昨日は、無事に開会式でのトーク＆着物の展示を完遂できた。好天に恵まれ、訪れる人々の艶やかなサリーが、青空に、緑に映える。このような場では、サリーを愛好する人たちのファッションを眺めるだけでも、目の保養だ。
さて、前日の準備、当日の設営……といずれも体力勝負の２日間だった。予想に違わず、混沌の段取りではあったが、ミューズ・クリエイションの関係者３名がサポートしてくださり、とても助かった。まるで示し合わせたかのように、「着物」「浴衣」そして「着物のリメイク」という異なる和装で参加していただけたので、違いをリアルに説明でき、聴衆の方々にも関心を持ってもらえた。
開会式の主賓は、南インド映画の女優／監督はじめ、多彩な肩書きと数々の受賞歴を持つRevathi。白いサリーを着用されている女性だ。この催しの主催団体であるカルナータカカルナータカ工芸評議会の役員ら、そしてRevathiのスピーチのあと、わたしのトークで開会式が締め括られた。
貴重な15分に、大切なエッセンスを封じ込めるべく、まずはセンテンスごとに日本語で文章を作成。それを日進月歩な翻訳ソフト(Deepl)で英訳しつつ、修正を加える。おおよそ15分で収まる程度のワード数（2000ワード弱）に調整した後、実際に読んでみて、超過時間を確認。文章を削りつつ、発音しにくい単語を、発音しやすい単語に入れ替えつつ、何度か音読する。ひたすら、読みやすい平易な文章にする。
歌もそうだが、とにかく出だしが肝心。最初が速やかに読めれば、あとは流れやすい。このような練習を日々やっていれば、英語力が向上するのにな……と思うが、こういう機会がないとやる気が起こらないのが残念なところ。入念な準備の甲斐あって、多くの方々からお褒めの言葉をいただいた。せっかくなので、文章をシェアする。簡単な単語が多いので、読みやすいかと思う。
本来は、開会式のあとにも、数時間は着物や帯を展示してゲストに見ていただくはずだったのだが、ステージ（というか、台）は、すぐさま他の展示が始まって、それどころではなく。すぐに撤収せねばならなかったのが残念だった。幸い、日本の方々に着物や帯を畳むのを手伝ってもらえて助かったが、マネキンガールズやポールの解体で、汗だくだ。途中で服に着替えて、たちまち肉体労働者に戻る。ひと汗かいたあと、ランチをとって、会場を巡る。
とにもかくにも、麗しき布の海！ 布の写真は次の投稿に譲るとして、ここでは購入したジュエリーを載せておきたい。
布以外に、２店舗、とても素敵なジュエリーブランドが出店していた。Flames of the Forestは、天然石をモチーフにしたシルヴァージュエリーを販売。かようなジュエリーは、インドではとても一般的だが、洗練されたデザインというのは、なかなか見つからないものだ。Flames of the Forestはデザイナー自らが積極的に接客。それぞれの石とデザインにストーリーがあり、魅力的である。わたしは、カーネリアンとジャスパーのイヤリングを買った。鮮やかなオレンジと、曇天の砂漠の地平線みたいな石の模様が気に入った。
MOHAは、インドの神様ほか、縁起良さげなモチーフをデザインしたジュエリーを展示。わたしはサラスワティという女神（日本の弁財天の起源）が好きなのだが、今回、このモチーフが、サラスワティのシンボルだと知り、うれしくなって購入した。シルヴァーにゴールドをコーティングしたものなので、お値段も手頃だ。
この展示会は、10月1日まで開催につき、ご都合の合う方はぜひ。サリーだけでなく、マテリアル（単なる布）も販売されている。ちなみに会場はアートスクールの「奥の方」のビルディング地下。手前の庭でも他のバザールが開催されているのでお間違えのないよう。
The threads that connect India and Japan
The inauguration of Vastrabharana, the flagship event of the Crafts Council of Karnataka.
27th September 2024, Miho Sakata Malhan
Good morning, everyone. I am Miho Sakata Malhan. I am from Fukuoka, in south-west Japan. In my twenties, I worked as an editor and writer for overseas travel guidebooks in Tokyo. I had a keen interest in international travel and culture. On the other hand, I did not pay much attention to Japanese traditions, history and culture. I spoke very little English as a young adult, as was common in Japan. I decided to study English in the US for a year. I went to New York in 1996. A few months later, I met an Indian man, who would become my husband. That is why I am here now. After living in the US for about 10 years, we moved to Bangalore at the end of 2005.
The first time I wore a saree, was for my own wedding in Delhi, my husband's hometown, in 2001. Since then, I have been fascinated by Indian textiles. On each trip to India, I visited saree shops and exhibitions. In Delhi, Mysore, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Kochi, Aurangabad and Srinagar… it was great fun to see the unique techniques and designs of sarees in each of these places. Reflecting the traditional craftsmanship of different regions, sarees symbolize India’s deep history, vast landmass, and diversity.
I actively bought sarees during my first few years living in India. Orissa Ikat, Patola Ikat, Bandhani, Varanasi Silk, Parsi Gara, Chikankari, Bhandani, Kutch, Kashmiri, Kantha embroidery, Ajrakh Print, Mysore Silk, Dhaka Muslin, Kalamkari....... Each saree is very dear to me. In fact, I sometimes felt a bit uncomfortable at parties hosted by my Indian friends as I was often the only one wearing a saree. I decided to create opportunities for my friends to wear sarees. Since I founded the NGO, Muse Creation in 2012, I have been giving talks every few months on Indian sarees and textiles to Japanese people living in Bangalore. I have also led Japanese women to visit saree shops and exhibitions. I organised lunch meetings in sarees. It was great fun to see more than ten Japanese women gather in their sarees.
I may appear to be an expert in kimonos, but I am actually not. I am still a beginner. I admit I can’t tie the kimono’s obi belt well, without another’s help. For the past 20 years, I have been more familiar with sarees. I only owned two casual cotton kimonos, called yukata, worn in the summer season. They are easy to wear, but I wore them only a few times in India. The turning point for me came only a year ago. I had an opportunity to wear a yukata just before I temporarily returned to Japan. On that day, my friends complimented me on my yukata. I planned to buy new yukatas in Japan. But it was the autumn season, and none of the stores were selling yukatas. Then one day, I entered a second-hand kimono store in my hometown of Fukuoka. There were kimonos and obis all neatly lined up in a row. Everything caught my eyes!
Two years ago, I was appointed a promoter of the Kyoto Yuzen Sarees, an initiative of the Government / Crafts Council of Kyoto. At that time, I did some research on kimonos, but it was the first time I had looked carefully at a lot of kimonos. I realized that the same aesthetic eyes that I had developed in India when choosing sarees, had also been cultivated in me when looking at kimonos. Kyoto Yuzen is a traditional dyeing technique that originated in Kyoto, during the Edo period. The beauty of nature and traditional culture is painted on silk by highly skilled craftsmen, stroke by stroke, with great care. The techniques of tie-dye, ikat, and “Sarasa” the Japanese term for calico, were brought to the far eastern island nation of Japan from India. Many of them were nurtured by the local climate, four seasons, and the temperament of Japan, and became unique works of art. Kimono culture is also closely related to Buddhism, Zen, tea ceremony, flower arrangement and martial arts.
The heyday of kimono culture in Japan was around 1975, during a period of high economic growth. At that time, the Kimono market was worth 2 trillion yen, but since then it has been in decline, and has now shrunk to only one-ninth! Kimonos and obis are made of natural materials, like pure silk and cotton, reflecting the climate of Japan, and carefully crafted individually by skilled artisans. They are like works of art that do not fade with age. But they are being sold at low prices on auction sites and at recycled stores. If they find new owners, it is better still. A large number of kimonos and obis that have nowhere else to go, are being discarded.
Have you heard about the TV drama called “Shogun”, which recently won 18 Emmy Awards? The kimonos worn by the actors are of excellent quality.
Surprisingly, the costume designer is not Japanese. He is Carlos Rosario, a Frenchman of Spanish descent. He borrowed and studied many costumes from Japan, in order to get the design of the kimonos right. He decided on the colours and patterns for the kimonos, taking into account the historical background of the era, and what the attire of each character would have been. You can watch the drama on Disney Plus.
Returning to the story of my kimono purchase last year, I came back to my mother’s home with heavy shopping bags and showed them to my mother. Then, she said,
“Actually, there are old Kimonos and Obis in the suitcases in that closet.”
I had not seen her in a kimono since I was a child. I opened the old suitcases.
“Oh my god!!”
The two suitcases were truly treasure chests! Kimonos and obis created with advanced techniques, such as Shibori, Kasuri, and Kyoto-Yuzen, were crammed into the suitcases! Most of them had been kept for half a century, had never been worn, and were in pristine condition. After sending my mother's kimonos to India, I continued my travels in Japan. In Nagoya, I visited Arimatsu, the home of Shibori. In Tokyo, I visited kimono stores and exhibitions. I learned a lot through conversations with people involved in the kimono industry.
In India too, the number of women wearing sarees has been decreasing, due to the popularity of Western fashion. On the other hand, there is a movement to respect traditional handicrafts and pass them on to the next generation. Many of my close friends in India are very interested in Japanese traditional culture. I strongly wanted my friends to see my collection. I held a comparative exhibition of kimonos and sarees as soon as I returned from Japan. Kimonos were displayed side by side with sarees, made with the same techniques. I wanted to visually express the connection between Japan and India.
Let me talk about my personal favourites, Shibori and Kasuri. As you know, Shibori is a cloth-making technique known as “Tie & Dye” in English, and “Bandhani” in India. The history of this technique dates back to the ancient Indus Valley civilization. The dyeing technique originated in India and came to Japan via the Silk Road around the 7th century. In the Nara period (8th century) various techniques were born in Japan.
It is said that the Shibori technique developed in Japan, was brought to India by Rabindranath Tagore. He was a close friend of Kakuzo Okakura and visited Japan many times. Tagore had a strong passion for the revival of traditional handicrafts.
I bought this book (on art in Ajanta) in 2011, right after my trip to Ajanta and Ellora. Look at the dancer’s costume! Her Bandhani top is similar to my mother’s Shibori kimono. The artwork was painted over 1500 years ago.
In fact, my hometown, Fukuoka, was once a major producer of Shibori and Kasuri fabrics. Today, indigo-dyed cotton Kasuri is still produced, but Shibori has declined. These are pictures of my grandmother. They clearly capture the cotton Kasuri kimonos that my grandmother and her friends wore daily more than 100 years ago. It was my grandmother who influenced my mother to buy a kimono, even though my mother preferred Western-style clothing. My mother probably bought these because she could not refuse her mother-in-law!
Finally, let me talk about the relationship between Japan and India in the modern era. Japan opened its doors to the world in 1868, after more than 200 years of isolation during the Edo period. This was the beginning of the Meiji era. During the Meiji era, industrialization was promoted. During this period, industrial exchange between Japan and India began. In 1889, A Japanese delegation visited India to research the Indian cotton industry. At this time, Indian cotton accounted for 49% of total domestic demand in Japan. In 1893, Jamshedji Tata visited Japan and met with Eiichi Shibusawa in Tokyo. It was a historic meeting between the “Father of Indian Industry” and the “Father of Japanese Capitalism”.
The main purpose of the meeting was to establish a regular shipping route between Japan and India. At the time, India was one of the world's leading cotton-producing countries, but the Indian export routes were monopolized by European shipping lines, which charged high freight rates. Shortly after Tata visited Japan, the Nippon Yusen Line opened up the Bombay-Kobe route and direct trade between India and Japan was initiated.
When I was doing my research, I found an article in the Times of India, written in 2015. In 1898, Jamshedji Tata established a 'silk farm' at Basavanagudi, in southern Bangalore. A visit to Japan in 1893, impressed him with the scientific development of sericulture there. From Japan, Tata hired a Japanese couple as sericulture experts to run the Basavanagudi silk farm. The article suggests that a Japanese couple contributed to the revival of Mysore Silk.
I have been away from Japan for 28 years. As I got older, I gradually started to learn about the beauty of my own country. I am honored to have the occasion to forge ties between my motherland, Japan, and my second motherland, India.
Thank you!