An exhibition at Bengaluru’s Araku Cafe, which leaves us with a better understanding of two different journeys, is also a marker of how to consume more responsibly
At first glance, the journey of cotton and coffee – from seed to loom and seed to cup – may have little or nothing in common. However, Raga, a sensory exhibition at Indiranagar’s Araku Cafe, proves that there are many parallel paths. Conceived and executed by Yali, the commercial arm of textile entrepreneur Eli Maithon’s The Registry of Sarees, and Nandi Foundation’s Araku Coffee – both operating in the areas of organic, handspun, handwoven and homegrown – it talks about common synergies Two: organically grown and used sensitively.
When I enter Araku Cafe, the first thing I do is go to the ‘bar’. Maithon, who is also a perfumer trained at Grasse in France, distills Araku Coffee’s offerings — Signature, Selection, Micro-Climate, and Grand Reserve, and their latest micro-lot, James of Araku — into aromas. A few drops of essential oils on paper-cut cottonseed leaves and I find hints of orange, pepper, chocolate and citrus notes combined with a masculine, earthy aroma that stimulates the nose (and sometimes confuses it). Another batch, which is Mathan’s tribute to Yaali’s curtains, has a subtle fragrance. Gentle notes tickle my olfactory, cotton, indigo, nut, and gold Zari, reminds me of the looms and the people and the processes behind the clothes.
connecting the senses
From olfaction, I move on to hearing. On the earbuds of my mobile phone I hear initial sounds and murmurs accompanied by a meditative music track; It reinforces the sound of the roots pushing towards the sources of energy. The wall hanging on a large wall suggests that the roots of plants rise to the sound of running water and create melodious vibrations in play with the moon’s electromagnetic fields – bioacoustics. These conversations have been “amplified into a soundscape that the human ear can see”. It’s a strange but soothing harmony.
My next stop is the multicolored bunting pavilion in cream, brown, red and indigo. Each is printed with words that trace the journey of the material. (The herbaceum, I learn, is a small staple variety of cotton indigenous to Asia and Africa, and the Registry of Sari has recommended DDCC1, or naturally colored brown cotton, for cultivation in Salem, Dharwad and Mysore. licensed.) however is located. Indoors, one can imagine them, like the Tibetan flag, waving in the wind, carrying words like seeds in the wind, each associated with memories.
Saree’s Registry associates Mathan and (right) Araku Coffee’s Aditi Dugar. photo Credit: special arrangement
In addition to them, on tall shelves, there are various materials to incorporate the sense of touch. Yarn, husk, husk, seed, coffee beans – soft and flexible as opposed to shiny hardness. If we close our eyes and feel these things, which we eventually consume in various forms, it allows us to re-imagine our relationship with them. This process of allowing ourselves to slow down momentarily at an exhibition in a cafe, allows us to reflect on the memory of touch as we sip coffee or slowly roll our fingers across the yard. .
weaving story
Go up one level, and the exhibit revels in the scene. Sculptural representations crafted with chocolate and marzipan demonstrate the development cycles of coffee and cotton, and depict the various processes they go through: ginning, spinning, dyeing, weaving (of fabrics) and pulping, drying, roasting and grinding (of coffee). The last of these includes the establishment of Araku’s retailing specialty coffee and the sarees and clothing highlighting Yali’s three lines.
There is an initiative called Hosa Arambha to engage the Padmashali weavers from Kodiala, Karnataka, whose handlooms revolve around mythological stories and motifs; Selvage, which celebrates brown cotton and classic tailoring; and Smriti saris, inspired by the nine memories of textile patron Malvika Singh, were woven in fine cotton and Zari To make the grand Venkatagiri.
My last stop helps me heighten my sense of taste. The seven-course meal put together by Araku Cafe’s Chef Rahul Sharma is a journey through texture and flavor – from risottos to mousses. More interestingly, the whole experience turned a coffee hater!
do your job
The final cycle of the journey for me is discovering the brand’s sustainability initiatives. Fabric waste and yarn are reused in hand-stitched quilts and wall hangings; In coffee estates, all waste is processed into compost; And in cafes, bonbons served with coffee use both the coffee fruit and the seed. From clay to cup to clay, and so on with cloth – the cycle is complete.
When I look at the exhibit below and drink a hot cup of coffee, I am filled with possibility. What can we do to consume more responsibly and leave a lighter footprint on the earth.
Raga continues till 1st December1, Free Admission. there are also Workshops on Dialogue, Botanical Drawing, Typography and Coloring. Meals cost ₹4,000 plus tax (+₹2,500 for wine pairings); book 24 hours ahead.
The founder of Prakriti Foundation is Ranveer Shah.
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