Nurturing Traditions and Talent !

What? You are quitting your job?”

“Are you sure? We thought this is what you always wanted-the role, the perks, the position, salary ? You may not have thought this through? It might be a mid-life crisis? I mean in middle of this  Pandemic . Are you ABSOLUTELY sure about this?”

Their panic was understandable. They were my family, my friends, my people that I cherish. It might have looked like an impulsive and reckless thing to do for someone who is not prone to indulge herself in the whims of the heart. I was letting go of a solid career in corporate human resources that had taken years and years to build. At every level, it was a crazy decision but my mind was made up. I had thought about it. Yes, I was sure. It was now or never. 

Nestled in the foothills of Uttarakhand is the village where I spend my childhood years. Growing up in a family with deep-rooted traditions, there was a story to just about everything from delicate bone china tea-sets to sturdy rocking chairs, from intimately-crafted jewellery boxes to proudly possessed pan-daans, they bore witness to conversations and secrets. As did the collection of Banarasi and Kanjeevaram saaris that had been treasured and passed down the generations. It was a household where traditional and progressive thinking lived in harmony. When it was time, I was nudged towards the big city to complete studies and make a career. 

While marriage and domestic responsibilities gave me urban roots, a yearning for my homemade me restless time and again. Each time I returned to my village, I experienced a tranquillity that the city could not provide despite all the modernity and comforts at my disposal. It made my question if others like me had either willingly opted or had been forced to adopt another home. We know too well how one way of life has eroded another more seeped in time and tradition. Villages and towns have morphed into cities, a phenomenon that is fast gobbling up traces of regional uniqueness. It has broken my heart to have my village folks lose respect and relevance for long cherished ways of living.

This is how Six Yard Story was born, a call from Shalini saying “ Bus yaar, ab nahi karni yeh Corporate naukari…how about this..I knew this was time to hang my corporate boots. Conceived out of a crazy idea and a belief that it rests on my shoulders to preserve tradition. What better place to start than with the graceful saari? Style icons, film stars, and international celebrities have helped reinstate the glory of the garment in recent times. It may not have resulted in the weaver getting their due as an artisan. Tradition manifests itself in food, music, dance, beliefs, architecture, clothing, and artforms; thereby in the hands and hearts of its creators. In the preservation of the craftsperson lies the future of craft! It is with this conviction that I decided to take the plunge and deep-dive into tradition.

At SYS, we endeavour to curate drapes in collaboration with the weavers, for the modern Indian woman.

We endeavour to nurture Tradition and the True Talent.