It was during my student days in Delhi, I saw this shop in Kamala Nagar, Delhi. Kamala Nagar (students used to call ‘K Nags’) is exactly behind Delhi University. After classes many students used to go to Kamala Nagar market, almost every evening. It was during one such visit, I noticed this tailoring shop – “‘Darzi’ with Difference”. According to the market standards of those days, it was a very ‘posh’ looking shop. For students, it looked very expensive! A ‘FUS’ Jeans and a ‘T’ shirt purchased from the ‘Tibetan Market’ near ISBT was my usual attire. I never had a chance to visit the shop!
However, as I began writing various competitive examinations, and for appearing for those employment interviews, it became a necessity to have an official interview dress. I did not know what to do. It was then I remembered ‘the “’Darzi’ with difference”. I went there on one fine evening with many apprehensions. I was not even having cloth for stitching. I knew that the Darzi also sold cloth for stitching. The elder person in the photo above used to look very young and charming. It was he who showed the cloth and took my measurements.
All I got stitched was a black pant and a sky blue shirt. I wore this dress for all interviews religiously. I do not remember how much he charged; but what I do remember is that those clothes were perfect fit. Many people who saw me in these clothes did not say “Hey Gopal! You are looking smart”. Rather many did ask who stitched these clothes? Thus dress became a defining part of my life. And the Darzi stitched them with such love, passion and workmanship that in every interview I attended, tasted success. I had not asked for his name nor did I know the importance of a good tailor in life.
Earlier, I had many tailors who stitched clothes – such as NP Tailors, Princes Tailors and Jeans Tailors etc. During the festive season I used to go to his shop (Dukan) requesting for delivery; till the last moment I used to be in tension. I did not know if I would get to wear new clothes for the festival. My tailor always gave clothes on the festival day, say around 3 AM! To get my new clothes, I used to walk to his shop a dozen times! They were only clothes satisfying the festival need. They were never pieces of craftsmanship.
I also used to buy, for many years, readymade clothes. I brought them whenever & wherever there was a cheap sale. Those clothes undermined my personality. I also spent much money on branded clothes such as Peter England, Arrow or Allen Solly. They are okay and very expensive. They could never enhance my personality, as they were never stitched for me. They meant for all!
Decades went by! Time became a monotonous meaningless entity. And I was busy fighting life, instead of enjoying it. Went around the globe. I have completely forgotten the “‘Darzi’ with difference’”. On 4th August 2024 I was returning from Delhi. It was in the inflight ‘Vistara’ magazine, I saw the advertisement given by ‘the “’Darzi’ – The Suit people”. The tagline is changed from ‘with difference’ to the ‘suit people’ I kept staring at the picture. I visited their website ‘thedarzigroup.in’. Except 3 or 4 photographs – there is nothing. Every page is empty. Except the FB all other social media icons remained unresponsive. From ‘K-Nags’ they seemed to have moved to much costly neighborhood ‘Rajauri Gardens’ and are limited to ‘Raymond’ clothes. I sighed, made a mental note to visit their shop during my next visit. I do not know if the son has learned the nuances of finer cut in tailoring, but the father appears to be wiser & understanding. He appeared to have known the craftsmanship!
Finally, I found my master tailor at Hyderabad! Every suit, every shirt stitched by him were personalized creations. Till his demise, nearly for 2decades, I was his devoted customer. People across the globe asked and looked not at me, but at my finely stitched clothes. Many even enquired about the tailor. I owe a lot to the master tailor & his shop the BrassLeaf. Master Tailor sir! May your soul rest in peace. Looking back in life, I understand perfectly well the importance of a good tailor in life. A good tailor became one of my chief reasons of success. Now when I saw the advertisement of “‘The Darzi’ the Suit People’ my hopes revived. I do hope the earlier perfection in their stitching remained till date!
About the Author
Dr. K. Raja Gopal Reddy is a seasoned internationally qualified Insurance professional.
What you are reading here, may not answer all the questions we have, but has the absolute power of asking unsettling questions which increase the interest in the strange world, and show the contradictory wonders lying just below the surface of the commonest things of life. Look at this disturbing but beautiful thought of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”.
Dr. Reddy can be reached at: raja66gopal@gmail.com
