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A couple of weeks ago, I walked into the ‘Sense And Sensibilities’ gallery at the RAW Collaborative in collaboration with The Registry of Sarees, only to be awestruck and slightly intimidated seeing my limited know-how of India’s rich textile heritage. “Buckle up,” said my inner monologue as I perused through traditional Kachchhi textiles, glistening Banarasi Brocades, and marvels of Toda embroidery – all arranged seamlessly in the walk-through style exhibit. My favourite was a retired Wall Street numbers guy now dividing his time collecting exquisite carpets that date back to the Silk Route era, all intact. I was bubbling with questions when Ally Matthan came to my rescue. She’s been heading the Bengaluru-based ‘The Registry of Sarees,’ built with the sole intention of educating, preserving and honouring . Well, that’s three actually.
“I am a student at The Registry of Sarees,” Ally begins humbly, her words reflecting a deep reverence for her craft. “I feel blessed and privileged to have a ringside seat to history, peoples, the story of India, aesthetics, craft, and silence – all told through the magical medium of textiles.” She is guided by a highly educated and experienced team at TRS. “It’s not just the textiles, but the amazing people — weavers, artists, craftspeople, educators, designers, and the TRS team — who enable and take forward my love affair with textiles. They’re the true custodians of this journey,” she shares passionately.
It’s this people-first perspective that informs her approach. “What strikes me most,” she reflects, “is how textiles serve as a living, breathing archive of India’s heritage. To witness that every day is extraordinary.” Ally describes the experience as both challenging and enriching. “The exhibition allowed our research team to reach out to the community to answer a question we’ve been asking ourselves for some time: To what end?” she says, her tone contemplative. “To what end are historical textile exhibitions raised? How can their significance extend beyond the walls of a gallery into the lives of individuals, communities, and the environment?”
Through ‘Sense & Sensibilities,’ TRS reexamined its methodology, re-tuning its purpose. “It gave us a chance to seed a study that will run for the next year,” Ally shares, excitement lighting up her voice. “It’s imperative now more than ever to tell this narrative through the voice of textile stakeholders. We need to establish the relevance of textiles to our times, and that’s the challenge we’ve embraced.”
When quizzed about her biggest qualm about the textile industry, Ally hesitates, choosing her words carefully. “I don’t so much have a qualm as I do a belief that India has historically been a front player in the textile industry,” she states. Her focus shifts to the practitioners — the farmers, weavers, craftspeople, and designers — whose work embodies the values that handcrafted textiles represent. “We no longer need clothes or textiles in the traditional sense. There is a surplus. This means that what we produce and offer as creators must reflect the best of the value system: the best for the individual, the community, and the environment,” she explains with conviction.”It’s not a qualm; it’s a responsibility,” she concludes. “As creators, we must embrace this.”
For a layman like myself, it’s obvious to wonder about the intrinsic workings of how an exhibit of such a scale was finally formulated. How are people picked? Is there a screening process that determines the final talent at the exhibit? I share my questions with her, and Ally acknowledges the complexity the process entails and adds, “The curatorial team was led by Aayushi Jain, a gold medalist in Museology and Archaeology from MSU Baroda. A narrative was developed through research, forming the framework for how the exhibition unfolded.”
Ally emphasises the democratic nature of the curation process, aligning with TRS’’s commitment to inclusivity. “Vishwesh Surve, an architect and textile designer, interpreted and analysed the pieces while ensuring their visual placement aligned with the narrative. Radha Parulekar facilitated the technical study of textiles. It’s about listening to the storytellers of India’s design narratives. They’re the ones whose voices need amplification.”
As the conversation winds down, Ally’s love for textiles remains at the forefront, woven seamlessly with a profound respect for the community that surrounds her. “The textile fraternity is as diverse as the threads that create a single saree. We have to keep listening, keep learning, and keep weaving these narratives into our present and future.”
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