NEW DELHI: Gurum R Narayanappa (69) and his wife Kamalamma (67), living on the outskirts of Bangalore, are busy weaving a silk saree weighing just 70 grams and have a dream to see US first lady Michelle Obama draped in their creation. The normal weight of a 6.5-metre silk saree is 600-1,000 grams.
The old couple is also engaged in weaving an intricate 30-gram scarf, to be gifted to President Barack Obama when he and his wife visit India in November. Will Narayanappa and Kamalamma get to meet the Obama couple? "I may not get a chance to meet him.
For me, meeting him is not important. I will be happy if my gifts reach them," Narayanappa told PTI over the phone.
He said the Central Silk Board and the Karnataka Silk Minister have assured him that they would give his gifts to the Obamas. Narayanappa, the winner of many state and national awards for excellence in weaving silk sarees, has already woven the scarf for Obama, which is made from Bivoltin silk.
The 36 x 36-inch scarf can be wrapped inside a matchbox, he said. "It has golden zari with a temple design.
It has been woven in 20 days using silk fibre from just two cocoons," he said. The saree for Michelle would also sport a temple motif and gold zari measuring 6.5 metres in length and 44 inches in width.
It would be prepared with just about 3-4 cocoons. Creating an almost weight-less saree with hairline threads requires an eye for details and perfection.
"I am thankful to God. Even at this age, we are blessed with good eyesight," Narayanappa said.
The idea for presenting the unique gifts to the Obamas came to him when he read about India extending the invitation to the US President. "While anyone would crave just to meet Obama and present expensive gifts, I thought of gifting him this scarf, that can be folded and wrapped inside a matchbox," the master craftsman said, expressing his sentiments.
Narayanappa hails from a family that has been a part of the weaving community for decades. In 2000, he weaved a 6.5 metre-long saree with 44-inch width, which weighed only 35 grams and fit into a matchbox.
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