Katha Saree Sagaram

I was all dressed up and worked from my room as I have been doing for six years now, just the day I completed six years in the current assignment. It has been a lonely journey, stressful at times, boring very many times, nevertheless an exciting journey. I had seen couple of bull markets and at least three long and sustained bear markets covering financial sector before starting on oil & gas. For  most part crude has been on a strong bull territory helped by a civil wars, bombings, cross country air strikes all that held up crude price even as US shale was booming. As a reporter the worst challenge, and depressing phase of one’s career has been the Iran sanctions issue – also these six years has seen all sorts of controversies the industry can face, from Radia tapes to oil ministry leaks etc. Let me rather talk about better things like Pochampally and Ikat, the history and tradition.  Since there are going to be lot of Ikat’s coming up before I complete  #100Sa...

People go to Dubai to shop, Singapore to shop, and celebrities go to high streets in London and Paris…. But what can be this fascinating. Small town, ancient, historic and town I was so thrilled to visit, where I could also shop. Badami, a town I knew only from Kalki’s ‘Sivagamiyin Sabatham’ before I started looking at our history and heritage little more seriously. Looking at the Badami of to day, I can’t even keep guessing where the Chalukyan palaces would have, where Sivagami would have kept under say house arrest. There was just one pretty run down, but probably one of the tolerable places to stay was booked for three nights stay. For, I wanted a full day for Badami, one for Pattadakkal, Aihole, Kudala Sangama…I had noted down Ilkal weaves in my note book and thought should look for it. As luck would have it, just as we headed to the restaurant attached the hotel where we stayed, there was a small notice, Siddhalingeshwariya Jawali for Ilkal sarees. We went to Banashankari...

Trouble in Manipur, and here I am posting picture of their saree. It is not being indifferent about their plight. I make a conscious effort to buy their products though they are pricey, for I know the distance it travels.  Manipur's story of weaving is very fascinating. Manipur, and Assam though they wear skirts and sarongs in a three piece fashion are the only states in the North East weaving sare es. Manipur weaves are nothing spectacular, but for them weaving is a cosmic process, and almost all of the weaving is done by women as a daily chore. More about Manipur and weaving in another post, for this is reserved for my friend  Lyla Bavadam  . This saree of  #100SareePact  I had picked from one of Lyla's garage sale to raise money for strays, cats and dogs. It is so easy for some NGOs to raise money, do some big, high profile charity event and run it like an enterprise. But for Lyla it is a very painstaking job....picking up bits and pieces people dona...

Bit of patchwork, applique like Kutch and Rajasthan on Bengal cotton with half and half, printed stripes on one half plus embroidery, don't know how all of it merged to make one appealing piece of saree #100SareePact . This Kolkata Collection had come up near my bank, and so I decided to drop in during one of those bank visits. It is nice little shop run by a lady, decent collection, but the owner  is hardly there and girls in the shop I found know nothing about the stuff they sell, disappointing. I found this kantha blouse piece at the same shop. Not many visits in all the years, they have been around, but would definitely recommend for anyone who wants cotton and Bengal silk. With Puja not very far away I am sure the shop must be getting ready with new stock  :)  Janmashtami, Ganesh Chathurthi, Navratri, Deepavali, Karthigai, it is going to be colourful time ahead....

There are so many pending  #100SareePact   postings, but I had to do this today for the madness about getting myself clicked was taken to a new level - at a conference hall by  Rachita Prasad  ... the only happy thing in the whole place/day she said. I felt good too wearing this pink what the seller (Nabadwip boy at Kolkata Handloom Saree in Nerul) called a Khadi silk handloom from Bengal. I am not sure what kind of  a silk it is, I am sure for the price one bought this even a cotton is not possible. But not going to research on the fabric, for it falls well, definitely a handloom, comfortable to wear and I am sure looks good  :)   Yet again at the conference I was asked if was a delegate or speaker! For a reporter is not expected to be in a saree? Nice way to celebrate - Varalakshmi pandikai, Onam, Hayagreeva Jayanti so many important things on the same day. Not enough time to make too many goodies, so had adai, avial made before rushing for...

The most precious saree in my collection, classic Kanjivaram korvai with thread work border and no zari. Precious for two reasons, MS blue and a saree remade from Rukmini Devi Arundale's collection. Imitate one can of MS, only to the extent of MS colour and a kempu malai...even that would look a fake on anyone else...one can't explain why certain personalities are so charismatic that draws everyon e not just for their art but them as a person overall. Sometime in 1998 I saw an ad saying Ushas' is having an exhibition of sarees, recreated from Rukmini Devi's collection, naturally tempted landed up there with no money in hand. Saw this saree and love at first sight it was. Usha was so generous, or was it just her marketing skills - you would look as gorgeous as Rukmini Devi in this she said. It might be an exaggeration, but won't dismiss it as Usha said it only to sell the saree. For she had the best of ladies from the art world buying from her...Suhasini, Sh...