Complimentary copy for our esteemed customers. Not for sale
• K S I C N e w s l e t t e r • A p r i l 2009
KSIC • April, 2009
Certificate of G.I. regestration for Mysore Silk
With this registration KSIC has become the sole proprietor of the G.I Mysore Silk |2|
E D I T O R I A L
KSIC • April, 2009
T
he first edition of KSIC’s in-house magazine, `Mysooru Reshme’ was released on January 1, 2009. It was, however, circulated only among the employees of the Corporation. It is now felt that a magazine of this sort can as well be distributed to our customers as it speaks about, interalia, the latest designs in Mysore Silk. In September 2008, a collection of unique print designs developed by our in-house design team was launched. This was followed by the newly devised loom finish technique in Mysore Silk crepe, engineered by Ms. Deepika Govind. The sarees under this collection were launched in November 2008. One of the long pending demands of our customers has been to produce sarees with blouse pieces and in contrast colours. Customers can now rejoice at the fact that we have in all our showrooms sarees with blouse pieces and in very attractive contrast colours. It may not be out of place to mention here that KSIC is the only organization in the whole country which combines all the processes from cocoon reeling to finished products. The employees down the line have been a committed lot all along and they have been mainly responsible for the changes that have been brought about in Mysore silk production and designing. Their morale has been kept at a very high plane with the introduction of a number of welfare measures, chief among them being the incentive scholarships given to their children for outstanding performance in 10th, 12th and professional degree courses. KSIC has of late has been certified for Integrated Management Systems (IMS) combining ISO 9001-2000, ISO 140001-2004 and ISO 18001-2007 (OSHAS). As a matter of spiritual interest we are incorporating in this issue the life story of Shirdi Sai Baba (early part of his life) as told by Sri Satya Sai Baba. This may be of interest to our readers. We invite you to visit our showrooms/exhibitions and avail special discount offer which is the highest ever this year in view of Ugadi. Wishing you a very happy and prosperous UGADI
- P Vijayan CMD, KSIC Ltd
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KSIC • April, 2009
Weaving silk since time
immemorial KSIC is one and the only organization in the country to manufacture Mysore Silk. Equipped with geographical indication or GI patent, the company is set to unveil a variety of designs in the days to come
I
t was in early 1900, the then Maharaja of Mysore Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodiyar gave a distinct thought to British Queen Victoria’s advice that why should not he harness and utilize the natural resources, the silk and sandal for the benefit of people? Thanks to the king, there came into existence the sandal factory and silk factory in Mysore. In 1912 the silk factory was officially inaugurated in Mysore. Karnataka is rich in its royal heritage and grandeur and it is no surprise that the silk produced here reflects the traditional splendour through its rich yet
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delicate motifs. The name Mysore Silk is a befitting tribute to its ancestry. The Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) is the proud inheritor of this royal legacy and treasured it for over 9 decades. It has been producing 100 per cent pure silk with pure gold zari for over 9 decades. KSIC is the only organization in the country commanding the entire gamut of silk production right from reeling of cocoons to the weaving of pure silk fabric of various shades and designs, all under one roof. KSIC uses high quality pure natural silk and 100 per cent pure gold zari.
KSIC • April, 2009
The zari never tarnishes and looks as though it were fresh even after a long period of usage. The Vintage Saree Exhibition conducted by the Corporation stands a testimony of KSIC zari where proud owners exhibited Mysore Silk sarees as old as 5 decades. KSIC is the only organization to give guarantee for its zari saree in the form of embroidered code number which is unique to each zari saree. Today, the sarees manufactured by KSIC are of unmatched quality and come in a wide variety to suit customer tastes viz: Crepe-de-chine, Georgette and Zari printed crepe silk sarees. The sarees are printed or dyed. The sarees come in a splash of over 100 different colors and any number of design combinations. Some of the design combinations are: • • • • • • • • • • •
Embroidery Design Saree Big Butta Pallu Zari Rich Pallu Sari Saree Jawar Border Saree Small Mango Saree Zari Printed Saree Saree Tissue Saree Traditional Zari Saree Checked Zari Saree Mango Border Saree Sunrise Design saree
• •
Butta Pallu Saree Double Line Checks Saree and so on.
Based on the taste of the end users the sarees are printed and dyed with suitable eye catching colors. Various approved eco friendly dyes and chemicals are added at various stages as per silk manufacturing standards to retain the luster and quality of the silk fabric. The sheen and the visual luxury of Mysore Silk crepe are only to be experienced. At 65 gm per metre, the KSIC silk sarees provide an excellent drape. These crepe sarees have delicate strands of zari interwoven in spectacular designs, in the borders and the pallu. The printed crepes are tributes to designing and come with a double advantage of possessing the crepe’s softness and a vibrant range of designs from floral to geometric motifs. To prevent customers from imitation of Mysore Silk, KSIC has given a special embroidered code for each one of the Zari sarees with a unique number and hologram which is its identification mark. With the geographical indication registration obtained for Mysore Silk in 2005, KSIC is the sole proprietor of the brand Mysore Silk – traders, merchants or unlicensed manufacturers – are prohibited from using the brand name `Mysore Silk’.
Inside view of the Mysore Silk Factory
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KSIC • April, 2009
Semi formal collection of sarees designed by our in-house designer team of Mysore Silk Weaving Factory.
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KSIC • April, 2009
Washing instructions • • • • • • • •
Dry cleaning with petrol is recommended. Use mild toilet soap. Avoid detergents. Avoid steeping of sarees. Wash separately. After washing dry in shade. Iron with low to medium temperature. Do not dry in sunlight.
Prevention and Maintenance • • • •
Avoid laundry wash. Avoid perfume spray. Avoid sprinkling of water while ironing. Cover silk fabrics with cotton cloth to protect from insects.
Highest number of sarees sold in one year, still in huge demand... turquoise blue.
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KSIC • April, 2009
Models displaying KSIC’s trendy sarees in
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KSIC • April, 2009
a fashion show organised in NIFT, Bangalore.
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KSIC • April, 2009
When it came to recreating a heritage weave, the designer Deepika Govind’s mind naturally turned to resplendent eras, steeped in art and architechture, like the ancient civilizations of Hampi, Halebid and Belur. While these served as inspiration to this path-breaking collection, Deepika Govind steered clear of stereotypes of any kind. Halebid is known for its sculptures of 20,000 fashinable ladies sporting innumerable hairstyles. But having moved away from the typical, she focused on the ornaments adorning the sculptures, the jewellery of these ancient people formed the seeds of inspiration for the motifs used in this collection.
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KSIC • April, 2009
Bridging the generation gap - Mysore Silk designer tops.
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KSIC • April, 2009
Life story of
Lord Shirdi Sai
Sai Baba received people with kindness and compassion, patiently hearing their problems & sufferings with sympathy & love. He used to give them mental strength, confidence and spiritual guidance.
P
eople knew only the later part of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba’s life i.e., subsequent to his arrival in Shirdi. No details were available regarding his earlier life. When was he born and where? Who were his parents? What was his life like prior to his appearance in Shirdi? These remained
unknown until Sri Sathya Sai Baba revealed them in Prasanthi Nilayam on September 28, 1990, the date and month coinciding with the birthday of Shirdi Sai Baba, as declared by Baba. Obviously, little known secrets of an incarnation can be brought to light by none else but another incarnation. The life story of
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Shirdi Sai as disclosed by Sri Sathya Sai Baba is given here. In the village of Pathri situated in the then Nizam’s dominions lived a devout couple named Gangabhava and Devagiri Amma. The lady was an ardent devotee of Goddess Gowri (consort of Lord Siva, also known as Parvathi). Her
KSIC • April, 2009
husband was a devotee of Lord Siva. They had no children. This made them all the more detached from worldly concerns. They spent all their time in worship of Lord Siva and Devi Parvathi. Gangabhava plied a river boat for a living. It was the rainy season and the river was in flood. Fearing that his boat might be swept away if unattended, Gangabhava told his wife that he would go to the banks of the river and stay there overnight with his boat and take care of it. She gave him his evening meal at 7 pm and finished her own meal soon after he left.
search of somebody who could be of service to her guest on payment. Her efforts bore no fruit and she returned home in despair.
At about 9 pm there was a knock on the front door. Thinking that it was her husband and wondering what made him come back so soon, she anxiously opened the door. An old man was standing outside. He promptly stepped in and said, “Oh Lady, it is very cold outside. Will you kindly give me a little space inside for spending the night here?” Hospitable by nature, she produced a mattress, gave it to him and showed him a place on the veranda to sleep in. She retired to her own room, closed its door and went to bed. But not long after, the old man knocked on the door again. When she opened it, he said, “Oh kind Lady, I am feeling hungry. May I have a little rice to eat?” Finding nothing worthwhile in her kitchen except some milled grain, she prepared little meal with curds and gave it to him. She went back to her room, closed the door and prepared to sleep. After a little while, the old man once again knocked on the door. When she opened it, he said, “Dear Lady, my feet are aching. Will you kindly massage them a little?”
That old man who asked for such strange service from a saintly lady, and the woman who came forward to serve him were no ordinary humans. They were Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi! They began talking with each other. Lord
Suddenly there was a knock on the rear door. When it was opened, a woman stepped in and said, “Madam, it seems you came to my house asking for help to attend on an old man here. I have come to offer my services.” Devagiri Amma rejoiced that her earnest prayers had been answered. She took the woman onto the veranda, left her with the old man and went back to her room closing its door behind her.
She was startled and went into her pooja room, fell at the feet of Goddess Parvathi in tears and cried, “Oh, Divine Mother, what is this terrible test you are putting me to? What should I do now? Kindly save me from this humiliating situation.” In a few moments she regained her composure. An idea flashed in her mind. Leaving by the rear door of the house, she went in
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Siva said, “Devi Parvathi, grant this devout lady whatever she earnestly desires.” Goddess Parvathi replied, “You are the Supreme Lord. You do it yourself.” Lord Siva answered, “I have come here to test her devotion. But you have come in response to her earnest prayers. It would be appropriate if you granted boons to her.” Once again there was a knock on the bedroom door. Now that there was another woman in the house, Devagiri Amma opened the door without any hesitation. She found Lord Siva and her beloved Devi Gowri standing in front of her in resplendent glory. Her heart was full with happiness and joy. Unable to bear the flood of emotion, she fell at their Divine Feet. Goddess Gowri spoke, “I am blessing you with a boy who will bring glory to your vamsam and also a girl so that you may derive punyam by giving her away in marriage (kanyadan) to someone.” Devagiri Amma touched Lord Siva’s feet. He said, “My dear child, I am pleased with your devotion. I myself will take birth in human form as your third child.” The ecstatic lady, so amply blessed, with eyes brimming, did deep obeisance to Lord Siva and Goddess Gowri. When she lifted her head they had disappeared.
KSIC • April, 2009 heart. He undertook vows of austerity. Meanwhile, nine months passed. He became more and more impatient. He could wait no longer. He decided that he would immediately retire to the forests to continue his spiritual pursuit vigorously. Devagiri Amma was not a person to draw back. She too accompanied him despite her delicate condition. On the way, She delivered a male baby right there on the way in the forest beneath a banyan tree. That was September 28, 1838.
She was now in raptures. She was now eager and impatient. When will the day dawn? When will her husband return home? How soon could she share her heavenly experience with him? She could sleep no more. At daybreak her husband came home and heard from his wife all that had happened. But he was in no mood to believe. He said, “Dear Devagiri, you seem to have lost your senses, you must be dreaming; Lord Siva and Devi Parvathi visiting our house in person! Giving you darshan! What nonsense!” He took to ridicule. She tried to convince him, but he refused to be convinced. Time sped by fast and Devagiri Amma became pregnant. As she anticipated, a male baby took birth. A year later, a baby girl was born. Gangabhava found that two of the events, which his wife had mentioned, had now come true. He was now willing to believe that Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi had indeed given darshan to his wife. He told his wife, “You were most fortunate. I was not.” The thought got firmly rooted in his mind and grew with time. He was determined to secure darshan of Lord Siva and Devi Parvathi. Eventually, his wife was pregnant again, for the third time. This final piece of proof strengthened his mind decisively. Maya (illusion) gave way to enlightenment. Now he became restless. ‘When should I get away from this house? When should I commence thapas (spiritual pursuit)? How soon would I be able to obtain darshan of Lord Siva and Devi Gowri?’ These thoughts were gnawing at his
Devagiri Amma swaddled the new born infant comfortably in a piece of her saree, covered him with soft leaves and left him where he was born, and followed her husband. That is how nobody knew anything about the parents of that baby until Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba revealed it all, over a century later. There was a Sufi Fakir in the neighbouring village. He had on sons. He found this abandoned baby and took him home. From 1838 to 1842 the child grew up in that Fakir’s house. After the Fakir passed away, his wife looked after the boy. His behaviour was quite abnormal. He would go to Hindu temples and shout, “I am Allah” (I am God) and “Allah Malik Hai” (God is the Master). Hindus used to trouble him. He would go into Masjids and cry, “Rama alone is God” and “Siva is Allah”. Because of his odd and unconventional behaviour people of both faiths used to complain to the late Fakir’s wife. She found it difficult to set him right. She knew a person, Venkusa by name, who was a scholar and a devout person reputed to be an exalted soul. She took the unruly boy to Venkusa and left him in the great man’s care. From 1842 to 1851, for nine long years, he was looked after by Venkusa, who treated him with great affection and love. That aroused jealousy and malice in the hearts of the other residents in Venkusa’s ashram. One day the boy left that place and reached Shirdi, where he stayed for a couple of months. Thereafter he left Shirdi too and wandered from place to place for several years. In the course of his travels
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he arrived at a village named Dhoopkheda. During his stay there, it so happened that a marriage was fixed in the household of a resident of the village, named Chand Bhai Patel, whose wife’s younger brother was the bridegroom. Accompanying the bridegroom’s party, the peripatetic boy went to Shirdi. It was the year 1857 and he remained there for good till his passing away in 1918. He became known as Sai Baba. His extraordinary spiritual powers were soon noticed and people began flocking to Him. He received them with kindness and compassion, patiently hearing their problems and sufferings with sympathy and love, and gave appropriate directions to enable them to overcome their difficulties. He would give them mental strength and confidence and spiritual guidance. Gradually, his fame spread far and wide. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba gave the above account. He also described the close relationship between Shirdi Sai Baba and His devotees, such as Hari Vinayak Sathe, Kelkar, Shama and others. Sri Sathya Sai Baba said, “Towards the end of Shirdi Sai’s earthly life, He told Abdulla who was close to Him, not to grieve at His passing away because He was going to be reborn and give him darshan again. When Abdulla enquired how soon that would be, Baba replied that it would be just eight years later; the first incarnation took place in Maharashtra; and the second one would be in Madras Presidency. (Madras Presidency at that time included Puttaparthi, which is in the present State of Andhra Pradesh). Abdulla further asked Baba in what form he would appear in the coming incarnation. Baba replied that He would bear the name of Sathyam. Evidently, what he was referring to is this present incarnation of Sri Sathya Sai. The two bodies are no doubt different but their Divinity is one and the same,” said Swami. (Adapted from Thapovanam)
KSIC • April, 2009
B Saroja Devi seen at Vintage Collection
Padma Subramanyam at Chennai fair
Winners at Vintage Saree Exhibition
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KSIC Showrooms
BANGALORE : Leo Shopping Complex, M.G Road, Residency Road Cross. Ph: 080-25582118 • Janata Bazaar, K.G Road. Ph: 080-22262077 • Geethanjali Talkies Road, Malleswaram. Ph: 080-23461608 • BSR Arcade, Gandhi Bazaar, Basavanagudi. Ph: 080-26604097 • HSR Layout, BDA Complex. Ph: 080-25727040 • Suraj Plaza, # 196/8, 8th `F’ Main Road, 25th Cross, 3rd Block, Jayanagar. Ph: 080-22456574
MYSORE : Factory Premises, Manandavadi Road. Ph: 0821-2480801
• KR Circle. Ph: 0821-2422658 • Zoo complex. Ph : 0821-2445502 • Yatrinivas Hotel. Ph : 0821-2420713
CHENNAI : Vummidiar Shopping Complex, Mount Road. Ph : 044-28521106
HYDERABAD : Ameerpet Road Cross. Ph: 040-23411092
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Mascot Hotel Mascot Square. Ph : 0471-2723020 • SMSM Institute, Near Govt. Secretariat. Ph: 0471-2723020
Design & Published on behalf of KSIC by India Inc. Communications.