01/01/2026
Coming to the second part of this , we feel that it is so important to share that it was not just Archana, who was so passionately seeking to get this heirloom restored.... Ruchika, her daughter's mom-in-law was also equally providing inputs and feedback throughout....it was not just four generations of one family coming together....it was two families bonding so closely on this project.
While it was a revival of a vintage saree the passion, emotion and enthusiasm was no less than of creating a fresh bridal ensemble....all hearts waiting for the final saree, all minds keenly observing the process. Sharing this below the thoughts from Archana, who not at all to our surprise is a brilliant writer and a master teller of the stories...
Over the 90 years of loved wearing the zardozi, sequins and cut-dana on my Nani's sari weakened the fabric and it tore from several places. My mom asked me to get it restored. I went to several stores in Delhi, and even Jaipur, but could not find any karigar brave enough to take on the intense and arduous task of restoring this sari. A few months ago I was researching 'Sari restoring...' on Google and Instagram and chanced upon Rangriwaaz. I read their blogs, looked at the pics of saris they'd restored and decided to check them out.
I requested my older daughter's mother in law, Ruchika, who is very knowledgeable in such matters to accompany me. And we went to the Rangriwaz unit in Gurgaon. A seemingly small 'karkhana' we noticed kaarigars at work in the sanctum sanctorom. Ruchika discussed the work they'd do at length with the young and competent manager of the unit. She suggested keeping the same emerald green colour and we decided to go with satin for the sari.
Ruchika and I went to the store to pick it up (and serendipitously, the day we did it was Ruchika's 35th wedding ceremony!). And our eyes popped out- the sari was, to put it mildly, GORGEOUS. We had no words to describe it. We kept ooh'ing and ah'ing over the kaarigari and brought the sari home. And I was excited as all got out.
