On May 28 India witnessed the birth of a majestic symbol of its governance in the heart of Delhi, the new Parliament building. It is an architectural marvel designed by brilliant architect Bimal Patel. Every inch of this magnificent edifice reflects the dedication to perfection. From the intricate wooden craftsmanship meticulously done by skilled artisans from Nagpur to the sublime sandstone sourced from Rajasthan’s Dholpur and the granite procured from the desert city of Jaisalmer, only select artisans and finest materials were chosen to bring a grand vision to life. Step inside, and one would be spellbound by the rich spread of carpets crafted by the 103-year-old carpet brand, Obeetee Carpets. The luxury brand collaborated with 900 weavers from Uttar Pradesh who poured in 10 lakh man-hours to create 158 exquisite carpets for the Lok Sabha and 156 for the Rajya Sabha.
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These carpets, which come in over 25 shades, cover an awe-inspiring 35,000 square feet of space and are painstakingly woven with 600 million intricate knots. It is a testament to the unwavering commitment to perfection and attention to detail. Telling us about the making process which started during the pandemic in 2020 and ended in May 2022, Rudra Chatterjee, chairman of Obeetee Carpets, shares, “The carpet designs were conceived with great reverence for the halls, exuding intricate artistry, vibrant colours, and subtle elegance. Crafted at our factory headquarters in Mirzapur, the manufacturing procedure was a tedious process as the weavers had to craft the carpets for halls measuring up to 17,500 square feet each. This posed a significant challenge for the design team, as they had to meticulously craft the carpet in separate pieces and seamlessly join them together, ensuring a unified carpet that can sustain heavy footfall.”
The weavers for this project hail from UP’s carpet weaving hubs like Deharia,Godhana, Kalhana, Meuli, Bathna, Gazia, Aghuli and more. Some of them are from UP’s Mirzapur where carpet weaving began during Mughal emperor Akbar’s rule when finest Persian weavers settled there with their families and later on future generations carried forward the artistry. The carpets feature the national bird, the peacock that dances with grace and the national flower, the lotus that blooms in all its resplendent glory. The iconic motifs evoke a sense of pride and reverence.
Coming to colours, the carpets at Rajya Sabha are inspired by the shade of Kokum Red while Lok Sabha shines in Indian agave green, with inspiration from the plumes of the Indian peacock. Jasmine Roy, from the business and design team at Obeetee Carpets, tells us, “Majority of our design process and refinement took place amidst the challenging times of the pandemic, with countless Zoom calls fuelling our creative journey. The end result truly reflects their unwavering commitment to design excellence.
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