Press

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Dyeing for a new look

THEY DYE to please every taste, and customer satisfaction is their primary aim. If Sri Ramlok & Co. has been a name to reckon with in textile dyeing and printing in Chennai for years, it is because of the commitment of Raghavachari who began the business way back in 1947. The legacy is being diligently carried on by his sons Rangarajan and Vasudevan.

The outlet on Ranganathan Street in T. Nagar is small and unpretentious with no flashes of ostentation whatsoever.

"We have seen both good and bad times. We are now out of the wood, but we still believe in a low profile,"says Vasudevan whose clientele includes many big names, from famous musicians to wives of popular actors.

The way it all began is quite interesting. Raghavachari who had confined himself to the dyeing and printing of the National flag for Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, stumbled into saree dyeing quite by accident. A neighbour rushed to him one day asking him to do something to her just washed saree which had lost its original colour. Raghavachari tried printing blocks on it and when the result was not satisfactory, he dipped the material in hot water. The result was stunning - a new colour had spread evenly, giving the saree a new look. The small success proved an inspiration and soon Ramlok started moving into other connected areas of business.

Today, the shop does not stop with printing and dyeing. Darning, tailoring, dry cleaning, zari polish, zardosi work, traditional hand embroidery - they are into all these and much more.

"Quality service and prompt delivery are aspects we never compromise on", says Vasudevan, as he pulls out a couple of sarees on which darning had been done. The job was so impeccable that even spotting the place that had been darned was not easy. "We may charge a little more, but it is definitely worth it", adds Vasudevan with a tinge of pride. "Colours dyed at Sri Ramlok never run and as far as tailoring is concerned we even deliver in a day's time", Vasudevan goes on.

Limitation in the choice of colours seems to be a deterrent for many who wish to have their sarees dyed. "Not any more... today, the fresh look can be got with a variety of colours from green and pink to rust and brown", says Vasudevan. Also now the border and pallu can have colours different from the body of the saree. The treatment some say, affects the texture and thereby the durability of the fabric. "Not at all... we use fabric friendly dyestuffs which do not affect the cloth", he explains.

And for those going in for a new silk sari, Vasudevan says it is imperative that washing the new sari in at least three years to five years time, is imperative if the sari has to have a long life.

"I always follow Ramlok's advice regarding maintaining a saree, new or dyed," says Shareefa, who has been Ramlok's customer for many years. She finds their work flawless and so she has been coming here even from the days when she used to live in far away George Town.

For some, talking about Ramlok is in itself a nostalgic trip - "Those were the days when my mother used to tear a part of an old silk saree, get it printed at Ramlok and make a skirt with it for me. And believe me, it used to last long too," says another Ramlok regular of yore.

But it is not as though a shop can guarantee 100 per cent customer satisfaction. There have been a few who have gone back disgruntled. "Minor pinpricks are inevitable but I can definitely say that 95 per cent of my customers return from Ramlok happy", says Vasudevan.

Apart from dyeing, Ramlok undertakes printing too - not just block printing but all over prints that give a different look to the saree. Metallic prints are an in thing now, as far as printing goes. Dyeing and printing on salwar kameezes, jeans, curtains and bedspreads are also done, though Ramlok concentrates mainly on silk.

One way to get rid of stains is to dye the saree or dress. Poor people who cannot afford a new silk saree bring their old, but faded ones for a new colour and feel. Many of those settled abroad bring a whole lot of saris to Ramlok for dyeing and dry cleaning, says Vasudevan. Dry cleaning is comparatively costly here, but again no chemical is used for the process. Steam press that removes even the slightest wrinkle on the zari, is a speciality here. "And we starch cotton sarees too", says Vasudevan.

So from printing to tailoring, from dyeing to darning and from starching to zardosi, Ramlok's enterprise extends into many areas.

"My brother Rangarajan and I work hard to satisfy those who come to us. Every customer, rich or poor, is important to us and every job, big or small, receives our complete care and attention", are Vasudevan's parting words.