“There is a dialogue exchange in one of my favourite director, Satyajit Ray’s, historical classic based on my city, Lucknow, Shatranj Ke Khiladi. The scene is like this – General Outram (portrayed very effectively by British actor Sir Richard Attenborough), the British appointed Resident at Lucknow, is conversing with a British doctor and legal practitioner, Ferra, on the ways to annex Awadh. During the conversation, General Outram, a true Brit, remarks on the perfume that the Nawab wears, which he calls “extraordinary” in sarcasm, but complains that his uniform reeks of it, even 3 months after the interview with the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Ferra remarks that the perfume is ” attar”, a Damask Rose Parfum made locally in Awadh. The slight on this fabulous perfume from Awadh was hurtful, yet expected from a character like Outram, who did not understand concepts of Indian aesthetics and was brought up to demean them. My mind however got stuck on Ferra’s explanation of “Perfume of Damask Rose”. My personal collection of perfumes is only of Ittar from Awadh – Khus, Gulaab, Sandal – being my absolute favourite. I always wanted to incorporate their name into a luxury piece created in Meiraas. So here is presenting a whiff of Sandalwood Ittar through weaves & crafts of India – The Sandal Ittar Dupatta  ” – Vidhi Rastogi, Head of Creative, Meiraas.

A true museum art piece, the Sandal Ittar dupatta, is an exemplary piece of Luxury Chikankari. Created on supple Handwoven Tussar Silk, the dupatta is crafted on the natural shade of Tussar Silk, a Golden beige, as balmy as Sandal, and embroidered upon with the same coloured resham thread.

The highlight of this luxury dupatta is the fantastic Jaali work with Gold Qasab taar (jaali stitch made using zari filament vis a vis thread, which means it is more difficult, rare and time taking to create). The Sandal Ittar Dupatta is finished on either daaman with crochet lace dyed in the same colour. It is a fragrance of true art!!

Please Note: Last Image is of a plain Handwoven Tussar Silk Kurta Fabric in contrasting complimentary colour, that we are providing with this dupatta, as a gesture.