In conversation with Pramila Prasad.

It Started When Her Daughter Turned Twelve

My mother-in-law, Ammani Iyengar, started it all when her daughter turned twelve. Back then, girls had to wear sarees, but she wasn't happy with what was available in the market. She found some weavers and began designing sarees herself—specifying the borders, the patterns, everything.

What began for her daughter soon expanded to cousins, then family friends. This was around the 1950s, fifteen or twenty years before I married into the family in 1970. The weavers were from Kanchipuram, and in those days, traveling there was no small feat—no cars, just trains and buses. Mrs. Iyengar would make the journey to meet them directly.

The Weavers Started Coming to Her Instead

Eventually, the weavers realized it was difficult for a woman to travel so much, so they started coming to her instead. They'd catch a bus, deliver finished sarees, collect payment, take new orders, and return. That's how the chain grew—from family to friends, spreading by word of mouth.

Back then, saree shops were rare, unlike today where they line every street. Women would pour into our home, browsing and placing orders.

I Was Captivated by the Creativity

When I joined her in 1970, my mother-in-law was more confident there was somebody to be with her, but also unsure if I would be interested in the work. You see, I had a Master's degree in Psychology. But I was captivated by the creativity of it all—watching weavers come and go, imagining designs. It gave us both purpose—and kept the typical mother-in-law and daughter-in-law tensions at bay!

Open Only by Appointment

In 1973, we formalized everything and registered as Kanya. For years, we worked side by side. The weavers would visit weekly; later, everything moved to phones and online communication. We maintained a stock of 350 to 400 sarees and ran it like a home boutique—open only for restricted hours and by appointment.

Our Customers Needed to Feel the Fabric

During COVID, my daughters insisted we shut down for safety. For a year and a half, Kanya went silent. We tried moving online, but it didn't work. Our customers needed to feel the fabric, drape the sarees, so we are back to the offline mode now.

It Was Never Taxing, Just Interesting

Neither Ammani Iyengar nor I ever wanted to scale up into a big shop. The profit margins were modest, but it was successful in what mattered—it kept us busy, engaged, and fulfilled. It was never taxing, just interesting. And that was enough.