Craft Category: Handmade Textile

Craft Location: Maheshwar

Specialization: Maheshwari Silk & cotton handloom textile with dobby design

Name of Artisan: Om Mukati

Contact No: 9827857097

Email-id: mukati.rohit@gmail.com

Address: Fort road, Maheshwar



Om Mukati is one of the master-weavers in Maheshwar and owner of Hansa Handloom. He is highly experienced with the craft of weaving. He is the third generation to continue the traditional family business of handloom weaving. His two sons, the fourth generation is also involved in it now and are taking forward the craft heritage.

Om has been learning weaving since he was a child. His father used to weave, so he has been brought up around the clack-clack of looms. His curiosity led him to learn the skill and later went on to pursue B.com so that he can learn accounting and expand the handloom business further.

When his father started weaving, that time handloom market was on a downfall. So he shifted to powerloom. There were about 170 powerlooms in Maheshwar. And then 15 years down the line, the reverse happened. Powerloom sector started shutting and handloom picked up in Maheshwar. Powerloom started failing due to market issues arising from not regular electricity supply, unavailability of labour, low profit margins and government restrictions for weaving a few particular varieties on powerloom.

In 1990, the family shifted to handloom. The business was started with just one loom at home. Today it has grown to about 125 looms. It is the hard work, perseverance and dedication of Om and his two sons which has made the business reach today where it is. They also faced various challenges like, competition from new entrants in the market who are selling at a lower price by making the products from duplicate yarns. This way the quality and image of Maheshwari handloom products started losing its value. However, Om Mukati and his sons rise out of that battle everytime by maintaining the highest quality, reputation and their image in market.

Om has a joint family so his brother is also engaged in the same business bringing on board the skills of dyeing and sons bringing production and marketing skills. So this results in combined efforts of family members themselves which leads to maintaining higher quality without dependance on outsourcing.

Om thinks that, the future of handloom is uncertain. “If the awareness about its benefits keeps spreading amongst the consumers then the demand will keep at its high and there will be scope for newer innovations and possibilities”, says Om. Om’s dream is to register his own brand name and sell the handloom products through that across the world. With the support of diverse skill-sets from family members, Om is bound to achieve his dream soon, we think.