In 1995-96, a couple from Baroda came to our home and purchased a few cotton curtains. One month later, they wrote a letter telling us that the curtains have shrunk and they are not happy with the end result. My father came across the letter and called a meeting with us 4 brothers and asked why this happened. We started giving excuses like “this is cotton. It will shrink a little for 2-3 washes” etc. My father became very serious. He asked us to weave new curtains with extra width and length to take into account the shrinking and not charge them. We argued that it would cost Rs.2000 extra and another 3 weeks of work. Hearing this, father said “I don’t care even if it costs Rs. 4000. Our home runs because of the money the customers pay. To have happiness in home, make customers happy.” Finally we made the curtains with extra dimensions and sent it to the couple in Baroda. After one month we got another letter from them saying “Thank you!! We feel so happy.”I think our father’s generation was able to think and do such things because they were so in love with their work.
Immediately after birth, we get wrapped in a cloth woven at home. Then the mother does thana (wrap) and bobbins with the child in her lap. As we grow up, the shuttles and bobbins are our toys. Shuttles used to be our car or truck and with bobbins we used to create strange sounds. Later, after school we used to help our father in weaving. With so much weaving in us, by the time we are 5th – 6th standard, we could make our own small looms and reeds and play a game called loom-loom where the kids chose the best loom and the best cloth made.
My new project is to create an environment where people can experience the craft at its fullest, sit and relax, interact with craft and its processes, exchange ideas and information, and taste traditional Kachchhi food. In that space, I will also be showcasing textiles with historical significance. I have already started work on it, and the place will be ready soon. The name of the restaurant will be “Dora and Mani”. In Kachchh, ‘Dora’ means ‘thread’ and mani means ‘bread’
