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Fabric of compassion
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Heard of a non-violent way of weaving silk? Ask Kusuma Rajaiah
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PHOTO: S. THANTHONI
This is silk to gladden the heart of both the aesthete and the animal lover. Aptly named `Ahimsa silk", the material is obtained through compassionate means. The silkworm, when it turns into a moth, is allowed to break free from the cocoon and fly away. The swabs left behind are then spun into yarn. How many of us know that to make one silk sari through the usual process, 40,000 to 50,000 worms are destroyed, creatures that would otherwise live out their life cycle as butterflies and help in pollinating flowers and keeping the fields of farmers free of pests?
So one can understand why Kusuma Rajaiah feels a sense of deep fulfilment. He is the inventor of Ahimsa silk and his work affirms the spirit of an ancient philosophy that considers all creatures equally important in the web of creation.
Bloodless revolution
While participating in an exhibition organised recently by the Crafts Council of India at the Lalit Kala Akademi, Rajaiah who is Technical Officer in the Andhra Pradesh Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society(APCO) took time off from meeting customers at his stall to explain about his bloodless revolution in the cause of Nature and beauty.
It all began when Janaki Venkataraman, wife of the former President of India, R. Venkataraman, visited Hyderabad.
She enquired of an officer of the APCO whether they had silk saris which did not involve the killing of worms. "When actor Amala who is deeply involved with the activities of the Blue Cross also wanted to make a similar purchase, it accelerated my interest and I began doing research," says Rajaiah. "By 1992, I managed to produce two sample saris." In the conventional method of production, the worms which spin their cocoons out of silk thread to protect themselves from predators, are boiled alive just seven days short of freedom as it is believed that the silk is at the finest at this stage.
"I encountered a few problems while making Ahimsa silk. Since the yarn is twisted and more elastic, it is difficult to weave. Also because it is finer yarn, it cannot be reeled and has to be machine spun. The Lohia Mills in Chattisgarh helped me in the production. Not everyone can weave this. I have identified weavers in Nalgonda District but the wages are higher than for normal silk. I have to pay them Rs.1,000 per sari." Rajaiah has a range of 30 designs — Kanchipuram, Kalakshetra, Ikkat and Jamdhani — as also Kalamkari printed saris in beautiful, rich colours. He also produces salwar kameez sets and stoles as well as dhotis with half fine zari since "pure zari also contains silk thread." The saris are available at a flat rate of Rs.4,600. "It is impossible to bring down the cost further," he says, sounding a little crestfallen that even elite customers turn away when told the price. Ahimsa silk does not wrinkle and is more comfortable to wear than the conventional one as it has more air permeability, points out Rajaiah who was recently given a patent for inventing the eco-friendly method of manufacturing mulberry silk yarn.
"Maneka Gandhi helped me a lot in the beginning," he says. Those who have purchased his silk include Amala, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Sheila Dixit, Ganapati Sachidanandaswamy and some Jain groups.
One of his best customers is Jennifer Yost from the U.S. who made a long dress for her wedding out of this fabric. "The news item and photograph appeared in the New York Morning Star," he informs you proudly.
"I have more enquiries from Mumbai and Chennai than from other cities," says Rajaiah whose wife supports him in this endeavour.
(e-mail:designer_weaves@rediffmail.com or info@ahimsasilks.com , ph:9989392461, 040-27032112.)
KAUSALYA SANTHANAM
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