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Crochet work – lace work- of Narsapur in Andhra Pradesh

Spread India's Glorious Cultural & Spiritual Heritage

ॐ श्री गणाधिपतये नमः

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More information on the Crotchet Work of Narsapur Area & The Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, will follow soon. Please stay tuned.

Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

The small town of Narsapur is located on the west bank of river Godavari in West Godavari district. It is here that the Godavari finally meets the Bay of Bengal.

Narsapur is prominently known for lace making which brought it fame around the globe for more than 100 years. Lace making has been the primary means of livelihood for most of the poor rural and semi urban women.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

Lace making was first introduced by Mrs. Macro of Scotland. With time, the lace artisans were exploited by the middle men, who were motivated only by profits and not the art of lace making.

The artisans were paid low wages but the middlemen amassed large wealth by exporting overseas. There was no certainty that the woman artisan would have work round the year.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

The women were only employed on demand. As long as the middlemen were sure to make profit on orders, the women artisans received work. The middlemen enjoyed monopoly in the lace business and exploited the poor artisans. The wages paid were meagre and did not even suffice sustenance.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

Buy crochet marvels from Amazon India here : And also from Amazon USA

Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

These artistic women can provide the world with great lace products if the exploitation of middle men is removed and the consumers realise the beauty of lace products. One such effort is the Godavari Delta Women Lace Artisans Co-operative Society.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

Threading a tale of finery : The tale of famous Narsapur lace

The intricately woven Narsapur lace speaks of a rich history of handicrafts that dates back to 100 years and many generations.

The age-old industry of handmade crochet lace-work has been passed down from one generation to the next and is mainly undertaken by the women of the household.

In fact, it is part of the daily routine for many. After finishing the morning chores of the house, packing the kids to school many women sit with their spindles to work.

Using cotton threads that are commonly in white or off-white colours, they knit out intricate patterns of laces for dresses, table-covers and varied other purposes.

Other members of the family play a role too, as they help in procuring thread, picking up orders, marketing or dispatch.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

Introduced to the work in the 1990s, Dilip Kumar, a craftsman from the town of Pallakollu near Narsapur, shares that much before that, he would see his mother knitting the thread on her needle, a sight that inspired him to take it up as well.

But actual origins are traced to much before that, and Prakash from the Godavari Delta Women Lace Artisans Co-operative Cottage Industrial Society Limited (GDWLACC), traces its origin to a lady called Mrs. Macre of Scotland, who taught it to the locals here.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

The work is order-based, and once an order comes in, thread is procured from Delhi. With orders from varied parts of the country, a large percentage of work comes from foreign countries like the Gulf, Italy and other places.

Involving deft weaving skills, plenty of patience, along with an attention to detail, this handmade lace from Narsapur is favoured by many.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

The women workers come not just from the town of Narsapur, which lends its name to the craft-form, but also from the nearby towns like Pallakollu, and villages in both East Godavari and West Godavari regions.

However, a large majority of artisans are the older women, as back in the old days, every woman in the house would usually know or learn this work.

Today, those numbers are on the decline, as only some people are taking interest in this craft. The reason for this can be attributed to the reducing market share of lace-work.

Orders are mostly seasonal, and when there is work, there is money, forcing people to look for options that sustain their daily lives.

Also, the involvement of middle-men, fragmented market and an inefficient Lace Park are other hurdles in the way.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

So while 50 women together came together to form the GDWLACC in 1979, various gaps in the market still exist. With a reducing market share and the added burden of GST, each has to fend for his own, and people have turned to take individual orders.

Most craftsmen have to hire artisans based on the size of every order. While platforms like Saras provide some respite, much more is needed.

Also while the Lace Park once supported through training and design, the artisan here still hopes for marketing support and subsidies.

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Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

The lace-work of Narsapur is a unique craft-form. With a beautiful range of products on offer, one can only hope that this craft finds the opportunity to blossom, thus inspiring the next generation to take it up.

Get to Narsapur : A five and a half hour drive from Vizag via NH16 can get you here.

Buy crochet marvels from Amazon India here : And also from Amazon USA

Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

Buy crochet marvels from Amazon India here : And also from Amazon USA

Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

Buy crochet marvels from Amazon India here : And also from Amazon USA

Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

Buy crochet marvels from Amazon India here : And also from Amazon USA

Crochet work (lace) of Narsapur

Buy crochet marvels from Amazon India here : And also from Amazon USA


Spread India's Glorious Cultural & Spiritual Heritage

By Mala Chandrashekhar

Introducing Blogger Mala Chandrashekhar - a specialist academically trained in modern Western sciences, yet deeply enamored with India's timeless ethnic arts, crafts, and textiles. Her heart beats for the rich and glorious cultural and spiritual heritage of India, and she has dedicated her entire blog to spreading the immortal glories of ancient India worldwide. Through her simple yet impactful blog posts, Mala aims to reach every nook and corner of the globe, sharing India's beauty and wisdom with the world.

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