panchgadi

The Design Story

panchgadi

Panchgadi
Renu’s “Panchgadi” is a deeply personal creation, marking her first-ever Manchaha and the first from her village. Inspired after seeing stunning Manchahas at the company’s head office, Renu convinced a friend to join her on this creative journey. As it was winter season, the duo decided to weave designs inspired by their sweaters. The loom soon became a lively hub of neighborhood women visiting and chitchatting. The duo was so engrossed in weaving that they forgot that the light-colored yarns were about to be finished! All that was left was dark browns. Undeterred, they informed their branch manager and, while waiting for the new yarns to arrive, challenged themselves to create intricate designs knot by knot, blending the available colors and mimicking the shades of soil. When the new yarns finally arrived, Renu’s friend had to leave for a family event, leaving her to continue alone. Initially, Renu felt stagnant, and loneliness on the loom began to weigh on her. But everything changed when a quality supervisor visited and offered her a simple yet powerful suggestion: “Why feel alone? Imagine your family sitting beside you on the loom. How would the designs evolve with their presence?” This simple idea ignited Renu’s imagination. Seeking fresh inspiration, she visited her farm with her husband drew creative energy from her surroundings, and even engaged with her children for design ideas. Feedback from the neighboring women further enriched her vision. Finally, Renu created five panels, each reflecting a unique perspective: stripes from her saree, waves from wheat fields, geometric motifs from her handmade fan, glitchy patterns, and diamond shapes representing mawa mithai, her children’s favorite sweet. Through this rug, Renu overcame her fears and embraced her creativity, discovering different sides of herself. She thoughtfully named the rug Panchgadi, symbolizing the “creation of five elements.”

Neeta