Implementing Agency

Textiles committee, Mumbai Maharashtra

About Cluster :

Woraiyur, a part of present day Tiruchirappalli, was the capital city of Cholas since 300 B.C. Later, Woraiyur came under the control of Mahendra Varma Pallava I, who ascended the throne in AD 590. Till AD 880, this region was under the hegemony of either the Pallvas or the Pandyas. It was in AD 880, Aditya Chola brought a downfall to the Pallava dynasty. From that time onwards Tiruchirappalli and its region became a part of Greater Cholas. In AD 1225 the area was occupied by the Hoysulas. Afterwards, it came under the rule of later Pandyas till the advent of Mughal Rule. Tiruchirappalli was for some time under the Mughal rule, which was put to an end by the Vijayanagar rulers. The Nayaks, the Governors of Vijayanagar Empire, ruled this area till AD 1736. It was Viswanatha Nayaka who built the present day Teppakulam and the Fort. The Muslims rules this region again with the aid of either the French or the English armies. For some years, Tiruchirappalli was under the rule Chanda Sahib and Mohamed Ali. Finally the English brought Tiruchirappalli and other areas under their control. The district was then under the hegemony of British for about 150 years till the independence of India. As the sarees woven in and around the ancient Cholas capital Woraiyur, since then it is called Woraiyur sarees.

To day it is estimated that about 2500 handlooms operate in both Co-operative and Private sector. As per the statistics available with the Assistant director of Handlooms Trichy, the total number of handlooms in the cooperative sector is 4255 in which 1461 are working looms and the remaining are idle. The value of production during March, 2006 was around 45 lakhs only. The current population dependant on weaving and allied works living in Trichy district is estimated to be around 25,000 .The weaving communities are Padma Saliyars, Devangas and Mudaliars.