The thread that counts: Chanderi To Kasavu, 1,900 varieties of sarees to be on display at Republic Day parade

She adds, “This exhibition is about the thousands of weavers I work with across India. I have a panel on styles and techniques from every state and Union Territory, from Uttar Pradesh’s Banarasi, to Manipur’s Moirang Phee, to Odisha’s Bomkai, to Kerala’s Kasavu, to Madhya Pradesh’s Chanderi, to Rajasthan’s Leheriya, to Kashmir’s Kashida.”

One of the artisans whose work will be on display at the exhibition is Zahin Qureshi, a weaver from Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, who has been involved in the handloom business since he was a child. From the fourth generation of a family of weavers, Qureshi works with nearly 50 people in his village, all of whom weave these sarees from their homes and market to many states and Union Territories (UTs) including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. “I feel proud that my handicraft will be displayed at the exhibition,” he says.

Hitesh Vankar, a weaver from Kachchh, Gujarat, works with 15 families – including 15 men and 22 women – to make stoles, sarees, dupattas and shawls. The saree, Bhujodi, is sold all over India. “It feels good to know that my work will be displayed at the Republic Day parade,” he says.

Nirmala Mudenur, a weaver from Ballari, Karnataka, started her handicraft business with just one woman in 2017, and has since grown her business to hire 150 people. She makes many items, including the Lambani saree, in a workshop. The products were first marketed through Facebook, but soon, a website (soojidaara.in) and Instagram handle were made to facilitate online sales.

“I’m just surprised to know that these sarees will be displayed at the parade, maybe they found out about my work from a nearby exhibition in Kaladham,” she says.