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Author : Archana Atri
My Nani had given her wedding sari to my mom, initially to wear for parties that are a fun part of every service officer's wife. Later, she told my mom to keep it. My granny had worn this sari at her bidaai, and it was a pista green colour then.
Over the years, with stains etc, Nani told my mom to get it dyed. My mom came to Chandini Chowk and narrowed down to Pandit Devi Dayal's shop. The shopkeeper examined the sari and pointed to a mark on it, smiled and said, "This sari was bought from our shop." (Whaaaaat?!) Serendipity!!!My mom got it dyed emerald green. And, adding to the story, my mom said that when she was to get married in 1960, her dad's younger brother's wife was told to get a nath (nose ring) for her. However, she brought her a sari. And it transpired that Pandit Devi Dayal was her cousin and the sari my mom's chachiji bought for her was this same shop. Serendipity and Serendipity!!! Thereafter, my parents bought my older sister's wedding sari from this same shop. As did I buy my wedding sari from here.
Over the years the zardozi, sequins and cut-dana on my Nani's sari weakened the fabric and it tore from several places. My mom asked me to get it restored. I went to several stores in Delhi, and even Jaipur, but could not find any karigar brave enough to take on the intense and arduous task of restoring this sari. A few months ago I was researching 'Sari restoring...' on Google and Instagram and chanced upon Rangriwaaz. I read their blogs, looked at the pics of saris they'd restored and decided to check them out.
I requested my older daughter's mother in law, Ruchika, who is very knowledgeable in such matters to accompany me. And we went to the Rangriwaz unit in Gurgaon. A seemingly small 'karkhana' we noticed kaarigars at work in the sanctum sanctorom. Ruchika discussed the work they'd do at length with the young and competent manager of the unit. She suggested keeping the same emerald green colour and we decided to go with satin for the sari.
The flowers, parrots, butterflies and buties on the sari were counted, the work discussed at length, and I left the sari there.
I was told the sari restoration would take about three months. And as the work began, with them sending me swatches of the dyed fabric, and videos of the work as it progressed, I was eagerly awaiting the completion of the project.
A few weeks ago, before the due date, the manager called to say the restoration work was complete and the sari was ready.
Ruchika and I went to the store to pick it up (and serendipitously, the day we did it was Ruchika's 35th wedding ceremony!). And our eyes popped out- the sari was, to put it mildly, GORGEOUS. We had no words to describe it. We kept ooh'ing and ah'ing over the kaarigari and brought the sari home. And I was excited as all got out.
I hadn't told mom about this project because I wanted to surprise her.
Yesterday, I took the sari to her. And the video I'm sharing tells it all, her reaction - she teared up, kissed the sari, and her nurse, who was equally excited, helped drape it for her.
My mom doesn't wear saris anymore, since her knee surgery. But this one was immediately draped over her salwar kurta, and she was enveloped in her memories of her mother...and six yards of history.
