It's hard to resist reaching out and feeling the enchanting weave of a Patan Patola or the soft lustre of a Khadi drape. When you do, you're surrealistically transported back centuries, to a time when such resulting finery was the piece de resistance of any handloom experience. Yes, handlooms are key element to India's economy but this cottage industry is seeing an eye-widening revival of awareness and celebration across Generation Y and Z — especially in Hyderabad.
In their tenth season, luxury heritage collective Royal Fables, headed up by Anshu Khanna, came to Hyderabad for their single-day showcase of royal-patroned, proving they're one of the champions of this movement. On the evening of August 27, the stage at Club Botanika hosted an array of experts who work hard within the 'luxury heritage' realm.
- Two distinct spreads were set up for the dinner: Hemendra Singh and Vrinda Kumari presented authentic Mewar cuisine from Rajasthan, while Urvashi Singh Khimsar had guests lavishing in Dham cuisine from Himachal Pradesh.
Historian-author Cynthia Frederick kicked off the panel which comprised the ever-poised HH Maharani Radhika Raje Gaekwad of Baroda, Prshant Lahoti of Kalakriti, Princess Vaishnavi Kumari of Kishangarh and Sanya Dhar, creative director of Diva'ni. Each brought their own expertise to the table.
Cynthia accoladed the new generation of patrons who are both preserving the textile heritage as well as reviving it. Hyderabad is very familiar with Prshant Lahoti who's one of the city's known connoisseurs. He emphasised the role of continuous passion as a driving force for heritage celebration, plus research is a must.
‘Preserve the creator’
Princess Vaishnavi of atelier Kishangarh Studio explains the challenges of retaining a sustainable market for heritage weaves lies in consumer awareness. “People have to understand before they invest in something: the value, the story, everything. And see, the skill-sets need to be preserved, too.”
HH Maharani Radhika Raje Gaekwad of Baroda at Club Botanika in Hyderabad
Maharani Radhika is no stranger to the richly narrative weaves around us. Her family has long been patrons to the iconic Chanderi weave and her ancestors turned Baroda into the art hub that it is today. As an art conservationist and well-known textile exponent, Maharani Radhika recalls her childhood as “fortunate” because her parents were immersed in a universal love for arts and culture. But in the 90s, she witness a lot of important printing techniques die out as a different sort of industrialisation emerged across Rajasthan, and this affected the baseline economy of craftsmen. “We need to create more markets for a viable solution to preservation and revival. We need to to take it to a global level and this requires co-operation from state and national governments, as well as from special organisations.”
But what of her life as a busy royal and custodian for the Baroda legacy? In the 21st Century, royals are seen as a hindrance rather than a helping hand to economies, but Maharani Radhika, as she brings in a metaphor of being an island for this cultural legacy, points out, “There’s a lot of warmth my family has received from the younger generation, largely around nostalgia and pride. When you go to France or China, the experience of history is restricted to certain museums. But what we do, by default, is to live that history. It’s right there!”
“Sometimes, it just runs in our blood,” surmises Sanya Dhar who left behind a lucrative career at Louis Vuitton and returned to India, having had an epiphany the scope for heritage observances in India. “I’m actually the seventh generation, there’s been 80 years of this preservation in my family. It’s always said that boys are the heirs, but as the youngest daughter, I don’t go with that typical Punjabi mindset. I discovered this insane world of zardos ... even the word zardos is misused and abused as much as the word ‘designer’.
In regards to the 21st Century fashion enthusiast, Sanya had a lot to say, “A single stitch requires time and thought, but today, millennial showcases a piece of heirloom on Instagram and never looks at it again, and continues to the fast-fashion realm. We must create an ecosystem where zardos is preserved, and to do that you have to preserve the craftsmen. Preserve the creator and then preserve the creation. It takes a lot to pull this off. Heritage is buried when a craftsmen can make more money driving an e-rickshaw than doing what he is an expert in! Contributing on a micro level as well as on a macro-level is key.”
