HYDERABAD, TELANGANA, 18/11/2017: Venugopal Ladda at Ramchander Mohanlal Ladda stores laadbazaar, on the way to chowmahalla, in Hyderabad on November 18, 2017. Photo: G. Ramarkishna
Sabyasachi Mukherjee shops here. Anamika Khanna swears by their products. Tarun Tahiliani is a frequent visitor as is Anju Modi. That’s Ramchander Mohanlal Ladda, a local institution tucked away in the middle of Laad Bazaar surrounded by glitzy bangle stores whose employees stand outside and announce that each of their product is unique. What doesn’t need advertisement is this small nondescript store, a stone’s throw away from Charminar which draws some of the top designers from all across India.
Adapting to city
Started by Ram Chanderji Ladda in 1900 who came to Hyderabad from Rajasthan in search of livelihood, the store is one of the few places in the city selling the intricate Gota work, which originated in Rajasthan. The metal embroidery work is used as borders/ ornamentation in traditional Indian wear to jazz up its appeal and is known for its bling and elaborate craftsmanship. Venugopal Ladda, the fourth generation owner of the store who has been a part of the family run business since 1992 says, “Gota work has been our staple for 117 years now. It comes in the form of borders and is preferred as it embellishes the natural finesse of garments. It is used mainly in festive wear from Khada Dupatta to traditional wedding lehengas, as it enhances the beauty of bridal wear.
The store specialised in a unique form of Gota work called Hyderabadi Lampi which is made from metal wire (copper or silver) which is woven first following which designs are embedded on the material. Available in both forms — hand woven and machine made — the copper version sells from ₹20 to ₹2400 for nine meters, while the pure silver thread Lampi work ranges from ₹10,000 to ₹30,000 for the same length.
The store shot to prominence in early 2000s when its Lampi gota work was used in the movie Devdas which ensured that prominent national designers made a beeline to Charminar. Venugopal reminiscences, “The movie’s release gave us a lot of publicity. It also ensured that a lot of other designers/boutiques from different parts of the country started taking note of gota work.”
Further fillip was given when the traditional handiwork was used in popular movies like Bajirao Mastani and Prem Rathan Dhan Payo . Venugopal says that they have ensured that the designs remained traditional throughout and adds, “Change in our line of work does not happen overnight. It takes a lot of time for it to catch up. Our work is handwoven, so the patterns, size and cut have not vastly varied over the years.”
The store also stocks merchandise like colourful latkans, pagdi décor and colourful butis (circular adornments in cloth jazzed up with small mirrors used in saris, bags and ghagras). Their mainstay however, remains their laces and the store stocks nearly 1000 varieties (the most in the city, comments a regular patron) in every conceivable colour, pattern and design. From lush south Indian motifs to glitzy golden versions and even those with small motis from Surat, there is something fitting every design and budget. A treasure trove if you are into fashion, this store is a veritable discovery, finding a way to remain relevant for more than a century since it was first started.
