My first encounter with handlooms must have been watching this soulful song on Doordarshan in the program 'Chhaya Geet'. I must have been around 10 - 11 yrs old. Of course knew nothing about the loom. Nor did my parents know anything about it. As I started understanding about looms, I loved this song all the more.
It is a pit loom. The fact that a lady is shown weaving (the beautiful and elegant Sulochana bai), means that there was weaving going on during the 1950s in Maharashtrian homes too... In rural Maharashtra. Pu La Deshpande not only understood the village mileu, but also showed it to the world. And got an apt song written by Ga Di Mad Pu La composed it keeping in mind the sound of the loom. The rhythm of the loom is the high point of the song.
Though Pu La was more famous as a humorist, his talent as a thinker, observer, and music director can be seen in songs like these. 'Dev Paavla (1950) was a movie belonging to the comedy genre... With Damu Anna Malvankar 
and Sulochana bai in lead roles.
and Sulochana bai in lead roles.The lyrics touch your heart..
daas Ram naami range
Ram hoi daas
ek ek dhaaga gunte
roop ye pataas
Saint Kabir sang dohas while weaving cloth on the loom. The poet imagines Lord Ram becoming the slave of Kabir and letting him rest for a while. And then, Lord Ram himself weaves the cloth.
The song is sung by another stalwart of classical music, Manik bai Varma.
Composed in raag yaman, one of the most beautiful raagas, her voice touches divinity and comes back to us to deliver this soulful rendition.
The song speaks volumes about devotion and surrender. It is about being one with our work. Whether you are a believer or not, sincerity in work and truthfulness in whatever you do, is somewhere close to divinity.
Can't get over it's Musikalität even after listening to it over and over again for so many years.
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