The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Chamba rumaal: poetry in thread
Ramesh K. Dhiman

Himachal Pradesh has been the cradle of many rich folklores, some of which have prospered under the protective patronage of kings and queens who ruled this hill heartland from time to time. The Chamba rumaal, an intricately embroidered handkerchief offering a melange of motifs, thoughts and themes, is a fitting example of such an endearing folk culture of Chamba, also known for its divine links. Steeped in the hill folklore as a fine miniature painting blending the medieval and modern concepts of this colourful craft, the Chamba rumal is a powerful poetic composition in thread.

To trace its origin, we trek down into the latter half of the 16th century when Umed Singh ruled Chamba. A great lover of art, the king was deeply moved by the pitiable plight of the artists and craftsmen who were maltreated at the hands of the ruling Muslim monarchs. They were rendered homeless and were striving hard for survival. The kind-hearted king went the whole hog to rehabilitate them by extending unstinted patronage to the traditional art and craft they had been fiercely pursuing since times immemorial. Finally, they decided to settle down in the sylvan surroundings of Chamba, away from the prying eyes of the Muslim monarchs. Ever since then they have been carrying on a family tradition from generation to generation.

According to one school of thought, the contemporary Mughal paintings with elaborate motifs had been the rallying point of the revival of this craft which is believed to have held sway over the sensibilities of master painters of the times. And the other holds that the imposing Pahari painting patterns have been the dominant factor behind the renaissance of this genre of craft, which is explicitly reflected in the motifs winsomely woven in colourful silk thread. It states that contemporary artists and craftsmen were greatly inspired by the painting patterns that adorned the walls of the Rang Mahal of Chamba. These imposing themes later became the warp and woof of the Chamba ‘rumaal’.

In olden times, the Chamba rumaal would be used as a “cover” for the “presents” exchanged between friends and kin on occasions like birthdays, weddings, fairs and festivals. This ritual was predominant amongst the upper-rung of society and the royal household. On the occasion of a wedding in a household, the Chamba rumaal would be exchanged between parents of the bride and those of the bridegroom. Weddings, and other celebrations in a household, sans this compulsory ritual, would be termed as dull and drab.

This traditional craft of weaving winsome motifs on a piece of plain cloth in fine silk thread, depicting a mosaic of metaphysical and fascinating folk themes, had remained confined only to the womenfolk belonging to the upper strata of society. The choice of thread, shape and size, as also the motif, would be decided by professional craftsmen. Dwelling distinctly on the mythological themes, these motifs would reflect the vibrant hill folk culture and the religious moorings that the hardy highlanders have fiercely stuck to for centuries. The folk themes that would figure in this elegant work of craft, included the , “Krishan Leela”, “Raas Leela”, the life and times of Lord Krishna and His immortal love for the “gopis”; devouts performing the “Ganesh Puja”, the brain storming game of chess, hunting scenes and random illustrations depicting woman’s pent-up passions etc.

The distinct style that the craftsmen have been following for decades in knitting out a dazzling range of heavily-embroidered Chamba rumaal is called Dorukhu. It is indeed the magic of the nimble fingers that create enigmatic patterns in fine silk thread of myriad hues on both sides. These earthy creations look surreal when these don the garb of natural colours and are inlaid with small, oval-shaped pieces of glass which add to its elegance and grace. The knitting on its both sides is so perfect that it may cause the heart of a hawk-eyed connoisseur flutter in sheer amazement.

The Chamba rumaal, which is now a collector’s item across the world, is available in simple and stirring shades, shapes and sizes. Two sets of the Chamba rumaal are very popular. The one which exudes rustic simplicity in sober pastel shades, serves as a headgear for local eves and guards them against snow and chilly winds. The other, which is heavily done-up, presents a riot of colours.

Even though efforts on all levels are afoot to protect, preserve and project this ancient craft in and around the world, these are not quite adequate. Much more needs to be done. The state government would do well by offering attractive incentives to those engaged in the promotion of the rich cultural heritage of Himachal Pradesh.

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	AUDIOSCAN Shazia Manzoor soars Haye Dil Jani (Venus): At a time when most female singers confine themselves to low-key renditions, the full-throated voice of Shazia Manzoor stands out. Here is the kind of voice which does not need props like a microphone. High-octave notes ring out loud and clear. What is remarkable is that her voice has oodles of "soz" because of which she is particularly enchanting in melancholy numbers. This album is full of them. In fact, the only "happy" song we have here is Giddhe vich nachna... and in that Shazia undergoes a strange transformation, bringing in a lot of ‘masti’ and frolic. Khwaja Pervez’s lyrics about charkha and dhol mahiya and giddha have an old-world charm about them and evoke nostalgia. Most of these are of the folk genre. Almost all of the 10 numbers are far above average. The opening number Main neel kariyan... is simply superb. There is a lot of variety in music; there are four separate music directors: Wajahat Attre, Zulfiqar Ali, Chaku and Baddar Miandad. The video featuring Bhagyashree, Tariq and newcomers Kamaal Soni and Muni with cinematography by S. Bashalal and choreography by Bhupi is professionally made. AATMA (Sony): It has been quite some time since Hariharan and Leslie Lewis did an album together. But the wait has been well worth it, because Colonial Cousins have come up with an album of considerable merit and variety. A lot of heart has indeed gone into it. They have fused typical Carnatic sounds with the latest western music seamlessly. The main quality of the album is its unexpectedness. Music ambles along, to go into the top gear all of a sudden. Similar improvisations are prevalent in lyrics also. Traditional words are juxtaposed on English jingles. Religion is also dovetailed dexterously in numbers like Sri Rama... Music is by Leslie Lewis mostly although Hariharan has collaborated with him in a few songs. But the best results are in the songs where Lewis has teamed up with the late Jaidev (Guiding star....) Swami Thyagaraja (Sri Rama...) and Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan (Sundar balma...) Kabeervani (Venus): Suddenly Kabeervani is in vogue. One particular album can be heard at most religious places. Perhaps taking a cue from that, Venus have come up with this album in the voice of Mahendra Kapoor and Anupama Deshpande. The former sings a stanza and then Anupama repeats it. Such rendition helps the reader in remembering the particular lines. One change that has been brought about here is that the customary Kahat Kabeer suno bhai sadho... has been modified to Kahat Kabeerji suno bhai sadho... Music is by Triveni-Bhavani.