Months before the biting Delhi winter, when the sun is long and warm, the women gathered in the big common space. And were busy. As though preparing for a dance.
I had to investigate. I found heaps of old damaged clothes, a big macintosh, many sacks stitched into one big piece, a big tarpaulin and needles and thread. They were making Razais. Not the ones filled with cotton but a modification of the Jaipur Razai.
First they laid out the first layer working in three teams. So one had the tarpaulin, one the macintosh and third the sack. They laid it out in a rectangle the size of double bed. Then laid a 3 inch wide cloth tape boundary to this. Then they laid out the torn pieces of cloth to cover the area within. It was actually the old clothes of their children. Then they rolled up the first layer enclosing all this.
Now comes the skillful part. They unroll it inch by inch and use the long needles and longer thread to stitch the whole damn thing up.
Later they use the big scissors, which look more like shears, to trim the edges off the pieces of cloth. Soon you have a multicolored spread of cloth. Stitch two such pieces together and lo you have a nice warm home-made razai.
This reminded me of something from my childhood. I must have been around 3-4 but its as clear as yesterday. Mom took me along to buy bed sheets. We went to this ladies home at Lower tank bund in an auto. Hell, I remember it so clearly. There she laid her eyes on this quilt made up of old clothes. The lady told mom that she cut her old clothes into squares and made it. And was willing to make mom one too, if mom could provide the clothes. We immediately ride back home, mom collects a bundle of old clothes and go back to give it to the lady. A fortnight or so later we have a beautiful bed spread and used it for years as a counterpane.
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