Our next stop was to the home of dhurry weavers. Of the Prajapati caste, these weavers were Hindu. Their homes were round, designed to protect against the winds of summer. Erected on poles reaching above the conical thatched roofs were small solar panels that provided some power for electricity. These panels were provided by the government as a way of helping keep craftsmen and rural people in the area. On the cow dung surfaced courtyard (which helped keep the surface cooler and cleaner) was a large kolam. Their woven dhurries are traditionally used as ground covering, but are now popular with tourists. One weaver was quick to demonstrate how compact a rug could be folded, making it easy to pack. Materials used for their hurries include camel hair and sheep wool (both traditional), and now cotton, silk, and jute. It takes two people ten days to weave a 3x5 m (10x16 ft) rug and an additional two days to set up the loom. Nowadays, factories are threatening the handloom industry.
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