A fabulous old wooden staircase, the little dark landing below, the well-worn floors, the windows, the ceiling details, the veranda…there is something magical about old homes and this one is 70-odd years old. Called ALG House, it is now abuzz with two events happening simultaneously. >We’ve already written about The Wanderer on the ground floor; the second one is called Araliya and occupies the floor above.
As its inaugural offering, Araliya has brought in Enu Bhattacharya. Enu has lived for the most part in Assam, in the Kaziranga area, where she painted. Her artistic bent of mind saw possibilities in empowering women from the nearby villages, and she taught embroidery to 10 to 12 women.
“I taught them kantha work. I brought samples from Bangladesh and that is how it all began. Nakshi kantha is the design made with the basic running stitch that this embroidery uses,” she explains. That kantha work is everywhere you turn at the exhibition — on delicate tussar kotas, linen, katan silk, cottons and jute. “Now I live in Kolkata, but my workforce continues to be from Assam. I have group leaders and I delegate the work to them. Of course, I design each piece, detail the colours to be used, the textile it is to be done on….” Enu has nearly 60 women working for her now. “My girls were honoured by the Crafts Council of London in the 50th year of our Independence,” she says with justifiable pride. There are saris, stoles and dupattas with intricate kantha work. Enu exhibits her creations in India and abroad.
In the same room as Enu’s exhibits are some cotton quilts. Do ask to see them. They are only a few but are exquisite.
Three other exhibitions are happening at Araliya. Vishal Kapur from Delhi is there with his collection of delicate saris, dupattas and salwar materials in Chanderi, pure Kota silks and tussars. Vishal works with weavers from Chanderi, parts of Rajasthan and Benaras. Some of the saris are embellished with vibrant borders.
“We work with different printing and weaving techniques,” he says. He is awaiting a consignment of special Mangalagiri cotton saris, coloured with natural black dyes called patri and printed with off-white graphic designs. “The borders have an antique silver look,” says Vishal. The black, off-white, silver creations come with contrasting Chanderi blouse pieces, specially woven for these saris. Vishal explains the interesting patri dying process.
“They are dyed in the natural dye and then baked in the sun. The saris acquire a jet black hue if the sun is really hot. On a cloudy day, the colours take on grey tones,” he says.
Events such as these provide an opportunity to meet and interact with designers such as Vishal and pick up so much knowledge about the vast weaving and dyeing legacy of our country.
Outside in the veranda are two more collections. One is colourful and cutesy bed linen for kids. The lady in charge is so engrossed with her phone that one is loathe to disturb her. But you must if you plan to jollify your kids’ room. She has some really nice quilts, cushions and other accessories. The collection is called Peek-a-boo.
Parkavi Ramasamy and Harsha Vandhini occupy the opposite corner and say that for now theirs is mainly an online store that sells kurtas, tunics, anarkalis, lehengas, dresses and saris. EWA means new beginnings and the ladies have just launched their label.
“We have a manufacturing unit and we show our collection at exhibitions such as these,” says Parkavi.
EWA also tailors clothes for its clients. They take orders and courier the clothes to their clients. Their line of clothes is like them — young, vibrant and stylish. Check them out on >www.ewacouture.com or >facebook.com/ewacouture
There are plans afoot to make Araliya even more happening.
Says its owner Aparna, “There are so many emerging designers in the country. We would like to bring them to Coimbatore. And though not right away, we hope to start a café too.”
The exhibitions at Araliya on Race Course Road (near On The Go) are on till August 21 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
