TANEIRA ~ SIGNATURE (1st Edition)

Warp & Weft

Celebrating the women who maketh the saree

Rooted, contemporary, elegant, sophisticated, warm and inspirational... A personification of these qualities, the eight iconic women we invited shared with us their lives, loves and muses. Their stories - each so vibrant, so different and yet all from-the-heart - weave a sparkling tapestry of life in its myriad hues. As do the sarees they chose to wear. The drapes, in their many-splendoured designs, hues and textures are an ode to our rich heritage. Each saree mirrors the wearer’s personality and her sensibilities. This special publication celebrates their strengths, who they are, and the individual paths they tread with confidence and dignity. Read on and get inspired to raise a toast to women everywhere!

RATNA KRISHNAKUMAR

HERITAGE REVIVED

Crafting a journey of artistry

The beautiful salt and pepper-haired Ratna Krishnakumar is elegance and poise personified but get her talking about handloom, and she is all excitement. Her passion for handloom sarees is obvious in the way her eyes light up while talking about the saree she wears. “This is a ghas butti, an old design inspired by wildflowers,” she explains. “This ancient design was revived in collaboration with master weavers in Varanasi – we were delighted with the result and they were happy too, as they’d never imagined weaving these age-old designs again!”

Ratna has been working with craftspeople across the country as part of Paramparik Karigar, an association of craftsmen, reviving traditional handloom. “Being involved in the lives of the artisans is truly energising! Interaction with people at the ground level recharges me - it is where I draw my energy from.”

Ratna had also worked tirelessly to revive a community of out-of-work weavers in Varanasi. Today the weavers, who were once struggling to make ends meet, make saree uniforms for Taj hotels. “It wasn’t easy to earn their trust – we had to offer them ‘bribes’ to work for us!” laughs Ratna, as she recalls the days when she had to buy solar lights, water pumps… even spectacles for the weavers! Tata Trusts and the Krishnamurthy Foundation School were also involved in helping with the education of the weaver’s children in the village.

Says Ratna. “Seeing artisans working, talking to them about their daily lives so intertwined with the rhythm of the loom, as it were... it has also brought me closer to handloom itself,” she explains. “To see how much labour of love and creativity goes into making a handloom saree – it makes me appreciate the end product more. I have to thank the weavers for my increasing love for handloom.”

Ratna has been involved with Taneira from the outset; she helped mentor the team and provided valuable insights. She believes that the traditional handloom saree never goes out of fashion. “In the past, crafts thrived because of royal patronage. Now, it’s good to see corporates such as Taneira taking on the responsibility... 20 years down the line, my granddaughter should be able to wear the same sarees with pride. This is not a heritage we can afford to lose!”

“3 THINGS I ALWAYS CARRY IN MY BAG”

1. Money, of course!

2. A directory of weavers and craftsman so that I can contact them in any town I am travelling to.

3. And last, but not the least, my 5-year-old granddaughter’s photograph, with whom I wish I could spend more time. She has a more hectic social life than I do!

Website: https://www.taneira.com/

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A BRAND OF TITAN COMPANY LIMITED