Saree gets global recognition

Chennai

Tamil Nadu takes charge of the six-yard revolution

Handlooms are an integral part of the livelihood in many parts of Tamil Nadu. Weaving is a part of family tradition. There have been numerous drives to safeguard the interest of the weavers and preserve ancient handlooms. Present-day saree revivalists are working towards this cause. Revivalists The warp and wefts of bright greens, red and peacock blue in the Kanjeevarams require to be tied with immaculate precision. Weavers creating them are far and few in between and require ample support. Revivalists are working in tandem with them to make sarees more wearable for present generation. “In the age of mechanisation, textile has evolved rapidly. Particularly in a country like ours, generations of weavers face the challenge of sustaining the centuries old tradition of hand loom weaving. As a designer, I take it upon myself and urge my peers to continue to support handloom. The idiosyncrasies of each fabric woven should be treasured by women worldwide,” says designer Priyanjoli Basu, a city-based fashion designer, who has been reviving handlooms. She explains, “Following global fashion trends, we work with exquisite Indian fabric to create a unique style statement.” If you have an old Kanjeevaram saree of your mother or grandmother that has been languishing in your wardrobe, Sujata Pai of Ambi has the perfect solution. “I work towards making the heirloom more wearable by the young generation. This will only make them want to wear more sarees. For instance, an old Kanjeevaram sari of a client was combined with ikat and shibori pallu, and we gave her a crushed bandhini blouse with intricate hand embroidery to go along with that. It was lighter in weight and looked fantastic. This way, we can keep Kanjeevarams alive,” she says. Ahalya S, another revivalist, has been giving sarees a new lease of life. “I try to innovate with colours and patterns, but don’t meddle with the original weaves,” she says. She uses temple borders, checks, threepart saris (muppagam) in pastels, and plays with the size of motifs.

A saree pact to remember

2015 was special year for all those who cherish their sarees. A pact by two friends from Bengaluru, Anju Maudgal Kadam, a former business journalist and Ally Mathan, a perfumer, who loved to flaunt their sarees touched the chord of millions of women. What started with an idea to showcase their love for sarees went viral on social media and became a movement to revive the saree culture in India. The movement was referred to as the #100SareePact. The idea was to share a story about the sari, a memory and a photograph of it. Women across the world are making saree a medium to tell their stories on the social media. So much so that December 21 is being celebrated as the World Saree Day. Talking about the whole idea, Anju says, “Sarees are not just a piece of garment. They tell stories. Wearing a saree is like ‘wearing a piece of history’. Sarees are also about the blood and sweat of weavers, who take so much effort in creating it. We see no reason why the sarees that tumbled out should go back into the corners of their wardrobes. When we started out, it was all about going back and honouring our sarees. Now we have realised that women across the globe are a part of it. So we want everybody who loves the idea of wearing a saree, should adorn one on December 21.”

How Co-optex and U Sagayam brought back ancient weaves

Ancient saree varieties of Tamil Nadu like Kandangi, Sungudi, Chinnalapatti and Koorai Nadu made a comeback with state-run Co-optex launching a revival plan for the sarees in 2014.  U Sagayam, the Managing Director of Co-optex in 2014, was instrumental in the revival
of the traditional sarees and providing incentives to weavers. Weavers skilled in making traditional sarees are few and he worked effectively towards identifying such craftsmen so that they could be roped in for making the sarees for Co-optex. He ensured that while core features of
ancient sarees were retained, design and colours were modified to suit the needs and sensibilities of modern day working women. His revival plan aimed to support weavers and bring back the original glory of the sarees.