Preserving Tradition
The Handloom Legacy of Sri Lakshmi Narashima Perumal Silks
Mr. Pradeep, founder of Sri Lakshmi Narashima Perumal Silks in Tamil Nadu, comes from a lineage deeply rooted in handloom tradition. Their silk production, void of automated machines, showcases a profound dedication to handloom weaving. With their own silkworm farm and support for struggling cocoon farmers, they epitomize commitment to the craft.
Pradeep attributes this legacy to his grandfather, Sri. Govindaraj, a centenarian master weaver whose teachings ignited Pradeep’s passion for handloom. Despite market challenges, Pradeep remained steadfast, refusing to abandon tradition for profit. Instead, he expanded his handloom business, now comprising 60 units in South India.
Pradeep’s resilience in the face of adversity and commitment to quality over profit reflect his ethos. He acknowledges his wife’s unwavering support as instrumental to his journey.
In a world where handlooms face obsolescence, Pradeep’s example highlights the potential for entrepreneurship to preserve tradition. As the Master Weaver once said, “Believe! Weaving is a part of life like cooking”.
Ramesh
Mastering the Art of Paithani Saree Weaving
Preserving Tradition, Weaving Elegance: The Journey of Ramesh, Master Weaver
In the heart of India, amidst the vibrant tapestry of culture and tradition, resides Ramesh, a master weaver dedicated to the timeless art of Paithani saree weaving. With a legacy steeped in heritage and a passion for craftsmanship, Ramesh’s journey is a testament to the resilience of traditional art forms in the face of modernity.
A Legacy of Craftsmanship
Ramesh’s love affair with weaving began at an early age, under the tutelage of his ancestors who passed down the intricate techniques of Paithani saree making. From learning to thread the loom to mastering the delicate art of designing, Ramesh honed his skills with dedication and reverence for tradition.
Innovation Meets Tradition
In a world where tradition often meets innovation, Ramesh found a delicate balance between the two. While staying true to the timeless techniques of Paithani weaving, he embraced modern trends and preferences, incorporating new colors, designs, and motive into his sarees. From traditional bright hues to contemporary pastels, Ramesh’s sarees cater to a diverse clientele, both in India and abroad.
Recognition and Acclaim
Ramesh’s dedication and artistry have not gone unnoticed. His sarees have graced prestigious exhibitions and garnered accolades from national platforms, including a commendation from the Prime Minister himself. Such recognition not only validates Ramesh’s craftsmanship but also shines a spotlight on the rich cultural heritage of Paithani weaving.
A Vision for the Future
As Ramesh looks to the future, his vision remains steadfast: to continue weaving elegance, preserving tradition, and empowering communities. With each saree that leaves his loom, Ramesh carries forward a legacy centuries in the making, ensuring that the art of Paithani weaving continues to enchant and inspire generations to come.
Balrampur, Bilaspur, and Surguja practise sericulture. Tasar silkworm rearing is a long- standing tradition in the designated districts, particularly in tribal families. The entire family participates in various activities like collecting seed cocoons, preparing to lay, protecting worms, and finally harvesting and sales of cocoons.
Tisser
hand to heart
Presenting its first ever spring summer collection ‘Hindol Basant’ an exquisitely designed collection in Kosa Silk.
A sustained revival of Tasar handlooms linked with commercialization is thus pivotal in community development of these weavers.
Success Story
Tisser
hand to heart
Kosala Tasar Silk: Triumph of Concerted Efforts
TIMELESS ARTISTRY
Dr. Megha Phansalkar
(Founder of Tisser Artisan Trust and
Authorised User of Silk Mark)
Tisser Artisan Trust is an entrepreneurial venture, functioning as a tool for social upliftment of rural clusters of India. Restoring the dignity of work by skilling women in rural clusters and providing them job opportunities.
Kosala Social and Livelihood Foundation, initiated by Hindalco and supported by Tisser Artisan Trust, is a social enterprise that acts as a bridge between the skilled Kosa silk artisans in the Chhattisgarh cluster and the market, providing contemporary designs interweaved with tradition. Hindalco Industries Limited is the metal flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group. Guided by its purpose of building a greener,stronger, smarter world, Hindalco provides innovative solutions for a sustainable planet.
Tisser Artisan Trust is a social enterprise that works to improve people’s lives in India’s rural areas. Under this trust, women in rural clusters are being retrained and given career possibilities, restoring the dignity of labour. The jobs thus created aim to revitalise handmade products inspired by India’s rich cultural heritage, with each art group across the country having its own unique offering.
“पूर्वान्चल रत्न” श्री मोहम्मद शारिक का बनारसी सिल्क साड़ी के उत्थान के लिए प्रशंसनीय कार्य
साड़ी भारतीय नारी का सिर्फ पसंदीदा परिधान ही नहीं बल्कि जीवन का अटूट हिस्सा है। दुल्हन के साजो सामान में बनारसी साड़ी की खास भूमिका है। बनारसी साड़ी ने अपना सिक्का न सिर्फ भारतीय फैशन उद्योग बल्कि वैश्विक स्तर पर भी जमाया है । बनारसी परिधानों की प्रसिद्धि का श्रेय उसके बुनकरों को जाता है, जिन्होंने नित नए डिज़ाइन और नायाब कारीगरी से पूरे विश्व में बनारस को ख्याति दी है। ऐसे ही रचनात्मक बुनकरों में से एक हैं श्री मोहम्मद शारिक जिनकी कर्मठता से उनका व्यवसाय नई ऊँचाइओं तक पहुँचा है ।
शुरूआती दिनों में इन्होंने अपने व्यवसाय को अशफ़ाक नगर, वाराणसी स्थित अपने आवास से आरंभ किया तथा उसे बढ़ा हुए मे.
अपने आवास से आरंभ किया तथा उसे बढ़ा हुए मे. बनारसी वीवर्स शॉप का एक आधुनिक शोरूम ” दीन दयाल हस्त कला शंकुल एवं ट्रेड फैसिलिटशन सेंटर ” वाराणसी में भी स्थापित किया। इसके अतिरिक्त इन्होंने अपने शोरूम की एक शाखा कोलकाता में खोल रखी है, जो अच्छा व्यवसाय कर रही है।
वे शीघ्र ही अपने व्यवसाय के विस्तार के लिए शोरूम तथा अपने फर्म का आधुनिक सुविधाओं से युक्त एक कार्यालय वाराणसी के बाबतपुर क्षेत्र में शुरू करने जा रहे हैं ।
श्री शारिक वर्ष 2019 से सिल्क मार्क संगठन से जुड़े हुए हैं तथा अपने उत्पादों में सिल्क मार्क टैग का नियमित उपयोग करते हैं जो इनके उत्पादों को विश्वसनीयता प्रदान करता है। उनका दृढ़ विश्वास है कि सही उत्पादों के द्वारा ग्राहकों का विश्वास अर्जित करना उनके व्यवसाय की प्रगति में सहायक है। सिल्क मार्क उनके इस प्रयत्न में मुख्य में भूमिका अदा कर रहा है ।
Interviewed by Shri Jitendra Kumar, STA, SMOI, RSTRS, CSTRI, CSB, Varanasi
Success Story
Hard Work, Smart Work!
THESE BROUGHT US SUCCESS...
Says T. Prabhu, Proprietor, M/s. Yugamugi Silk House, Coimbatore
This is the inspiring story of an Electrical Engineer turned Manufacturer of Silk Products, who trades with his own silk brand in India and abroad, after joining hands with the only authority of the Silk Industry in India; the global purity assurance stamp; the Silk Mark Organisation of India.
Manufacturing was a daydream for us when we started in the year 2015. We thought this was an inherited profession. Starting as traders, we selected quality manufacturers and began selling directly to customers with a basic marketing strategy.
Going forward, we adhered to our ‘best raw material’ policy and also selected the right weavers to make traditional silk Sarees with an updated, trendy touch. We ourselves worked on the designs and provided more variety in both Mulberry Silks and Tasar Silks.
Interviewed by Shri P. C. Johny, TA (R&S), SMOI, Palakkad
सिल्क मार्क लेबलः ग्राहकों की संतुष्टि का साधन
-श्री मितेश लखवानी, मेसर्स भारत सिल्क हाउस, वाराणसी
जब भी साड़ियों का जिक्र होता है तो सबसे पहले हर किसी के ख्याल में एक ही नाम आता है और वह है बनारसी साड़ी । जब भी सुहागिनों के सामान के बारे में बात होती हैं तो उसमें बनारसी साड़ी का अपना एक विशिष्ट स्थान होता है। इन बनारसी साड़ियों को रेशम के धागे से सुंदर साड़ियों में बदलने की कला यहाँ के हुनरमंद बुनकरों के हाथों में होती है जिसका वो भरपूर इस्तेमाल करते हैं तथा बनारसी साड़ी को उसका भव्य रूप प्रदान करते हैं ।
ऐसा ही बनारसी साड़ियों का एक अत्याधुनिक शोरूम “भारत सिल्क हाउस “, आध्यात्मिक नगरी वाराणसी के भेलूपुर क्षेत्र में स्थित हैं जिसका संचालन युवा उद्यमी श्री मितेश लखवानी करते । उक्त शोरूम में शुद्ध रेशमी साड़ियों के साथ-साथ सूती साड़ियाँ, सूट, दुपट्टा, रेडीमेड गार्मेंट्स, किड्स वियर आदि की भी बिक्री की जाती है। इन्ही में से एक मंझे हुए कारीगरों के बीच आज हम बात करेंगे मितेश लखवानी जी की ।
श्री मितेश लखवानी ने अपनी स्नातक की पढ़ाई काशी हिन्दू विश्व विद्यालय, वाराणसी से पूरी करने के पश्चात अपने
पिताश्री अशोक लखवानी जी के साथ बनारसी साड़ियों के व्यवसाय से जुड़ गये । श्री अशोक लखवानी जी सन् 1985 से ही बनारसी साड़ियों के व्यवसाय से जुड़े हुए हैं ।
श्री मितेश लखवानी जी ने अपने पारिवारिक व्यवसाय से जुडने के बाद इस व्यवसाय से जुड़ी अन्य बारीकियों के बारे में जाना तथा अपने व्यवसाय की उन्नति के लिए सिल्क मार्क से जुड़ने का विचार किया। इसके लिए इन्होंने सिल्क मार्क के विषय में ऑनलाइन जानकारी प्राप्त की तथा अपने शहर वाराणसी में स्थित भारतीय रेशम मार्क संगठन के कार्यालय में आकर सिल्क मार्क के संबंध में विस्तार से जानकारी प्राप्त की तथा अपनी फर्म भारत सिल्क हाउस का रजिस्ट्रेशन करवाया। सिल्क मार्क के उपयोग के बाद इन्होंने अपने ग्राहकों को भी सिल्क मार्क से जुड़े कई तथ्यों से रूबरू
करवाया ।
श्री मितेश जी के अनुसार सिल्क मार्क से जुड़नें तथा सिल्क मार्क लेबल का उपयोग करने से अब उनके ग्राहक भी निश्चिंत हो कर खरीदारी करते हैं तथा अपने आपको संतुष्ट पाते हैं। आने वाले दिनों में श्री मितेश जी द्वारा अपने व्यवसाय को और अधिक विस्तार देने के लिए एक और नए व अत्याधुनिक शोरूम को आरंभ करने की योजना बना रहे हैं ।
Interviewed by:
ShriJitender Kumar, STA, SMOI, Varanasi
Success Story of An Authorised User of Silk Mark
Shri Suresh Makwana, M/s Pooja Patola Sarees
Successful Scion of Rajkot, Gujrat.
* છેલાજીરે... મારેહાટુપાટણથીપટોળાંમોઘાંલાવજો "
"Chhelaji re mare hatupatanthi Patolamonghalavjo"
(O my dear! Do bring the precious Patola from Patan for me!)
This line is from one of the folk songs of Gujarat, in which the wife asks her husband to buy a Patola of Patan for her while returning. Patola is a sacred silkcloth.
Patola through subsequent generations by transferring knowledge to their children. Slowly it has been spread to the nearby villages.
Suresh Makwana had grown up seeing Patola weaving all around him, so his passion for Patola sarees also grew inside him. He entered the family business in 1986. During the initial days he had no money to purchase raw silk yarn. With the help of his uncle he purchased raw silk from Bengaluru in order to weave just four Patola sarees. While visiting the area, a buyer from Jamnagar was impressed by his artistry and intrinsic designs, and Suresh was given an order for more sarees with similar designs. Since that first brush with destiny, Suresh’s business began to flourish.He established his own brand under the name of M/s. Pooja Patola in 2002. And it has grown by leaps and bounds; today he has 20 weavers working for him, as well as Designers and specialized masters for Dyeing.
The weaving process of Patolas is very precise and also time-consuming. The weaver should thus be a perfectionist and should also have great patience. In Patola sarees, the Warp and Weft yarns are Tied and Dyed and then woven into the Saree. Thus the interlacement of Warp and Weft needs to be very precise; only then will perfect designs appear on the saree. Otherwise the clarity of the figure on the Saree is affected, which in turn affects the value of the saree.
Shri Suresh Makwana has been instrumental in the achievement of GI (Geographical Identification)for Rajkot Patola Sarees. He proudly says that it is an achievement for the unity of Rajkot Weavers and the efforts of Rajkot Weaver’s Association.
His brand has also recently been felicitated at the “International Product & Service Awards (IPSA) 2019” as the Leading Patola Saree Manufacturing Firm of the Year, accepting the award from Bollywood actress Smt. Juhi Chawla in Mumbai. In 2017, M/s. Pooja Patola was also a Winner of India’s 5000 Best MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) Award. Shri Suresh Makwana has submitted his Patola Saree design sample to DC Handloom, Ministry of Textiles, to be considered for the National Award for Creativity and Handloom Product. He has also applied for Indian Handloom Brand (IHB) registration to the Weavers’ Service Centre and hopes to receive registration. His success story will certainly be an inspiration for young Indian entrepreneurs.
Interviewed by: Shri Ganeshkumar M., Inspector (Silk), RO, CSB/SMOI, Mumbai.
