Saree that fits into a matchbox

Expresso catches up with Gurum R Narayanappa, the creator of matchbox saree.
Gurum R Narayanappa and his wife Kamalamma with the matchbox saree that will be showcased at Silk Utsav next month.
Gurum R Narayanappa and his wife Kamalamma with the matchbox saree that will be showcased at Silk Utsav next month.

BANGALORE: 69-year-old Gurum R Narayanappa, creator of the saree that fits into a match box, is the ‘man of the moment'. For more than two hours, the media constantly hover around him. He humbly answers the incessant questions thrown by different mediapersons.

As Narayanappa does all the talking, his 65-year-old wife Kamalamma stands by him, lending him a helping hand as they roll the six yards of sheer silk into a tiny fold to make it fit into a match box.

Once all the shutterbugs are off, this ingenious weaver from Bangalore admits he is not used to all this attention. But he is overwhelmed by the recognition that traditional crafts is receiving.

“I am very happy that my work is appreciated. This is good publicity for us, the weaving community. It’s a humbling experience,” says Narayanappa, who was born into a family of weavers.

He created the wonder saree in 2002 — for which he has been awarded the

State Award, National Award and Rajyotsava Award. It took about six

months to weave this 30 gm-light saree, which uses a special, literally impossible, technique.

“The saree was woven with only two filaments in warp and one filament in weft,” he says, quickly adding, “with the assistance of my wife.”

Kamalamma, also a weaver, has greatly contributed to his works, which include a light-weight, temple-motif silk scarf that they plan to gift to Barack Obama during his forthcoming visit to India.

Among the Indians he wants to specially weave for are the powerful ladies — Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj. What about his wife?

“I haven't given her anything. She is the one who has always been the giver,” says Narayanappa. “He has given me happiness,” adds his better half.

The husband-wife duo have been weaving for five decades, and take

pride in their crafts. They, for a change, proudly claim that all their nine children

know the art. “But it's up to them if they want to practise or not,” signs off the master craftsman.

poonamb@expressbuzz.com

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