The Song of the Loom tells the story of the hoary tradition of textile weaving in south India from the perspective of the weavers. It is a narrative from below, mediated through the author's interaction with the weavers and more specially, with their wives, for over two decades. The author stayed with weaving communities, participated in their cultural and religious festivals and listened to their many songs. These oral traditions relate to every facet of their lives-their struggles at the loom, their despair with the younger generation which is forsaking a traditional way of life and their desperate clinging to traditions and memories. The Song of the Loom is the author's token of gratitude to this community.
About the Author
Vijaya Ramaswamy is Professor of Ancient Indian History in Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she teaches economic history and the history of religion. Her area of specialization includes the weaving communities of south India. Professor Ramaswamy's publications include Textiles and Weavers in South India (1985, 2006), Divinity and Deviance: Women in Virasaivism (1996), Walking Naked: Women, Society, Spirituality in South India (1997, 2007), Re-searching Indian Women (2003).
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