Test: Weavers, Iron Smelters & Factory Owners - UPSC MCQ

Cotton textiles had a huge demand in britain and overseas.mechanisation of it's production made cotton textiles cheaper and easier for production.this was appealing among people and they started buying it in huge quantities.then britain's cotton textile industry grew as a varey big industry making it the foremost industrial nation in the nineteenth century.

Answer:
To replace the term "this" in the given statement, we need to identify what India was the largest producer of around 1750, before British conquered Bengal. The options provided are:
A: Cotton textiles
B: Cement
C: Paper
D: Coffee
We need to determine which option aligns with India's historical production capabilities during that time period. The correct answer is:
A: Cotton textiles
Explanation:
India was the world's largest producer of cotton textiles around 1750. This was a significant industry in India before the British colonization. The cotton textiles produced in India were highly sought after and were exported to various parts of the world. The Indian textile industry was known for its fine craftsmanship, intricate designs, and high-quality fabrics. The British colonization had a significant impact on the Indian textile industry, leading to its decline in the subsequent years.

Their Fine quality and beautiful craftsmanship made them renowned all over the world.Cotton and silk textiles had a huge market in Europe. Indian textiles were by far the most popular. Different varieties of Indian textiles were sold in the Western markets; for example, chintz, cossaes or khassa, bandanna.

Patola is a double ikat woven sari, usually made from silk, made in Patan, Gujarat, India. The word patola is the plural form; the singular is patolu. They are very expensive, once worn only by those belonging to royal and aristocratic families. These saris are popular among those who can afford the high prices. Velvet patola styles are also made in Surat. Patola-weaving is a closely guarded family tradition. There are three families in Patan that weave these highly prized double ikat saris. It is said that this technique is taught to no one in the family, but only to the sons. It can take six months to one year to make one sari due to the long process of dying each strand separately before weaving them together.Patola was woven in Surat, Ahmedabad and Patan.Highly valued in Indonesia, became part of the local weaving tradition there.

B is the correct option.Indian cotton textiles which were of fine quality and intricate design had a large market ... This word has originated from Mosul which is in present day Iraq. This was the place where European traders first became aware about fine cotton cloth from India. The Arab merchants used to bring find cotton cloths in Mosul.

The European traders first encountered fine cotton cloth from India carried by Arab merchants in Mosul, in present day Iraq. Therefore, they began to refer to all finely woven textiles as ‘muslin’.

Calico (in British usage since 1505 is a plain-woven textile made from unbleached and often not fully processed cotton. It may contain unseparated husk parts, for example. The fabric was originally from the city of Calicut in southwestern India. It was made by the traditional weavers called cāliyans. The raw fabric was dyed and printed in bright hues, and calico prints became popular in Europe.

There are many other words which point to the popularity of Indian textiles in Western markets. The order that year was for 5,89,000 pieces of cloth. Browsing through the order book you would have seen a list of 98 varieties of cotton and silk cloths. These were known by their common name in the European trade as piece goods – usually woven cloth pieces that were 20 yards long and 1 yard wide.

Chintz was originally glazed calico textiles, specifically those imported from India, printed with designs featuring flowers and other patterns in different colours, typically on a light plain background. (The name is derived from the Hindi chīnt, "spotted or variegated").