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Skeins of life
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Rekha's passion for chikankari resonates in helping children suffering from thalasaemia
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Photo: K.Gajendran
IN THE field of ornamentation perhaps embroidery alone can match jewellery in splendour. Providence sent Ustad Mohammad Shair Khan to the eternal city of Lucknow to teach the craft of chikankari. His tradition is now carried on by the kaarigars of the city and infused with passion by women like Rekha Mohan.
From Kurseong in the Himalayan foothills to the city of the nawabs in the Gangetic plains, it has been a journey of cultural awakening for Rekha. A criminal lawyer by education and married into one of the premier business families in the country, Rekha took to counselling women from the poorer sections of the city. The legal awareness for these women grew into an economic necessity and Rekha was at hand to provide that opportunity. Today with nearly 3000 kaarigars numbering many women and a few men, Rekha has succeeded in restoring the dying art of authentic chikankari. "My purpose is twin fold," she says. "I help these craftswomen who work behind the purdah and also get the satisfaction of seeing the resurrection of this beautiful art."
Derived from the Persian chikeen meaning "to rise", the cloth wrought with needlework with a light gossamer quality evolved as a logical answer to the problem of keeping cool during the torrid Indian summers. Made principally for the Muslim courts, true chikankari is limited to a fixed repertoire of stitches, which form embossed shaped floral motifs. Shadows are created with the use of the herringbone stitch (bakhiya). Its discipline gives chikan, a pleasing unity also allowing for individual creativity in the choice of stitch combinations. Stitches form lace like patterns, opaque fillings and delicate and bold emphasis of outlines. Long relegated to summer wear, this ethereal embroidery has moved on from being used on casual summer kurtas to semi-formal garments with more innovations in silhouette. Rekha who also designs interiors with chikankari as the base, does the finishing for her ensemble in Delhi (Ph:29835395, 29837062). She works in tandem with designers and no piece is duplicated. "They are all one of a kind and you will never find a similar piece in my collection. I moved from working with traditional whites to bright fruity colours."
Rekha is hosting a sale featuring some of the best works of her collection for the first time in Hyderabad. A whole range of sarees, unstitched and stitched salwar kurtas, tops and dupattas are on view, using the entire repertoire of chikankari stitches in various permutations and combinations to create elegant and sensational evening wear. Ensembles in pastels, muted and vivid colours using stitches like muree, bulbul and mull kangan literally create a filigree work effect. Whether entirely covered with fields of embroidered motifs or just splattered with minimal elegance, the outfits in cotton, mull silk, georgette and crepe celebrate the unique loveliness of chikan work. The collection spans a wide arc from college and office wear to saris for festive occasions. Prices range between Rs.700 and Rs. 20,000.
"For the ethnically inclined man, there is a range of achkans and kurtas. I have used tepchi which is a long running stitch worked with one strand on the right side of the fabric, hool where the threads are teased apart and jaali where the threads are never drawn through the fabric, giving the back a look as impeccable as the front," says Rekha.
Rekha identifies herself with many causes but none so closely as the Thalasaemic Society of India. Part of the proceeds of the sale will help meet the daily needs of children affected with the disease. The sale is on today from 11.30 a.m. onwards at Trinity, Taj Residency.
DEEPA ALEXANDER
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