Shobhaa De launches Soha Parekh's Sari: Splendour In Threads

Jumbo Editorial Team

 Soha Parekh's coffee-table book titled 'Sari: Splendour In Threads' was launched by the popular figure of Shobhaa De in what turned out be a colorful ceremony at the Gallery BMB in Mumbai on April 18.

Shobhaa De was the guest of the evening as Sangita Jindal and Pheroza Godrej also shared their views on sari and the book which pays tribute to the grandeur of the classic Indian sari and records the history of the drape from an ethnographic and cultural perspective.

The list of guests present on the occasion included Vita Dani, Mona Mehta, Deepika Gehani, Bindu Zaveri, Amrita Kilachand, Lata Patel, Malti Jain, Vidya Zaveri, Isha Mehra and Sheetal Vaidya amongst many others. Many women came to the event resplendant in their silk sarees, adding an aura of elegance to the evening.

The book covers the traditional as well as the contemporary manifestations of this timeless garment. It depicts the journey of this unstitched garment from the ancient times through the royalties to the modern India. The book dwells into the unparalleled skills of the master weavers and craftsmen and the unmatched beauty of various saris from the length and breadth of the country.

Adding an interesting perspective are interviews of key people including weavers, textile and craft specialists and designers from around the country.

The book features views of prominent women from the corporate world such as Dr Swati Piramal and Rama Bijapurkar as well as classical singer like ShobhaMudgal and designers including Ritu Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, TarunTahiliani, Manish Malhotra, Wendell Rodericks and Rahul Mishra.

The stories on Master Weavers like Goverdhan Gajam of Telia sari, Salvi of PatanPatola and efforts of craft specialist such as LailaTyabji, Martand Singh, Rajeev Sethi and others for promoting this craft, make this book a veritable guide on the sari and its diverse forms.

From the love for French Chiffons and Chanderis by the Indian Royalty to the views on the sari by modern day women who love the garment like Pheroza Godrej, Sangita Jindal, Shobhaa De, Alarmel Valli, Abha Narain Lambah, the book features a wide gamut of Indian crusaders who have been bravely championing the cause of the Sari.

"This book is my humble attempt to showcase the beauty of the Sariand to contribute towards the betterment of the weavers and craftsmenof our country," Soha Parekh remarked, adding that the proceeds of the book will begoing to the weavers of India.

 Shobhaa De described sari was one of the most beautiful Indian creations that stands out even in the West. Pheroza Godrej spoke about how important it is for the present young generation to respect the importance of the sari. Sangita Jindal narrated her love for saris from Gujarat which is where she met Soha.