“The ‘khadi spirit’ means illimitable patience. For those who know anything about the production of khadi know how patiently the spinners and the weavers have to toil at their trade, and even so must we have patience while we are spinning ‘the thread of Swaraj,” wrote Mahatma Gandhi in Young India’s March 17, 1927 edition.
And as we celebrate Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, Taneira has reconceptualised this fabric that held a greater meaning in our fight for independence.
The handcrafted sari’s brand new limited edition titled Parichay, has 150 masterpieces of handmade khadi saris from around 28 regions of India, involves 35 craft forms. The collection brings “India under one roof through its diverse crafts.”
Undertaking an experiential walk-through of the displayed 150 hand-spun and handwoven khadi saris at the Crafts museum, will you understand how each piece amalgamates our rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and history.
The display features a range of craftsmanship from Kanjeevarams, Bengal Jamdanis, chikankaris, zardosi, Madhubani, double-sided ajrakh and more, all challenging the stereotype attached to the fabric that’s often viewed as coarse cotton. One such beauty is the white khadi silk Paithani with coin buta spread across the body with muniya border. Adding to the grandeur is its pallu carrying motifs of peacocks in rich colours.
Another masterpiece is the hand-embroidered off-white khadi silk from Rajasthan. The sari has meticulously detailed Gota patti work showcasing golden threaded plants and flowers, a reflection of spring.
This collection also celebrates the design capability of Taneira as it displays vibrant colours complemented by the age-old embellishments. Talking about the exhibit, Rajeshwari Srinivasan, COO of Taneira, calls it a “labour of love”, adding, “When the 150 years of Gandhi and 150 years of Tata group came up, Taneira seemed poised to celebrate both of them together. As parallel sari retailers, we took khadi from Gandhi and the best of Tata. So, we took khadi as the base and set out to explore the diversity and the versatility of the weavers, and that’s how Parichay was born,” says Srinivasan.
It took one whole year to create this project and around 3,000 hands have touched the 150 saris in various ways.
“It wasn’t easy to get the saris made because a khadi Kanjeevaram isn’t natural to the weavers as they weave mulberry. While the craftsmen know the length and breadth of mulberry, khadi is rather light and keeps slipping. Though many said wasn’t possible, but they did take on the challenge,” says Srinivasan, who believes that with the right weaver, a friendly company and a persevering team nothing is impossible.
This collection exhibit the versatility of not just khadi but also the weavers. Moreover, once sold; it will take six months to recreate each piece.
The walk-through is at the Crafts Museum till September 28, from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm.