NEW DELHI, INDIA – Since its initial launch in 2017, women’s ethnic wear brand Taneira from multinational Tata has been on a constant journey to preserve the rich heritage of Indian handloom sarees. In celebration of the diverse heritage of India’s rich textiles, the brand launched “Parichay 2022,” an experiential exhibition and sale of rare hand-spun and handcrafted sarees, to mark the occasion of National Handloom Day.
Parichay 2022 will be held from August 06 to 10 at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy (Ministry of Textiles), Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. This prestigious event was inaugurated in the presence of Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, hon’ble union minister of State for Culture and Parliamentary Affairs and Shri Ambuj Narayan, chief executive officer of Taneira.
The event is an initiative by Taneira to introduce the diverse heritage of India’s rich textiles to all Indians who take pride in them. The brand has worked closely with weavers and artisans across India to bring these pieces that are destined to become heirloom to cherish.
The brand brings together a rare and unique range of sarees, handcrafted to extraordinary perfection. On display are some lesser known crafts and weaves such as Farad printing, Moirangphee, Venkatgiri cotton Jamdani, embroideries like Kasuti Negi, to intricate Bengal muslin Jamdanis, complex and exquisite Rangkat Benaras, Bopari pallu Ajrakhs and more.
The exhibition will also see the debut of Taneira’s signature range 2022, a limited edition of 150 Sarees – ‘Bhoogol’. A connoisseur’s paradise, this collection is inspired by Mother Earth herself and her myriad embodiments of mountains, rivers, oceans, forests and plains. What makes this range unique is that each saree is an amalgamation of multiple techniques. From Banaras, Jamdani, Kantha, Farad printing, Block printing, Aari embroidery and more, it is a true celebration of diversity of not just the Earth’s landscape but also that of India’s rich crafts.
Speaking about the event, Shri Ambuj Narayan, chief executive officer of Taneira said “We are proud to present Parichay, in the week of the National Handloom Day. With Parichay, our endeavor is to bring forth the authenticity of the rare Indian handlooms and crafts. Through this effort, we hope to introduce today’s rooted yet progressive women to our rich heritage of craft, and give them an opportunity to embrace and express their individuality with pride and grace.”
Further commenting on how Taneira is also working at the grassroots level with the weavers in a related initiative called as Weavershala, he added, “We launched the Weavershala initiative this year that emphasizes on the upgrade of infrastructure and workplace facilities for the weavers, thus enabling them to work in a comfortable and well-structured environment with respect and dignity.”
As a part of Parichay, the brand also invited thoughts from distinguished Industry Stalwarts, Handloom Revivalists and Brand Spokespersons on “Preserving Handlooms, Preserving Heritage” on National Handloom Day, which was held on August 07. The panel discussion focused on the various initiatives that can be introduced to preserve our indigenous crafts and enable the weaver community. Taneira also highlighted the work that it is doing to give back to the weaver community, as a part of its initiative – Weavershala.
Weavershala aims at modernizing the weaving techniques and at the same time preserving traditional procedures of hand weaving for the future generations, and unites with the weavers for excellence. The brand has closely worked with the weavers in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh and Champa, Chhattisgarh and aims to advance this project in other parts of the country in the upcoming months.
The eminent panelists included Dr. Anamika Pathak (chairperson, TCRC and former curator, National Museum, New Delhi), Dr. Vandana Kabra Bhandari (ex-dean NIFT and author), Smt. Ritu Sethi (chairperson Craft Revival Trust), Smt. Anjana Somani (past president, Delhi Craft Council), Shri Ambuj Narayan (chief executive officer, Taneira), and Shri B.B. Paul (former director, Weaver Service Centre – Ministry of Textiles).
This 5-day long exhibition was graced and well appreciated by the textile experts, saree enthusiasts and lovers of all things handloom.
