ROYAL FASHION DESIGNERS OF RAJASTHAN & GUJARAT, BRING ALIVE A BYGONE ERA

By 1 2 1 News Reporter

Chandigarh 14^th October:---  A new team has emerged on the Indian Fashion scene. The team is the progeny of erstwhile Royal Households of Gujarat and Rajputana. While Khyati Singh's ''Saffron" is inspired from her mother -- Princess Gitanjali Kumari of Danta (Gujarat), Mayankraj Singh's ''Shikaarbagh" revives the Textiles of the picturesque region of Dholpur and Kota of Rajasthan. Mayank's inspiration is drawn from his grandmother, the late Maji Saheba Urmila Rajey of Kayasthpada, mother Rani Maya Devi and Aunt Prerna Singh who supported his endeavours and played the Muse. The Royal duo has put up an exhibition of their works in Chandigarh's Aroma Hotel. Tikka Amar Singh Chandel of Ramgarh, along with Dr Rajeshwar Singh, Tikka of Jadla & Asst Director of Ayush, inaugurated the unique exhibition today,.

Mayank was introduced to the beauty of textiles from an early age. He focused to revive Textile Art & accordingly started working for bringing back into vogue the kaarigar & Poshaks of the bygone era. His "Shikarbaagh" stands for Shikar (Fauna) and Baagh (Flora), both greatly favoured by the Indian Royalty. Says Mayankraj, "The Shikarbaagh collection being showcased at the exhibition in Chandigarh presents delicate chiffons, Tissue and Kota Doria Saris adorned with silk embroidery and with antique borders in Shikargaah brocade. Another attraction is the Richly gathered Gheras and Anarkalis accentuated with Odhanis and Dupattas." Apart from designer wear Mayankraj has also brought  cushions in rich velvet, personalized with animal motifs and insignias, all richly embellished, bringing to life the magnificence of the royal era.

Khyati on the other hand was aware that Danta had excelled in producing very beautiful cottons in the pre-Independence era which, were exported to the farthest corners of the World but had slowly dwindled after independence, perhaps due to influx of power looms.  Therefore, inspired by her mother and with her encouragement she started producing Cotton garments mainly Kurtas, Sarees and Dresses with elements inspired from Gujarat. The "Saffron" line at Hotel Aroma presents a range of exotic Home Accessories and Clothing fashioned from the Gujarat Heritage, in the City Beautiful. Khyati said that currently she is working on a collection making use of traditional print of Ajrak and Bharat Kaam. Both Mayankraj and she had spent many days in Chandigarh as students, Though Mayank is armed with a Masters in History of Arts and is Currently finishing a PhD on "The Evolution of Rajput Royal Costumes", yet his intense interest in Indian Royalty, its History and Culture made him take the brave decision of engaging in a field which is largely not considered monetarily lucrative. But what has kept them going in their chosen fields is the fact that their involvement would help provide workers and kaarigars with work and whereby their income could increase substantially. This thought for the welfare of the erstwhile subjects of their forefathers is indeed laudable especially because of the duo's insistence on educating the children of the workers