According to a BDAM study, there were seven lakh weavers in Varanasi in the early 1970s. The communal riots of 1978-79 left a large number of them starving, Hassan says; many quit the city, opting for other professions.

‘‘Then, in 1989, an influx of about 40,000 weavers arrived from Bhagalpur, fleeing the riots there,’’ says Hassan. ‘‘They brought the powerloom with them, which badly affected the handloom industry. Thousands of weavers fled once again to Surat and Mumbai in search of at least a basic livelihood.’’

In Hassan’s estimate, over the last 40 years, about three lakh weavers have abandoned the trade and switched to other professions. Another two lakh have left the city following riots and their subsequent adverse effect; only two lakh still live in Varanasi, ‘‘trying to survive in the given situation’’, Hassan says.

As per a UP Handloom Corporation survey, there are presently 75,313 handlooms and 1,758 power looms in the district, employing 1,24,832 handloom weavers and 2645 power loom weavers.

When contacted, AD, Handloom, Tejeswar admitted the slump in the market due to this month’s turmoil but hoped that the situation would soon resume its usual impetus.