubarakpur. They get Banarsi
Saris from Surat and from else were. Earlier
they use to pay us in advance, now we
ourselves go to Banaras (Varanasi), brings
necessary materials, and weaves Saris of it,
after that it were piled for weeks and
months at home, we take it to Varanasi and
sell it inadequately. We are helpless, what
we can do, Big Companies are engulfing
our employment. Now we do not want our
children to pursue weaving, they are
moving to Arab countries and working as
labours, and sending money, one takes to
another (friends) to Arab, this is
persuading.)
Shahzad Zaheer a Post graduate among very
few highly educated youth narrates: ‘here
weavers are not educated they hardly
completes high school, which just facilitates
them to show it as age proof to get pass port
issued and further they get training of
plumber, electrician, driver, in Azamgarh,
Ghaziabad, Mumabai or at other place, there
are agents who approaches to them and send
them to Gulf countries on contract basis’
Post Economic reforms period is of
technological advancement particularly in
mass media and entertainment. This has
promoted western culture immensely while
developing nations utterly failed to promote
their culture proportionally. Hence, life style
of Maghrib (West) has adversely affected
Indian dressing style which resulted in form
of weavers’ plight. Anwar Jamal a youth
pursing M.Com says:
“duniya me tabdiliyan aaraheen hai,
khane pine log ek ho rahe hai, logo ke
rawaeti pahnao me badlao aa chukka hai,
aise me hame Sari ke bunai me mustaqbil
nazar nahi arahi lihaja ham doshri
dhando me janeke liye Arab se paisa
lanachahte hai”.
(There is change in world, habit of eating
and drinking is becoming globalised,
people in India had changed their
traditional dressing, due to this we do not

see future in weaving and moving to Arab
countries to earn so that we may shift to
other profession)
Weavers of Azamgarh are landless; their
livelihood is exclusively depended on
weaving, which is affected by Chinese
silk import to India. Hence, young
weavers are turning towards another
manual labour profession to Gulf.
Another weaver acknowledges: ‘Muslim
weavers do neither possess agricultural
land, nor they have land along side roads
to open shops, nor they have any approach
to politicians who may assist them in
getting jobs to ensure livelihood, so they
are looking for khalij (Gulf)’.
Gulf countries are Muslim dominated which
shares similar culture those of Indian
Muslims. This also plays a another reason
for opting Gulf as destination, he adds
Work and Worship: one important factor
Gulf is religion; there religious rituals are
safe and facilitated by the visits of holy
Islamic sites. He quotes
Hindi proverb “ek panth do kaaj”
(achieving two goals in a way).
Present world is materialistic, people wants
lavishing life, for the same needs money.An
elder man says “today, many do not wants
to marry their daughters to man who pursues
weaving as profession, as he is not
economically sound while a man in Gulf
adorns his house with modern gadgets”.
Sharif calls “aap bunai se zaruriyat-ezindagi
pura nahi kar sakte aur hamare bade kar is
liye rahe hai kyoki wo khuch aur nahi kar
sakte, loom bahot zayadah thakane wala aur
boreyat ka sabab hai, aur jo nateje me milta
hai wo ghair maqool hai”
(You cannot fulfil your life needs just by
weaving, our elders are pursuing because
they cannot do any other profession,
further handloom is laborious and
monotonous and in return what we
receive is inappropriate).
Shakil (28 years old) a returnee says there
is lack of an organised approach to buy
and sell, no representative at the wage
board to fix a price or to regulate it. As a
result weavers are left with no option but
to sell their looms for cheap to designers,
what can we do. The government fund
and schemes are another story for
weavers’ dejection, negative attitudes of
bureaucracy, redtapism and corruption
coming in the way of poor weavers. The
government allots about 247 crore for
textiles development all India. It releases
from the centre, passes it to state and
district level, what the beneficiary i.e.

weavers receive is pittances says another
weaver.
Remittance and life: during the course of
discussion on how things are changing
with the remittance is weavers generally
saves 15000 per month which s received
by head of the family, the family who
have many migrants are in good position,
they possess bike, houses are cemented
and one important thing is that girls at
home are facilitated to pursue higher
education (reveals Zaheer). While those
family who have single migrant just
manage to fulfil their life’s basic needs.
Conclusion
The Economic Reforms has thrown open all
sectors to multinational companies (MNCs).
These MNCs are now concentrating on
consumer goods and are trying to enter to
produce ethnic goods. Indian subcontinent
and other Asian countries have some sorts
of advantage in textile sectors because of
traditional artisanal skill. These are
threatened with competition from the
MNCs. Changes in Governmental
protection policies, rising prices in raw
material and in last couple of decades import
tariffs have come down and restriction are
lifted ,imports from China has increased
that contributed to the sufferings of weavers.
Whole world, knows the starvation deaths of
weavers in south Indian states particularly in
Andhra Pradesh after the introduction of
new economic policy. Most of the artisans
and lower middle class women involved in
garment productions, ethnic goods, wood
works are out of employment and now they
are in drudgery of housemaid in cities. The
weavers in Azamgarh are in persistent state
of financial problem which has made their
social life appalling. Indian firms using
sophisticated machinery and techniques
produces the same products. As a
consequence Muslim weaving community
have been destitute. To cope with this youth,
who do not qualify for jobs in multinationals
are opting `to Gulf countries to earn
substantially so that they may switch over to
another profession back in India.
During focus group discussion and in
personal interview weavers opined that
their children are not interested in
pursuing their family based occupation.
Difficulties in getting other works were
reason cited to prefer family occupation.
Elders of the Mubarakpur emphasise that
Indian culture is very much influenced by
Maghrib (West) in last couple of decades.
People were no more interested in
ancestral wearing culture for this reason
Indian firm were started manufacturing
textile product of western taste. Hence,
weavers do not see long future of their

weaving craft they insist that our new
generation needs to be trained in present
textile industry needs. They additionally
emphasises that Gulf Migration is not a
permanent solution for economic needs.
This study posed me a question to think of
changes that will ensure its continued
survival and feasibility. And what does
the future is for this traditional Industry
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