FASHION of all my collections, mashru is steps to produce Cultural Calendar - November 2019 the closest to my personal DNA, a perfectly especially the Abha kurta that I revisit glisteningwhile the patterns and piecethe tones of mashru draw heavily from the Lecture - “ Indian Culture, Sanskrit & Yoga: from time to time for inspiration.’’ andweave’s even heritage, theif cutsone and structures are contemporary A realistic Approach” of them is missed Garg has drawn the patterns and Prof. N.C. Panda you can’t get the the tones heavily from the weave’s few local designers have started ICCR Chair Visiting Professor of Sanskrit, Sanskrit Studies experimenting with designs and 8 bestcolours and are alsoquality. complementing The Friday heritage while giving contemporary the base fabric with tie and dye and Centre, Silapkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand block printing designs that are much makingappreciated in local markets.of mashru 10.00 am cuts and structures, making the One of the more popular designers Venue: SVCC Auditorium experimenting with mashru is Sanjay isGarg, asof the labelmesmerising Raw Mango. His work mashru pieces rare and more with “the most luxurious fabric in the a worldprocess that was worn by the royals” as the has endeared it to many buyers and Sanskarika attractive. Craftroots, Gujarat, a is bringing this heritage gem into the finallimelight. product.” As Guru Nanak Jayanti Newsletter of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre Nov 2019 unique platform that creates mashru In Delhi, fashion connoisseurs sat up and took notice when Garg mashrushowcased mashru kurtas, lehengaspieces th home furnishings, started its journey and even contemporary pants at the 550 Birth Anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Amazon India Fashion Week’s Spring flySummer off2016 edition. Exemplifyingthe shelf, 9 with the fabric in 2001. “Our sarees, what the modern Indian woman wants, Venue: SVCC Auditorium Saturday his models walked down the runway it drapedseems in gorgeous attires thatthat had the this home decor items and men’s grace of tradition but were eased down 3.00 pm so as not to make them fussy. The heritagefact that cotton made the fabric moreweave garments are sold all over India and wearable did not go unnoticed by the awed audience. Mashru scored with is on a rise once A model wearing even to foreign countries,” says Raju the Indian buyer on three major counts a mashru dress Rang of Taal – Tabla Recital from Raw Mango’s – ease of wearability, simplification of collection again.busy designs and its gorgeous fluidity. Thakor, a spokesperson. “Mashru is a by Ranga Perera- Tabla Teacher of SVCC, Senior Lecturer, INDIA PERSPECTIVES | 34 A | model wearing a mashru dress very rich fabric. It takes seven intricate from Raw Mango’s collection 21 University of Visual and Performing Arts Thursday and his disciples 6.00 pm Venue: SVCC Auditorium Shankar’s International Children Competition SHANKAR’S INTERNATIONAL – 2020 CHILDREN’S COMPETITION 2020 Topic: “Earth is the only home we have, Treasure it” at (essay writing/drawing/ painting) 23 Saturday Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Colombo For registration call on tel # 2684698 or by email:[email protected] 9.00 am Venue:SVCC “Earth is the only home we have, Treasure it” Kathak Recital Date : Saturday, 23rd November, 2019 Time : 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m by Nrutya Visharadha Dumitha Gunawardana disciple of 16/2 Gregory’s Road, Colombo 07 26 Pt. Rajendra Kumar Gangani of Jaipur gharana Venue : Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Tuesday Topic for competition : Venue: SVCC Auditorium “Earth is the only home we have ! Treasure it !!” 6.00 pm Categories: Painting | Drawing | Essay Writing Eligibility : Children born on or after January 1st 2004, from all over Bharatha Natyam Recital Sri Lanka, can participate. All entries will be sent to New Delhi by Varisha Narayanan, Kalakshetra Foundation for the Shankar’s International Children’s Competition 2020. 29 Contact us to register Children’s names & for further details: Venue:SVCC Auditorium Friday Tel. 011-2684698 ; Telefax 011-2684697 ; e-mail : [email protected] 6.00 pm

Published by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (formerly Indian Cultural Centre), Programmes subject to change 16/2, Gregory’s Road, Colombo 07. Tel: 011 2684698 Admission to all programmes are on first-come-first-serve basis, except 23rd Email: [email protected] Facebook: facebook.com/indianculturalcentre Entry Free. All are cordially invited 011 2330195 UNIE ARTS, P.C: C.B.V. Raju in which four extra shafts are added to the loom,” explains Muhammad FASHION A model, draped While kataria mashru has coloured 400Zubain, weavers Kaka’s son. worked in rhythm to Cultural Tapestry in a mashru saree “It takes about one and a half stripes obtained by using different producemonths to complete colourful a stretch of fabrics fabric,” in which the four extra stark shafts are added walks the ramp for to the loom,” explains Muhammad designer Sanjay warp threads, danedar is a dotted desert,says 72-year-old seems Hasan, hardadding that to a believe. Zubain, Kaka’s Yunus son. saree can take up to three months to “It takes about one and a half Garg’s show at months to complete a stretch of fabric,” bhaibe ready! is “The the work owner is tedious andof the Gamthivala, says 72-year-old Hasan, addinga that a the Amazon India offering the lustre of silk on the money we get is very little,” he says, saree can take up to three months to a weave Fashion Week in small colourful shop set rightbe ready! in “The frontwork is tedious and the outside, mashru has cotton on a reason why he is reluctant to let his money we get is very little,” he says, 2016 a reason why he is reluctant to let his ofsons Rani-no-Hajiro, pursue the craft. a popularsons pursue tourist the craft. theFASHION inside, making the wearer Compared to today’s scenario, Compared to today’s scenario, Facing Page (top

when there are hardly 25-30 weavers s halini hreya site in Patan. “During my grandfather’sFacing Page (top and bottom): A when there are hardly 25-30 weavers s halini hreya means allowed feel comfortable. leftand in Patan, bottom): the picture A of a few mashru weaver decades ago when almost 400 weavers at work in Patan; left in Patan, the picture of a few mashru weaver a close-up of the

time, our family made its fortune P h Photogra or permitted. workedat work in rhythm in Patan; to produce colourful fabric on the loom decades ago when almost 400 weavers fabricsa close-up in the stark of the desert, seems hard

rperched evivedon the brink of extinction, the luxurious mashru fabric, was byworked selling in rhythm tomashru. produce colourful From to believe.fabricone on Yunus the loombhaitiny is the owner P h Photogra perched on thealmost brink forgotten, of extinction, till it was discovered the byluxurious leading fashion mashru labels fabric, was Some say, it’s of Gamthivala, a small colourful shop shop,fabrics in thewe stark expanded desert, seems hard to threeset right in frontplush of Rani-no-Hajiro, a almost forgotten, till it was discoveredBY ishita goel by leading fashion labels derived from the to believe. Yunus bhai is the owner popular tourist site in Patan. “During my grandfather’s time, our family made stores,of Gamthivala, all a thankssmall colourful to shop the demandits fortune by selling of Sanskrit word mashru. From one Source: by Ishita goel | India Perspectives | Vol 33 | Issue 3 | 2019 set right in front of Rani-no-Hajiro, a tiny shop, we expanded to three plush the fabric. However, today,stores, allno thanks one to the demand of the mishru, meaning popular tourist site in Patan. “During fabric. However, today, no one asks for asksmy grandfather’s for it. time,But ourI amfamily afraidmade it.that But I am afraid if thatthe if the scenario 500-year-old living tradition that a glorious past mixed. Woven in doesn’t improve, in a few years, mashru 500-year-old living tradition mashru has a golden history that faded FASHION its fortune by selling mashru. From one will only be seen in museums.” that tells the tale of the over time. However, today, the simple yet scenariotiny shop, we expandeddoesn’t to three improve, plush in a few tells the tale of the ingenuity of the During the 16th century, the mighty a wide range of a ray of hope Centre g andhinagar r esource lok Kumar a lok ingenuity of the weavers of elegant textile is being brought back into years,stores, all thanksmashru to the demandwill only of the beHowever, seen all is not lost inas customers, weavers of yore. A luxuriousyore. A luxurious yardage yardage theOttoman limelight, revived by the effortsempire, of a few which was brilliant colours fabric. However, today, no one asks for especially in urban India, are slowly A mashru weaver at work in Patan; a close- that hides in every warp and fashion designers. A model, draped in a recognising mashru’s magic. A P h Photogra mashru saree walks

museums.” P h Photogra weft stories of kings and communities, of the ramp for designer it. But I am afraid that if the scenario up of the fabric on the loom that hides in every warp and weft spread across the Middle SanjayEast, Garg’s show like green, red, left : A weaver attaching new warp to the old one; above: A weaver a at the Amazon India battles fought and kingdoms lost. That’s the a glorious past Fashion Week in 2016 A weaver Centre s g andhinagar r esource attaching new warp to the old one;joining the broken yarns doesn’t improve, in a few years, mashru stories of kings heritageand of mashrucommunities,, a vibrant handwoven Duringtraded the 16th century, extensively the mighty with merchants yellow and will only be seen in museums.” the interest in mashru hasbuyers been gro Wanding over is the bringing last decade. rathisW heritage traditional textile that once flourished in Ottoman empire, which was spread across | 31 | a ray of hope mango’s relationship With mashru is deeply layered, our re-interpretation of battles foughtGujarat. Aand specialised kingdomsmix of silk and cotton thein Middle Gujarat. East, traded extensively Along with with spices, grains indigo, mashru eventually became a P h Photogra introduced a neW developmentgem ofinto the textile the inlimelight. banaras, including a

yarns, mashru, at one time, was the favourite merchants in Gujarat. Along with spices, However,a ray of hope all is not lost as customers,reneWed interest amongst the Weaving community as Well as the industry Centre g andhinagar r esource of the royalty and the elite of the region. grains and sundry wares, the most prized symbol of luxury. However, all is not lost as customers, sanjay Garg lost. That’s the heritage of mashru, a and sundry wares, the most prized In Delhi, fashion connoisseursDesigner sat Offering the lustre of silk on the outside, commodity that was exchanged was silk. Its their skin. Also, it was an uncomfortable crumbled to dust, theirespeciallyespecially arts and crafts in urban in India, urban are slowly India, are slowly mashru has cotton on the inside, making mesmeric sheen made it popular among the fabric to wear in the heat of their arid land. were also lost in time. In between, the | 33 |

vibrant handwoven traditional textile commodity that was exchanged P h Photogra the wearer feel comfortable. Known for Islamic nobility of the empire. However, many As the opulent dynasties of that Crafting a solution to this challenge, the weavers started weavingrecognisingrecognising plain mashru mashru ’s magic.mashru’s A magic. A up and took notice when Garg that once flourishedits jewel colours in and Gujarat. bold stripes, mashru A of themwas believed silk. that silkIts should mesmeric not touch sheen made ingenious weavers created mashru, a fabric fabrics for local tribal women, who used to was a popular fabric for clothing era crumbled to dust, their arts that enabled people to honour their beliefs stitch them into chaniya-cholisfew (skirtlocal with designers have started showcased mashru kurtas, lehengas specialised mix inof its heydsilkays. and cotton it popular among the Islamic nobility and feel comfortable, while being dressed a blouse). But that too declined, as cheaper It finds a stronghold in the and crafts were also lost in time. in the sheen of silk. man-made fabrics becameexperimenting popular. Today, with designs and and even contemporary pants at the yarns, mashru, atstate one of Gujarat, time, where it was thew oven inof a widethe range empire. of brilliant However, many of Mashru uses silk yarn in its warp the weaving of mashrut onhe pit-based interest in mashru has been groWing overAmazon the last India decade. Fashion raW Week’s Spring widely woven in areas around In between, the weavers started (vertical threads) and cotton in the weft handloom is practicedcoloursm by ango’svery few families and relationship are also complementing With mashru is deeply layered, our re-interpretation

colours like green, red, yellow and indigo, Kumar a lok favourite of the royaltyPatan and Mandavi. and Used the to create elite them believed that silk should not (horizontal threads). The name mashru, living in Patan, Gujarat.introduced Hasan Kaka is one a neW development of the textile in banaras, including a kurtas, sarees and lehengas, mashru was once a symbol of luxury weaving plain mashru fabrics for local derived from Persian, means allowed or of the few artisans whothe are stillbase weaving fabric with tie and dye and Summer 2016 edition. Exemplifying of the region. touch their skin. Also, it was an permitted. Some say, it’s derived from the mashru on a handloom.rene Wed interest amongst the Weaving communitywhat the as Wmodernell as the industryIndian woman PERSPECTIVES | | tribal women, who used to stitch Sanskrit word mishru, meaning mixed. block printing designs that are much INDIA 30 P h Photogra sanjay Garg uncomfortable fabric to wear in them into chaniya-cholis (skirt with left : A weaver attaching newWoven warp to in the a wide old one; range above: of brilliant A weaver colours strands of colourappreciated in local markets. wants, his models walkedDesigner down the Offering the lustre of silk on the Centre s g andhinagar r esource joiningA the weaver broken yarns joininglike green, the red, yellowbroken and indigo, yarns mashru Inside Hasan Kaka’s dimly lit workshop, the heat of their arid land. Crafting a blouse). But that too declined, as eventually became a symbol of luxury. work starts at dawn every day. He is runway draped in gorgeous attires outside, mashru has cotton on As the opulent dynasties of that era helped by his three sons,One all of whomof thehave more popular designers | 33 | a solution to this challenge, the a target to weave at least 3 m of cheaperP h Photogra man-made fabrics became pattern in which four extra shafts that had the grace of tradition but the inside, making the wearer feel fabric in one day.experimenting “There are several with mashru is Sanjay ingenious weavers created mashru, popular. Today, the weaving of are addedoffering to the the lustre loom,” of silk on theexplains outside, types of mashru weaves. While were eased down so as not to make comfortable. Known for its jewel kataria mashruGarg, has coloured of stripes the label Raw Mango. His mashru has cotton on the inside, obtained by using different warp a fabric that enabled people mashru on pit-basedtheir skin. Also, handloom it was an uncomfortable is Muhammadcrumbled to dust, Zubain, their arts and Kaka’s crafts son. them fussy. The fact that cotton colours and bold stripes, mashru making the wearer feel comfortable threads, danedarwork is a dotted with pattern “the most luxurious fabric was a popular fabric for clothing in to honour their beliefs and feel practiced by veryfabric fewto wear families in the heat of living their arid land. were also lost in time. In between, the made the fabric more wearable Crafting a solution to this challenge, the “It weaversINDIAtakes PERSPECTIVES started about weaving| 32 one | plain and mashru a half months in the world that was worn by the comfortable, while being dressed in ingenious weavers created mashru, a fabric fabrics for local tribal women, who used to did not go unnoticed by the awed its heydays. in Patan, Gujarat. Hasan Kaka is one of to complete a stretch of fabric,” says royals” has endeared it to many the sheen of silk. the few artisans thatwho enabled are people still toweaving honour their beliefs stitch them into chaniya-cholis (skirt with audience. Mashru scored with the It finds a stronghold in the state and feel comfortable, while being dressed 72-year-olda blouse). But that tooHasan, declined, asadding cheaper that a mashru on a handloom.in the sheen of silk. man-made fabrics became popular. Today, The interest in mashru has been Indian buyer on three major counts of Gujarat, where it was widely woven in a wide range of Mashru uses silk yarn in its warp sareethe weaving can oftake mashru up on pit-basedto three months to growing over the last decade. – ease of wearability, simplification woven in areas around Patan and brilliant colours like green, red, (vertical threads) and cotton in the weft behandloom ready! is practiced “The bywork very few is families tedious and strands of c(horizontalolour threads). The name mashru, living in Patan, Gujarat. Hasan Kaka is one raw mango’s relationship with of busy designs and its gorgeous Mandavi. Used to create kurtas, yellow and indigo, mashru was derived from Persian, means allowed or theof themoney few artisans we who getare still is weaving very little,” he Inside Hasan Kaka’s dimly lit mashru is deeply layered, our fluidity. sarees and lehengas, mashru has once a symbol of luxury permitted. Some say, it’s derived from the says,mashru a onreason a handloom. why he is reluctant to workshop, workSanskrit starts word at mishru dawn, meaning every mixed. re-interpretation introduced a a golden history that faded over Woven in a wide range of brilliant colours lets trandshis sons of pursuecolour the craft. Speaking about the future of mashru, day. He is helped by his three sons, new development of the textile time. However, today, the simple yet Mashru uses silk yarn in its warp like green, red, yellow and indigo, mashru Inside Hasan Kaka’s dimly lit workshop, Garg says, “The future of mashru lies all of whom haveeventually a target became to a weave symbol of luxury. at Comparedwork starts at dawn to every today’sday. He is scenario, in banaras, including a renewed elegant textile is being brought back (vertical threads) and cotton in As the opulent dynasties of that era helped by his three sons, all of whom have in the interest among the weavers’ least 3 m of fabric in one day. “There whena targetthere to weave areat least 3 hardlym of 25-30 interest amongst the weaving into the limelight, revived by the the weft (horizontal threads). The communities, and it has been are several types of mashru weaves. weaversfabric inleft one day.in Patan,“There are theseveral picture of community as well as the industry efforts of a few fashion designers. name mashru, derived from Persian, offering the lustre of silk on the outside, types of mashru weaves. While growing over the past decade. Out a fewkataria decades mashru has colouredago stripeswhen almost mashru has cotton on the inside, obtained by using different warp making the wearer feel comfortable threads, danedar is a dotted pattern

INDIA PERSPECTIVES | 32 |