The SARI School

The sari supports the livelihood of a million weavers, dyers and more. Contemporary aspiration and the forces of globalization offer an energizing challenge. As an extension of Taanbaan, ‘The Sari School’ was set up in 2009 to promote the usage, understanding, survival & recreation of the unstitched garment.

The Sari School conducts classes to learn the various draping styles as documented the the book 'Saris-Tradition and Beyond' by Gen. Editor Martand Singh and Rta Kapur Chishti.

DANCE THEATRE

In collaboration with The Daksha Sheth Dance Company, Tannbann has developed a dance theatre production titled 'SARI', a tribute to the process of turning by hand, raw materials into a wonderous woven unstitched garment. With live music especially composed by Devisaro and choreographed by Daksha Sheth for a one and half hour performance culminating in the sari's transformation from a two dimensions woven fabric to a three dimensional draped garment in accordance with select wearing styles.

EXHIBITIONS

Taanbaan has organized exhibitions of hand-spun/ hand-woven textiles along with workshops on request from sponsors including educational institutions, stores and corporate houses for their specific clientele in India and abroad. These exhibitions have represented the classic traditional as well as the contemporary application of traditional techniques, not easily replicable on machines.

Andhra Pradesh, 2014 V&A: IS. 14-2015(03/10/2015-10/01/2016)

OBJECT HISTORY

This piece was acquired directly from Taanbaan for the V&A exhibition, The Fabric of India.

SUMMARY

This sari is handwoven from white organic cotton and has a decorative black border and gold palloo.Taanbaan is a Delhi based company, known for their work with khadi (handwoven fabric made from hand spun thread) and this is one of a small range of saris that they produce. Khadi was a symbol of the Indian Independence movement and has strong patriotic associations.

Rta Chishti

Indian Born 1948

Sari 2017

Khadi Cotton

Purchased for the Exhibition.

FUTURE

Continuity

Taanbaan with the idea of providing further impetus & energy, hopes to interact & pass on through various platforms to the future generation, the philosophy, knowledge base & know how in order to sustain the design, production & marketing of this unique range of products.

Induction Scheme

Taanbaan, supported the idea to initiate a bonus scheme for spinners & weavers who can reintroduce those who have left these vocations & joined the general deskilled labour market. The beneficiaries are likely to be both those who will reintroduce & those who are reintroduced into this vocation.

Rehab Program

In an effort to widen the base of handspun-handlooms & also to bridge the ever widening gap between the well to do & those who have no opportunities for meaningful employment in the present phase of rapid industrialization. Taanbaan has proposed a rehab program of one year for the urban/rural poor especially people reduced to begging in the streets who will be involved through food for work programmes & trained in hand spinning, weaving & stitching of cotton, silk tussar & eri fabrics. They will thereafter be rehabilitated in their respective villages & their production supported by design & quality supervision by a state team with its central counterparts. It is also a means of building a future in which India could perhaps be the only country that could retain a space & relevance for hand skills in low tech areas.