Murudkars keep craft of making pagdis alive

Pune: Choosing tradition and culture over an opportunity to study and work abroad, Girish Murudkar, of the Murudkar Zendewale and Phetewale, has ensured the survival of the art and craft of making and tying turbans in the city.
Started about 80 years ago at Budhwar Peth by his grandfather under the brand name of RS Murudkar, with the support of his father Shankar Ramkrishna Murudkar, the store is the only one of its kind that continues to offer such services.

“When the store started, the entire Pasodya Vithoba area was a cloth market with dealers trading in various types of clothing and pasodas (shawl used to cover palkhi). This place had many pagadbandhs or craftsmen who made pagdis. But then the Laxmi Road cloth market came up and all the traders moved there or switched to dealing in electronic items. After completing education, I had the option of going overseas for further studies, but I decided to take over the business here to ensure that the craft of making pagdis did not die,” said Girish.

While the street once boasted of about 25 to 30 phetewale and those who made pasodas, today, Murudkar Zendewale and Phetewale is the only pagdi shop remaining here.

“Today, we are one of the only shops in Maharashtra that has kept alive this craft. We are still innovating in terms of pagdi and pheta designs. We have expanded with time and have added products like flags, badges and other political paraphernalia to our inventory,” he added.

According to Girish, since he has taken over the shop, he has trained many craftsmen. “I have already trained about 50 persons in pagdi craftsmanship. We have another 100 craftsmen making pagdis for us on an order basis. One issue we have observed is that most of these craftsmen are old and their kids are not interested in learning the craft,” he said.

However, the future generation of Murudkars is up to the task. Speaking about carrying on the tradition and entering their family business, 14-year-old Yash Murudkar said, “I would continue this family business and aim to expand it. This is a unique and traditional craft and there are no other shops that deal in the sort of material that we do. I like to innovate and make things and am already learning how to make phetas from my father.”

Girish said, “Our greatest achievement is that we have been able to keep the craft alive. We have provided pagdis and phetas for numerous prominent personalities in India and across the world. We provide pagdis and pasodas for the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati and many other temples as well.”

Speaking about the younger generation, he said, “It is satisfying to see the younger generation, especially girls, make a beautiful connect between tradition and technology. Never before did women wear pagdi or pheta. But today, girls are not shying away from wearing one. Many people today have cut all ties with culture, but often are left unhappy. This is because money cannot buy everything. Culture is a lifeline and we must keep it alive.”