Real Weaver of The Maths Saree

A "Maths Saree" was in the news recently. There are mathematical symbols and equations all over.

Padma Shri actress Vidya Balan had worn it for the promotion of her Hindi movie- Shakuntala Devi.

If you are a handloom lover, you would not have missed this news as it brought a smile to many faces.

#SambalpuriBandha Saree has #GITag. @vidya_balan wearing #Sambalpuri #OrissaIkat Maths Sari shares video msg for our weavers. #ShakuntalaDevi 🎥 #VocalForLocal @CimGOI @CIPAM_India @cgpdtm_india @DIPPGOI #OdishaGI #GIsofIndia #KnowYourGI #LetsTalkIPhttps://t.co/2xaDWUbzrz

— Odita Trust (@OditaTrust) July 30, 2020

The Sambalpuri Saree connection with Team Vidya Balan had been done by my sister, Amrita Sabat, through our brand Utkalamrita of our company Sabat Exports Pvt. Ltd. Information about the Saree - weaver's name from whom Saree was sourced, village name, district name, and other technical details of the Saree had been shared. Amrita had also requested their team to share a video message for our weavers, which Vidya Balan graciously heeded. 

Sabat Exports Pvt. Ltd. is the first Authorised User (AU) of "Orissa Ikat" Geographical Indication (GI). 

We are passionately promoting Odisha handlooms worldwide. 

Many were and still are not even aware of "Sambalpuri Bandha Saree" or that it has earned the GI Tag almost a decade ago. Many had not even heard the name of this Saree!

We are happy that now this particular GI is better known and there are more orders directly from the weavers of not just this saree, but others too...

Many pieces of this particular Saree were/are lying with multiple weavers and in the shops and no one was bothered. However, as

 soon as Vidya Balan wore the Saree sent by our company, there were so many to bask in the limelight and, worse, ready to steal the credit! 

Who made the connection?

Who was responsible for the action?

No one was concerned! What was important was to project themselves as the weaver/designer or the one who made this connection possible!

I) Designer Magic!

One particular designer put his brand name/logo on her latest Maths Saree photo and shared it on social media just a few minutes after the Shakuntala Devi movie-promotion! In one of the WhatsApp groups that we have in common, this designer's friends started congratulating him and praising him for the wonderful initiative he had taken! After all, they felt that he had personally designed and sent that Sambalpuri Bandha Saree for her! 

This particular designer made hay while the sun shone! There was not one word from him that it was wrong news as he was NOT the designer or sender of the Saree! He remained quiet and allowed the misinformation to spread.

II) Wholesaler's Story!

A wholesaler was in many news reports claiming that he drew the graph for the Saree! This person is just a shopkeeper who sells Sarees, and is neither a weaver nor designer. He collects products from various weavers & sells. Worse, he picks interesting sarees & copies them by creating graph & then states he’s the creator/weaver! He has got many orders now thanks to hearty promotion by Team Vidya Balan. In his interview to news media he has spoken lies that has earned him much support! .

III) Smart Engineering Graph-maker!

Then, there was another smart youngster, who said that see had created the graph for the Saree seeing equations from his engineering books! As his illustrious family-member was not well-educated, he helped him by creating graph using the equations and symbols from his engineering books. Thus, he had named the Saree as "Engineering Saree"! This person approached some media and bloggers and made them write reports and posts about this Maths Saree crediting his name!

IV) False "First" Weaver's Story!

Another weaver got in touch with us saying he was the one who had woven the Maths Saree first in 2017! After that many copies of the Saree were made!

V) Enterprising Promoters!

Some other weavers claimed to have sent the Saree to Mumbai in 2017 itself, and thanks to their great step, the Saree could be promoted this way! In fact, Vidya Balan took the Saree from them!                                                                                                                                                                                          Because people like the five categories listed above are busy fabricating tales and spreading fake stories in their quest to earn undue credit, original and deserving people do not earn their due.

Ideas get copied & others claim to be owners or doers! 

Some others, instead of feeling proud, pull down and criticize those who made this connection possible.

Only some appreciate the genuine intention and action.

When there's a celebrity association or something becomes famous, there are many claimants!

No one will know the reality, unless it's shared.

When the real weaver saw the falsehood where other people were cashing on the same Maths Saree that he had first created, that too way back in 2015-16, he got in touch with us and furnished documentary evidence.

We have shared his video here-

This video is in Odia langauge.

Here’s the TRUTH about the Mathematical Designs - “Shri Ganeet” Saree that has earned great appreciation & is in much demand.

Last year, in 2019, the moment we saw the rich Sambalpuri Bandha saree painstakingly handwoven with Mathematical Symbols, Equations & Formulae, it had been reserved by us for the promotion of the Shakuntala Devi movie based on our India’s Maths Genius.

We had shared the name of the weaver from whom we had sourced the Saree. This is the info Team Vidya Balan shared.

But, many weavers have been weaving the same Saree in the past 3 years. There have been many claimants as weavers of the “Shri Ganeet” Saree. 

However, everyone must laud the real weaver of the Maths Saree- Shri Bhagabata Meher. 

Shri Bhagabata Meher, Real Weaver of the Maths Saree

Concept & Design- Shri Prafulla Meher, Sonepur

Weaver- Shri Bhagabata Meher, Sonepur.

Shri Meher had woven this saree in 2015-16 and applied for the State Handloom Award, but never won an award for it!

We shared the information of the real weaver on Sambalpuri Din - a Day for Sambalpuri Bandha - on August 1st. 

Great to research and be aware of the truth now.

But, how many know the real weaver now, as compared to the fake claimants? 

The fake people have got famous! They have earned the praise and orders!

It is terrible when people stoop so low and claim others works as their own!

This is not just an isolated case. And many such cases are happening right in front of our eyes in the age of social media and information age!

Small wonder, genuine people don't earn their due.

Those stealing others credit, BEWARE! 

No amount of denigration or lies will change the reality.
Note- The round eyes of God are watching everything 🙏🏻

Truth will win one day. Satyameva Jayate.

You can read more about the other people associated & the genuine story about this Maths Saree. The photo of the real weaver, Bhagabata Meher, & the documentary evidence of his work is proof.

We believe in ethics, honesty and integrity. Moral Science lessons must be strictly imparted and followed. 

Why can't/won't some people allow credit for people who are truly the brains and workers behind making such things possible?