“Early humans did not have clothes like us Senthil” said Rajan. They wore dresses made out of leaves and animal skin. Senthil was a 7 year old studying in class 2B. The previous day his teacher taught him about early humans. Senthil saw a picture of an early human and thought “Why did they not wear the same clothes as us?”
When he returned home he asked this question to his brother Rajan who was the class topper of class XA and the school president. Senthil could always ask his doubts to Rajan and Rajan would always know the answer. When Senthil asked him about early clothing, Rajan explained about the different kinds of skin they used to make clothes and the types of leaves that would be most effective to cover one’s body and keep them warm but, Senthil did not understand a thing. Then Rajan said “You know what let’s go on an educational trip to the past.” Senthil said that he was crazy and they would need a time machine for that. Rajan said do you remember our grandfather’s old book on fabrics and other types of clothing? Senthil nodded. Well then let’s find that book and use it to transport ourselves to Kanchipuram- The silk city in Tamil Nadu.
They soon found the book lying there near their grandfather’s table. Their grandfather was a man in his late 60’s with waves of grey hair on his head. He was a very wise man. He used to live in Kanchipuram and knew all about its history. Rajan and his grandfather had a secret, which was a technique Rajan had learnt from his grandfather to study well. It was a technique to transport yourself into the lesson or the story and live out the lesson. The technique will allow you to understand every line of the lesson in your textbook practically.
Grandfather told them that he will accompany them on their journey to Kanchipuram and will explain to them about Kanchipuram’s history and the process of making the legendary silk and Kanchipuram’s most prized jewel that is Kanchipuram silk saree. To follow the technique they had to imagine themselves inside the book, living the story and they will be transported inside. When they reached their desired place in the story the three people: Grandfather, Senthil and Rajan were not standing on their pale white tiled floor but on a gravel road with a board next to it. On it were the words: Welcome to Kanchipuram district. Grandfather started talking “There are almost 1000 temples in Kanchipuram” Kanchipuram has a very rich heritage so, many famous kings came and made this place as their capital. In almost every house there will be at least one loom to make sarees. The process of making the silk sarees is very different here. First, silk threads are taken from the silkworm and woven into sarees.
To know more about the process of making the sarees, let’s talk to this man Balaji. He is a weaver here. And there he was as my grandfather said his name, he stood next to us. He shook me warmly by the hand and welcomed us into his house. ‘First one has to dye the silk and then dry it.’ ‘Then once they get the dyed silk they stretch it in machines and occasionally beat the silk so that no lumps are formed while stretching the silk’.
When we entered the house we saw looms in almost every room.I was surprised! When we went inside one of the rooms the first thing we saw was that there was a very big loom and an old couple were happily weaving sarees there. I looked closely at the loom and he told us that there were more than 5000 threads in that loom and they were forming a very intricate pattern. All I could make out was the shape of a peacock and a lion. He explained to us that there are approximately 170 people behind the making of 1 saree. It takes almost more than 1 month to complete making a silk saree.
‘Then for the patterns, people draw whatever patterns they want on a black paper with a special white marker and then they scan it on a computer system and give commands to the machine to punch holes to make the patterns which will soon be hung on the the loom and then they start making the saree’. ‘Depends on the workmanship of the weaver’ said Balaji. Well Senthil, shall we leave now? asked Grandfather. ‘Let’s go grandfather I learnt something interesting today and I am really happy about that’ I said.
We reached the gravel road in less than 5 minutes and we found the book.I imagined going home and sleeping in my bed and there I was sprangled on my bed with my brother and Grandfather standing next to me. I had a question. I asked my grandfather the question. I asked him: ‘Grandfather, I asked you about the history of clothing but you taught me about silk today, not history of clothing?’ My grandfather replied: Well my dear Senthil, I agree you asked me about the history of clothing but I taught you about silk.
I can only tell you one thing: Different types of clothing will always come around. As for the history of clothing: Starting from leaves and animal skin, we started creating other types of simple fabrics and we learnt to cover our bodies with only cotton. Soon, technology evolved and here we are today wearing different types of clothes everyday’. ‘I believe you learnt something productive today and if you have any doubts in any other subject just understand the lesson,leap in and learn’.
Nice Story!