A Silken Thread that weaves lives...

                Today what I am going to write about is a very inspirational story. I have tried to do it as authentic as I can. I tried getting the pictures myself with some useful tips from my friend. It’s a new genre that I am trying here and I hope you guys will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed collecting material for this and writing this piece.

             It’s about this amazing person that I had an opportunity to meet by chance. I just went there as an obligation to catch up with a friend, her being short of time and I ended up having this inspiring conversation with this lady and now I am inspired to share her story with the world.

After a little bit of searching her home in my own city, I finally reached this house which had cemented grey plaster and a small rusty red colored iron gate to it. I opened the latch and the gate squeaked open. I introduced myself, to a man who opened the door and he let me in. He told me that they were waiting for me upstairs. I went upstairs looking around and admiring the beauty and the vintage look of the beautifully decorated home. I went upstairs and was led into the room where my friend and a very elderly lady were sitting. I greeted my friend and introduced myself to the lady. And then I sat down.  My friend was admiring this bright pink saree with golden motifs in it with one end of the saree in her hand, trying to feel the silkiness of the material and the other end of the saree was in the hand of this lady.

           This lady who must be around 75-80 year old with salt and pepper silky hair tied in a tiny bun behind her head, with twigs of hair flying loose. She had a kind and a sweet face with a beautiful smile. She had the grandmotherly warmth to her persona which reminded me of my grand ma. The wrinkles that cascaded over her facial features could not hide the glow and shine of her milky complexion. And her eyes lit up while she opened up each one of her creations in front of us. There was this sparkle in her eyes that would defy her age. Her eyes, her talk and the elan with which she showcased each garment made by her, exuded passion, the kind of which is difficult to see in people of our generation, and for the generation that she came from it is a rare case. She belonged to a generation when ladies of the house usually took the role of taking care of the home and family, but she has managed to keep her passion alive and has been translating it into beautiful clothes which fulfill dreams, right from a little girl wearing dress for the first time, to a bride aspiring to look perfect for her husband on the most special day of her life, to an elderly lady wanting to look classic in a vintage saree on her 50th wedding anniversary. She would make each and every dress/saree that you dream of into a reality. It revealed to me the pride that she had for each one of her hand-crafted wonders. She kept opening one after another piece of these amazing hand-woven textiles which were embroidered with colorful silken threads. The weave was so fine and the feel, so soft and feathery. Each one of them was decorated with variety of the knots and stitches. While she explained to us the details of each cloth and the complexity of the art of embroidering each piece and how much hard work goes into it, and my jaw dropped in awe. She, so delicately cared about each piece of hers, that when my friend was trying it on and the train was entangled in her foot, she didn’t fail to reprimand her to ‘Take care of it’.

             Then she showed us some of the designs that she was preparing for the exhibition of hers. I asked her what exhibition are you talking about, Aunty? To which she got very excited and started describing it. She started narrating how the entire year they make special pieces for their exhibition in Mumbai, which comes once in a year in June and how all her clothes are picked up like Hot Cross Buns. She said this time it starts on the 23rd to 25th of June. But her excitement wasn’t about how she makes huge profits from it but it was about how all the members of her family, including her sons, daughters, brothers and their wives, cousins, and all together 50 odd people gather to help her pull through those most eventful 3 days of her year. Her excitement was about how fulfilled she felt about the immense appreciation and frenzy over the articles of beauty that she creates. Finally after emptying almost her entire collection of clothes, my friend decided on a few pieces that she was keen to buy. I was so awed by her creations that in spite of having no intentions to buy anything, I ended up buying a few pieces for myself.

             We then went downstairs in the living room where we sat down on the dining table for a cup of tea and some snacks. Her drawing room was like a room out of 1960’s. There were beautiful wooden carved sofas with old styled upholstered cushioned seats over it. There was also a beautiful full length mirror on the wall with a teak wood craved frame surrounding it. The entire room spelt beauty, vintage and art in it. I was admiring it when she called us to sit on the dining table. She served us some piping hot bundi (tiny fried flour balls dipped in saffron flavored sugar syrup) and some savoury crunchy mathiyas (fried spicy tortillas). I was so amazed at looking at her knowledge of textiles and her passion for it that I couldn’t stop telling her the same. She was humbled by my compliment and said, it’s just something I do to keep myself busy. I have got a fraction of my mother’s knowledge and talent and I am just taking it forward. Then she proudly said that her mother had so much love for clothes and embroidery that she naturally has it in her genes. I asked her, if her mother did the same work, she was like, “No, no. In those days, where was all this allowed?” But she added that her mother was so fond of making beautiful embroidery anyways that she would make little flowers or motifs of it on each and every frock or dress that she wore. She said that she had love for this work from the very beginning but it translated into profession much later in life after she completed her family responsibilities. She said that she started the work professionally as she really believed in this organization in Baroda that worked for women and children who are victims of sexual or domestic abuse and wanted to donate money for them. To be able to donate money, she had to make some money herself and this is how she started her profession. I was like, “Aunty, that is such a true reason to start something, and probably the good thought that you started it with, has made you so successful.” She just smiled and added, because I started it with the idea of helping someone and doing good for someone, I could never cheat my customers. I would feel like betraying my cause if I would be charging for something more than it’s worth. “What a noble thought!” I wondered. She still continues to do charity for various organizations.

Beautiful textures, colors, knots and embroidery in the making.

              Then our talk drifted to how she manages to get this detailed and intricate embroidery and such silky and beautiful, rich cloth material woven. She said, she makes a design and then her artisans replicate the final patterns. It takes about a month or sometimes more depending on the intricacy of the weave and embroidery. So I asked her, where does she find the artisans from? She said, like a proud mother, that they have been with me since I started, more than 25 years from now. I treat my artisans like my own family. I support them in the times of need like illness and also take part in their happiness like their weddings and birth of their children. I have taken responsibility of their children’s education and their well-being. I would never pay them less or rush them with work. Hence they like working with me. Then she added, “I believe, it is impossible for us to change lives of a lot of people, but I can make a difference in lives of these few people who work for me and help them lead a good life.” And I actually got an opportunity to witness that her artisans called her “Maa”, which is the hindi version of mother, as for them she is the lady, who not only provides them with a steady income, but actually nurtures them and their families and also nurses them in their hour of need.  My jaw dropped in awe and I exclaimed with wonder and amazement “WOW!!! You are an angel.” She quietly brushed off saying, “No its nothing.”

With the artisan- Masterpiece in making!!!

              Then continuing the banter, I asked her, do you keep some young designer who tells who what kind of stuff is in the fashion, what colors are in vogue or what silhouettes are being preferred by the youngsters these days. In short how do you keep up with the fashion that is ever changing? She said, “It’s my passion and my field of interest. When we go to weddings or simply glance out of the window, all I notice is the clothes that a person is wearing.” I was like you really have to like your job to be 24*7 be involved in it. She smiled. Then she added, you would love to go to some foreign land for a vacation. But I prefer going to the small villages in India. There is so much dying art and the artisans are abandoning their generations old art forms, being engulfed by the corporate world. I love going to these villages, appreciate their art, learn from them, try to give them work by trying to incorporate new things in my work. I end up spending much less than a vacation to exotic location, but enjoy myself more than anyone. I just kept listening to her with my mouth gaped in amazement. Each time I go to meet her now, she has a yet another new story to tell and I always end up inspired by her, although it’s impossible for me to share each one of them right now. In addition to that, although she lives in a beautiful home, alone, she is a loving mother, and she proudly declares that her younger son has got her love for textiles in his genes. She has a leads a simple life with her days revolving around her household chores, her clothes and meeting and interacting with new people and touching lives. She is like that golden silken thread that shines through in a weave and imparts meaning to so many lives that she touches. 

She exemplifies that if you have passion you can reach the stars, she proves that it’s never too late to chase your dreams and she lives the saying that ‘A Noble thought can travel very far.’ And even if you can make difference in life of one person, is a big deal. Where was this lady up until now? So many inspirational stories all bundled up in this grand-ma…   

If you are in Mumbai and get a chance to visit her exhibition, please do so, you may be amazed at the kind of beauty her clothes have and you will actually get a glimpse of this serene, beautiful person with a heart of gold!!!

The Exhibition is called Kala-Kutir and is in Matunga area of Mumbai city- 23rd to 26th June