 | Let’s say, Kanjeevaram saris were to contest elections against Southern superstar Rajnikant. Who would Tamilians owe their allegiance to? Tough choice, ma. We think they’d drape themselves in their favourite weave, before heading out to vote for Rajni. Chennai is both, refreshingly forthright and adamantly rigid about all things traditional.
You can’t possibly fancy Shah Rukh Khan more than you love Rajni. And so, in the battle between jeans and saris, there’s a battalion of crusaders like PJ Ravi, who will fight tooth and nail to make sure the six-yard wins.
Stray cases, now “becoming very frequent” (sic), as Ravi whispers anxiously, of teenagers being lured by Western garments, are quickly nullified by the ingenuity of self-anointed guards of age-old customs like him, who don’t mind making a bit of cash on the side.
His store 5 Maadi Kumaran (literally translates to 5-storeyed Kumaran, a store name they adopted to distinguish themselves from rival shops with the same name), located in the chaotic commercial market at T Nagar, is where the revolution is stirring. The sprawling-still-packed first floor has Venkatgiris and Pochampallis, reluctantly abdicating a few shelves for “innovative saris” like the Denim, Zip & Match and Pocket Sari.
The third generation businessman had no choice. The store may have had only Nalli next door for
competition, way back in 1955 when it was set up, but with mushrooming stores that stock “fancy” (read
synthetic sequin splashed) saris, choking monopoly, innovation was his only option.
The 42-year-old owner, who’s at the store from 9 am to 9 pm, 365 days of the year, has introduced six
variations in just a year — Colour Changing, Landscape, 3D, Zip & Match, Pocket Saris, and Denim Saris.
Priced between Rs 4,000 and Rs 25,000, the saris are special because the price range doesn’t intimidate budget strapped customers. “Anyone can make an innovative garment for a hefty price. The challenge is to provide customers with something different for a sum they would spend anyway on a heavy, traditional sari,” Ravi says, flashing a smile at a faithful customer.
Pocket  | A pocket woven out of the same silk swatch is sewn on that area, that’s likely to hit your hip when you drape it. It can hold a mobile phone, keys or cash. “Refrain from putting in your credit cards,” warns Ravi. Price: Rs 4,500
Zip & Match
Gives wearer the feeling of owning four saris, at the cost of one. Four matching pallus in different patterns, designs and hues can be zipped on to the pure handloom silk sari, in seconds. Price: Rs 20,000
Denim
Conceived to attract young collegians towards traditional wear, and give elderly women an illusion of sporting jeans. These are Kanjeevaram silks, treated to resemble pre-washed denim. Price: Rs 8,000 onwards.
Colour Changing
Strips of self-embroidery on the ivory sari turn shades of pink, blue and green when the wearer steps out in the sun. “We’ve sold 1,000 saris since they were introduced in 2006; it’s the fastest moving item,” Ravi says, unwilling to disclose the “secret formula”.
Price: Rs 4,000 to Rs 12,000
Landscape
The weavers at Ravi’s workshop in Kanjeevaram, toil for over a month on a single creation, weaving a landscape as vivid as a painting, on its pallu. Price: Rs 25,000 |
