Operating a power loom to weave a traditional saree.

A textile weaving workshop with corrugated metal roofing. Multiple large mechanical looms are arranged in rows. The floor is concrete. Natural light comes from windows, supplemented by overhead lights.

Both hands are used continuously. Reaching forward to adjust threads, pulling a lever or handle to beat the weft, and manually guiding the shuttle or threads. The actions are highly repetitive.

A saree in progress, featuring red, blue, and white sections with intricate gold/yellow patterns. The material is flexible fabric made of fine threads.

A large mechanical power loom with a shuttle, a beater (reed), and various levers and gears. A small handheld tool is used for fine thread adjustments.

High precision. The worker must align individual threads perfectly and ensure the tension is consistent to maintain the pattern and fabric quality.

Collaborative work. A second person is working on the opposite side of the same loom, performing complementary actions like thread adjustment and monitoring.

1. 01Align the warp threads on the loom.
2. 02Insert the shuttle containing the weft thread.
3. 03Pull the beater bar to pack the weft thread into the fabric.
4. 04Monitor the weaving process for any thread breaks.
5. 05Manually adjust or tie broken threads using a small hook or fingers.
6. 06Coordinate with the assistant on the opposite side to ensure even tension.
7. 07Repeat the beating and shuttle passing cycle to advance the saree.