It happens quite often that one comes across heartwarming stories while travelling when we decide to dig a little deeper and stray a little longer . I came across one such beautiful tale of support and survival during my first visit to Pondicherry. The second visit to this sleepy old town was no different. Visiting a place more than once gives ample reasons to stay away from touristy activities and also the time to explore the offbeat, un-touristy parts that only locals know about. Cluny Embroidery Centre was one such find, all thanks to a local who divulged Pondicherry’s well kept secrets to travelers.
I booked a heritage walk with Intach which became the highlight of the trip and learned about many hidden gems of Pondicherry. One such stop on that heritage trail was the Cluny Embroidery Centre, where we spent some time admiring the architecture the and lawns, the French doors and columned courtyards of this 18th century French home. It was built in 1774 by M. Lagrenee, who was a French lawyer and the structure served as a private house for the family. This mansion with large French style windows has beautiful murals on it’s white walls depicting symbols of war, music, agriculture and geometry. Overlooking a lush green garden, the courtyard now opens its doors to those in need, providing hope and dignity to the poorest and most vulnerable members of the local community. One just needs to be able to knock, the doors will always open.
Back then, the lady of the house offered this premises to support underprivileged women in need and it has been a hub of assistance for these downtrodden ladies since then. Now supported by the local convent, it is home to many poor, vulnerable women who learn skills like embroidery, lace-making, crochet to support themselves through tough times. I could almost picture a group of women learning and improvising their skills with colorful threads, making this white mansion fill up with a splash of color. Given my recent (Covid-induced) interest in learning embroidery, I couldn’t stop asking if I could learn too. But, coming from a place of privilege, I realized I should better buy a few pieces. The workshop was closed since it was already late evening, so we decided to visit again the next day.
During the second visit, we saw everything we missed the first time. Those beautiful doors were open and there was an entirely different world inside. A workshop was ongoing, and the things being created there bypassed all standards of beauty and finesse. My jaw dropped in wonder at the exquisite beauty and craftsmanship that was at display. These women were creating beautiful hand embroidered sarees, handkerchiefs, pillow cases, table mats, wall hangings and what not.
The most amazing thing about these embroidery items was that they looked similar from front and back, one had to look very carefully to figure out which one is the front and which one is the back. This art supposedly came to India with Irish nuns who shared their skills with Indian women who wanted to learn. The items were a little pricey, but totally worth the effort it would take to make them. I brought home a few of them, making sure I carry a piece of Pondicherry back with me, a piece that moved me the most.
Aira
Very naturally written. Loved the vibes of pondicherry!!!