Where can you see a ‘Datthi Seere’ (young girl’s sari) jostle for space with a Tangalia shawl, Simhasna Nanjappa sari and Annam Jarithari sari? And where can you see a collection of over 50 antique saris, fabrics, textiles and weaves? All this and more is part of the very interesting and unique Museum of Living Textiles that recently opened its doors in Bengaluru.
The museum is the brainchild of Pavithra Muddaya, whose late mother, Chimmy Nanjappa, established the Vimor sari store in 1974—a brand that has been working on replicating lost weaves and reviving, designing and selling South Indian handloom saris through collaborations with over 2,000 weavers. For this project, Pavithra has also extensively documented motifs, techniques and designs that are no longer being woven. The museum displays several saris from the family’s personal collection. So, you have Pavithra’s grandmother’s headscarf (titled ‘Subamma’s Vastra’) that has a motif of a peacock on a branch with a beaded necklace in its beak.
In fact, many of Vimor’s clients have donated saris belonging to their mothers and grandmothers which is why this space is called a Museum of Living Textiles. “It is not really about heritage weaves or royal weaves, this is a living heritage that we are aiming to preserve and revive,” says Pavithra. The building itself is the home of the family and hence exudes a warm vibe that is unmissable. There are two small (read tiny) looms on display for children to try their hand at weaving, as well as a real-size loom that showcases the methodology of handloom weaves.
The museum’s varied collection includes a 3.15-metre-long sari especially woven for a little girl that has two pallus which make it easy to handle and was used when petticoats were not worn. The border of this sari has an interlocking korvai (a joint border with interweaving design) technique as well.
Do take time to admire some of the saris that are lined in horizontal drawers and if Pavithra is around, she will explain each and every sari to you in detail. The walls of the museum have a lot of information boards as well. “I am not claiming I know everything, which is why I have left some of the boards plain so that anyone who has any additional knowledge of any of the saris can leave their comments.”
She points out to several weaving nuances in the saris; there is one that has an auto and an airplane weave in it and another that has distinct Islamic domes in the weaves that have a traditional South Indian border. “It is hard to know what the weaver was thinking when he wove these saris. It was like the weave was his canvas to showcase the creativity in his mind,” says Pavithra.
Also, check out the Tangalia weave that looks like it has beadwork but is actually done by twisting the extra weft threads around warp threads creating unique knots. The Annam Jarithari sari woven in Tamil Nadu is actually a pure silk red bridal sari in four-ply warp and has the mythical bird motif of the Mysore royal family—the gandaberunda—that has two heads. Besides, many of the saris on display are temple saris given to a temple deity and then auctioned off.
The idea behind the space is also to keep changing the exhibits once in four months to showcase different textiles. “We will choose a theme going forward that will ensure that we can display more items and keep the spirit of living textiles intact,” says Pavithra.
The other idea of the museum is to create sustainable employment and products in the handloom sector by working with weavers. “We also want this to be a space of exploration for our weavers to come and be inspired to create new weaves. We hope this would be a learning space where anyone could come and leave feeling inspired,” says Vipra, Pavithra’s daughter.
Walking around the museum, you will see a lot of interesting trivia about fabrics. As most of the weaves on display are not very old but no longer being done, the museum is certainly doing a fine job of ensuring that the traditions and weaves are well preserved for the next generation. After all conservation and preservation are two keywords that help carry textile legacies forward.