In a Tucked-Away Goa Village, Women Are Restoring Pride to a Saree That Carried Generations of Stigma

The rhythm is ancient, a gentle thack-thack-thack that speaks of patience and skill. But the voices weaving through the air in this bright, airy space in North Goa are telling a decidedly modern story. 

Advertisment

Add The Better India As A Trusted Source

This is not a scene from a bygone era; it is a vibrant workshop at the Heritage First Goa festival, where the humble Kunbi saree is being reimagined as a fabric of change, woven by the determined hands of women.

The workshop, held on November 15, was more of a living conversation than a demonstration. It was a portal into the world of Usha Ghadi and her collective of 27 women, who have transformed a forgotten cowshed into a hive of creativity and enterprise.

Where a workshop becomes a window into history

The workshop was led by researcher and social worker Mahalaxmi Bhobe, who saw in the Kunbi revival something far greater than preserving a textile.

"For me, it's not only the saree that's being revived, it's also the women who are a part of this whole process," Mahalaxmi tells The Better India. Her driving force has always been empowerment. "I am quite keen on helping others. It makes me feel good when I see someone having more control over their life."

She was drawn to this particular group because of their proactive spirit. But to understand the profundity of their work, Mahalaxmi guided workshop participants through the saree's complex past. The Kunbi weave, characterised by its simplicity and checkered pattern, is not unique to Goa, but its story is deeply intertwined with the identity of the Kunbi tribe.

Recognisable by its red and white checkered pattern, the Kunbi saree reflects the identity and pride of the Kunbi tribe, one of Goa’s oldest indigenous communities. These sarees are handwoven using natural fibres and dyes, rooted in sustainability and simplicity.

“Kunbi sarees were associated with a particular community that traditionally wore them,” Mahalaxmi explains, addressing the social stigma head-on. “Caste-wise, it was not considered ‘high level’. So, for instance, you wouldn’t wear it for a wedding…there has always been that attached stigma or taboo.”

This history shaped how people perceived the saree for decades. “Even today, if you go into villages or older households, you’ll find that mindset persists. It’s still not seen as a status symbol—just something that a certain group used to wear.”

Yet, within its humble design lay ingenious functionality. Traditionally worn without a blouse and tied on the shoulder, its unique feature was that it had two borders because it was tied on the shoulder. 

“It would have a border for the back as well. And at the start and end of the saree. It would be like having two pallus instead of one." Worn above the knee, made of robust cotton, it was, as Mahalaxmi described, the perfect attire for working in the fields—"the original power-dress of Goan women."

Weaving threads of change

For her, the workshop was a platform to showcase a powerful paradox: "We talk about change and tradition as opposing things. But here you see that something traditional is being used to display change." This change is radical. "All these years, if you think of weavers, they've always been male. And here we are using a traditional thing like weaving on a loom to change something. So now it's the women who are taking on the role of the weaver."

The journey is one of constant negotiation between honouring tradition and securing a future. Mahalaxmi points out the core challenge: "For anything to survive, the bigger community has to accept and become a part of it."

Yet, a quiet revolution is underway. "People are warming up," Mahalaxmi observes, citing a powerful example: "A friend of mine, she is much younger than I, is planning to get married. And she wants to wear this saree for her wedding registration. And she is expecting a struggle with people in her family... But she wants to do it, you know. Because she feels that it's meaningful for her to wear that saree."

Inside the cowshed that became a sanctuary

At the centre of the loom sits Usha Ghadi, her hands moving with an instinctual grace. Her journey began in 2020, a turning point that led her from stitching baby clothes at home to becoming the head weaver at the Gaonkarwada handloom centre.

"Before this, I used to work from home, stitching baby clothes, towels, small wedding items, whatever work people gave," Usha shares. "At home, we managed with whatever we had, and then we came here to work together."

The centre is more than a workplace; it's a sanctuary. "Everyone is truly happy to have this space. We are not just working for ourselves; all the women who stand with us share the same dream."

However, their path wasn't easy. They faced material shortages and a relentless search for a space until a village elder saw their potential. "There was a small space in our village that people had forgotten about, an old ‘cowshed’," Usha recounts. 

"We approached the owner, and he said, ‘Take the place. I don’t want rent from you. I want to see you women progress.’ He never imagined we would grow this much, but we did.”

The weavers, too, have turned into savvy innovators, adapting to the market while preserving the soul of the weave. “They've started weaving sarees that have golden borders, for instance, so that they sell better," Mahalaxmi notes. "They're evolving."

Usha’s pride in their craft is palpable. "Kunbi sarees are perfect for Goa’s climate, soft, cotton-based, light, and comfortable for any season," she says. "They are as unique to Goa as our cashews... Even if sold outside India, a Kunbi saree remains distinctly Goan."

A future woven with pride

The most powerful memory from the workshop, for Mahalaxmi, was the realisation participants had about the weaving skills involved. "They realised that there is a lot of math in weaving. You have to be so focused, calculate, not overlap on the threads."

But beyond the technique, she wanted people to "see change and tradition from a different point of view" and to "feel motivated by the stories of these weavers."

For participants like Surabhi, a tech architect, the workshop felt like uncovering a forgotten chapter of Goan heritage. “I always knew Kunbi saree was traditional Goan attire,” she reflects. “But discovering the stigma attached to them was a real revelation.”

But what lingered with her long after the workshop was the atmosphere of the centre. “It was the complete opposite of a factory,” she says. “Clean, organised, and incredibly welcoming.”

She realised the centre’s strength lay in how seamlessly it fit into the women’s lives. “They were happy because they didn’t have to travel far — everything was happening within the village,” she notes. “There’s a strong sense of camaraderie and friendship there, and that’s what makes it work.”

For architect and interior designer Roopa Kunkolienker, what stood out was the spirit of the women. “They learnt the craft with so much dedication and then brought more women from the village into the fold. Each one teaches the next, and that is how the group has grown to over twenty today. Watching their teamwork and commitment was truly inspiring, and I hope they continue to grow.”

For Usha and her collective, every saree sold is a step towards greater independence. "Through such workshops... people will come to know about us and the Kunbi Sarees as well." 

From their first exhibition, where they earned Rs 25,000, to now sending products to America, their world has expanded. "Earlier, villagers used to speak badly about us; today our reputation has grown so much that everyone is proud of us," she adds. 

From a handful of women stitching alone in their homes to a thriving collective shaping a cultural revival, the story of the Kunbi saree is evolving—because they chose to evolve with it.

In their rhythm, there is courage. In their colours, there is history. And in every piece that leaves their looms, there is a reminder that heritage survives not because it is old, but because someone loves it enough to carry it forward.

The women of Surla are doing exactly that—quietly, brilliantly—one saree at a time.

All images from the Heritage First Goa festival team.