OCCUPATIONS AND TRADE.
The cotton-weaving of the district resolves itself into the making of rugs of apparel for men and women. Cotton rugs and carpets, used as hold-alls and for sleeping on, are made by Dévángas at Jámi in the Srangavarapakóta taluk. They are copied from the well-known Adóni carpets and the pattern consists of stripes of red, white or blue. Aniline dyes are used.
The weaving of cloths for men and women to wear is similar in most respects to that done in other districts.
In the Agency, the only systematic work is that done by the Dombus, who make coarse white fabrics for use by either sex. The women of several castes, such as the Gadabas and Banda Porojas (see pp. 97 and 87), make their own clothes, largely from jungle fibre.
On the plains, cotton cloths are woven in hundreds of villages by Sáles, Padma Sáles, Pattu Sáles, Dévángas (most of whom are Lingáyats by faith) and Sálápus. The ryots often spin their own cotton into thread and then hand it over to the weavers to be made into cloths, but large quantities of machine-made yarn are used.
In the south, the chief weaving centres are Nakkapalli and Páyakaraopéta in Sarvasiddhi taluk, the Pattu Sales in the latter of which turn out fabrics of fine thread, enriched with much gold and silver 'lace,' which are in great demand in the Gódávari and Ganjám districts. In the east of the district, there is a well-known collection of weavers round about Rázám, Siripuram and Pondúru, three neighbouring villages in the Pálkonda and Chipurupalle taluks. At Rázám coloured cloths for women are the chief product, and in the country round this village the white garments so universal elsewhere give place to coloured dress. These cloths are of very many patterns and colours, some of which are quite pleasing. Red, with yellow borders and ends white, with red borders and ends; yellow; and dark blue with golden borders are perhaps the favourite colours, and the last of these is very becoming to brown skins. The cloths are sold locally and also sent in large quantities to Berhampur, Cuttack and even Calcutta. Most of the weaving is in the hands of Dévángas, but the dyeing of the thread is done with imported aniline and alizarine colours by the Balijas of Sigadam in Chípurupalle taluk and Balijapéta in Bobbili.
In Siripuram and Pondúru the Pattu Sáles make delicate fabrics from especially fine thread, called Pattu Sále núlu, or 'silk-weavers' thread,' which the women of their caste spin for them, and which is as line as imported 150s. These are much valued by well-to-do natives for their softness and durability.
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