Reviving the age old art of maachi kaam

Maachi kaam, a very traditional art form has come down through generations in Gujarat. This kind of art on furniture is seen in many homes and still the name of the art is rarely known. Maachi is none other than the art of weaving jute rope on chairs and beds. Three brothers, Bhailal, Jeetu and Raju Mistry, have come a long way since they delved into this art 12 years back. It started with their eldest brother (Bhailal) who went as an apprentice to a carpenter who was a maachi kaam exponent.

Making maachi furniture is not an easy task. The wooden frame of the furniture, be it chair, table, or bed, is carved and then filled in with a rope. This rope filling is unusual; it has a specific design and method.

These three brothers began their long journey towards the art with restoration work for old wooden furniture. Before they began maachi kawn they used to restore old furniture. Apart from maachi kaam they can restore anything from an old chakki to a huge door, pillars and other old furniture. Bhailalbhai Mistry, the second eldest of the brothers came to Ahmedabad 22 years ago and began to restore old furniture. He got associated with Gurjari where he restored old furniture for them. They can also make furniture and can imitate any design you give them. After some years of living in Ahmedabad, Bhailal who came from Viramgam in search of work went to Limbdi to work with an old artist.

Bhailal began working till partnership with Bikhabhai in Limbdi and learnt a lot from him. Soon the government gave them a sample of the kind of work they wanted them to do. "This was maachi kaam. I had to make furniture with the model we had been given. This is how by understanding the art I learnt about the art," says Bhailal.

He spent a few months in Limbdi and then came back to Ahmedabad to try his newly acquired talent in the market. All the brothers joined in this venture and it

has remained their family business since. ‘I taught my brothers what I had learnt and soon we began to expand"’ Bhailal adds. Except for their eldest brother who is a farmer, the rest of the three are now in Ahmedabad and they make furniture with maachi kaami on it. The basic things that are required in the furniture are wood and rope. The jute used in the rope for the filling comes from Calcutta and the wood used is called desi bawar, which comes from Kalol.

"We always make sure that the material we use is of good quality and the customer has no regrets after he has bought the furniture," says Jeetubhai. "This king of furniture is easy on the pockets, of couples who have just started their lives and they are the ones who come to buy it. It is the most selling furniture from our outlets,’ says Nargis Sheikh, an employee at Gurjari.

Apart from restoration and maachi kaam, the trio also specialises in making new kinds of furniture. Give them any pattern of furniture you like and they will make it for you in a jiffy. All the three brothers are open to new ideas and can make the furniture of your design. In fact they say that they are happier trying new kinds of furniture instead of sticking to the mundane ones.

They provide the maachi kaam furniture not only in Ahmedabad but other cities also. However their main supply is to Gurjari. The furniture goes to all the Gurjari outlets in Bangalore, Lucknow and Calcutta. They have been supplying it to all Gurjari offices.

The prices of the furniture differ. The set of two folding chairs and a small table costs Rs 800. The swing is for Rs 900 and the Dinning table with six chairs costs Rs 3,100. There are things for your drawing room too; a sofa set consisting of two big chairs, one sofa and one table costs Rs 3,100. Apart from this they can make you beds and other furniture items of your liking in maachi kaam.

So let your imagination run wild when you want them to make your furniture. Their labour charge per day for both making furniture (at your residence) and restoration work is Rs 300.

For all those who want something different in their house, and want it to be maachi kaam contact:

Bhailalbhai Mistry at
1-Satyaprakash Society,
near Railway Quarters Crossing.
Chandlodiya, Ahmedabad.