Royal revivalist

Ethnic and elegant, Maheshwari saris are known for their gossamer thin texture and intricate weaves. On the verge of extinction, Shalini Devi Holkar, and the REHWA, a society founded by her, are credited for reviving the weaving tradition.

A recent exhibition at Fabindia displayed a stunning range of Maheshwari saris, dupattas, shawls and stoles in cotton, silk and organza.

Shalini Devi Holkar, popularly known as Sally, who was in Chennai in connection with the exhibition, provided some insights into the craft form.

The American-born Maheshwar-based Sally married the scion of the royal Holkar family of Indore in 1966. Author of a book on royal cuisine, she has also contributed several articles in Food Magazine, and Business India. But, what she is passionate about is REHWA and handlooms. She spoke at length about her project and her plans "to reach out to the skilled handloom weavers of Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal".

Excerpts from an interview:

The revival of Maheswari saris is credited to REHWA. What propelled you on this journey?

The weaving of the once flourishing Maheshwari sari was a languishing craft by the 1950s. And a time came when the weavers earned just Rs. 3 a day, hardly enough to feed themselves. That is what set me thinking. We got a grant of Rs. 80,000 from Leela Moolgaonkar of the Central Social Board and started REHWA. It is a non-profit NGO, which apart from involving in design inputs, technology upgradation, product development and marketing, also takes care of the weavers' needs. We have in fact started a school for the weavers' children.

How old is the craft? Did the Holkars before you, patronise the craft?

The craft is believed to date back to the Mohenjodaro era. But historically, the Maharani who actually revived the craft in the mid-18th Century was Ahalya Bai Holkar. She wanted some simple nine yard saris to present to the Peshwa rulers. And so she brought weavers from Surat and Malwa to Maheshwar specifically for that purpose. Traditionally, the Maheshwari borders have geometric motifs, as Ahalya Bai did not wear saris with floral motifs.

What led to the extinction of the weaving tradition?

After Independence, along with royal patronage, tariff protection too vanished. In their heyday, Maheshwari weavers got silk yarn from China, zari from Surat and dyes from Germany. However, during World War II, yarn and dyes became scarce and by the 1960s, the number of Maheshwari weavers was reduced to less than 300.

Is that what led to the establishment of REHWA?

Yes. With just 12 women. Today, REHWA has 120 looms. The craftsmen are trained at the REHWA centres and are paid by the piece. REHWA can be termed as an income-generating project for women.

REHWA's saris are known for their faultless weave and unique designs. Tell us more about it.

We study the needs and tastes of both the local and international markets. Accordingly, the saris are designed. The traditional weavers are usually not open to change and need to be convinced about incorporating a new design.

Has the recent policy of promoting traditional crafts and helping craftspersons helped the weavers?

Not all the time. I have been witness to it. There was a Government plan to manufacture `janata' saris for the poor and it forced weavers to literally hang up their looms. They forgot about their artistic abilities and began concentrating on weaving plain `janata' saris. We must not forget that handlooms are our treasure. No other country has such a rich and vast variety of textiles.

Is there such a thing as a `true' Maheshwari?

Today, there is a blend of designs, which is purely consumer- driven. REHWA has tried to handle it in its own way. For the first ten years, we wove only saris. Now with tastes changing, we have diversified into yardage and dupattas. We are planning to introduce cushion covers and quilts too.

Has the traditional Maheshwari weave and texture undergone any change?

Yes. We've got textures with a tissue-like effect, diamond borders, woven borders running through the centre of dupattas and saris etc. The colours too are wide-ranging — a departure from the traditional green, red and blue. But we have to move with the times.

What are REHWA's future plans?

The third generation of weavers has taken over at REHWA. The weavers' children are educated but have no jobs. I want to work with them. We are working towards creating small family-based societies, which can seek technical and marketing help from REHWA. Our message is "you can do better than REHWA... ''

PUSPHA CHARI

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