BY ARTI DAS | NT BUZZ
The ever changing world makes us forget many things. The traditional Godhadi or quilt is one of the best examples of this. This homely quilt is today fading into oblivion, silently.

Thankfully, today a group of women have come together to revive the art of Godhadi making. NT BUZZ interacted with these ladies in order to find out ways to revive and treasure this timeless bed linen
Memories always take us back to happier days. They are time machines that we all love to engage with. Sometimes, they also bring out the best in us and one of the best examples is the indigenous godhadi or quilt, which most of us have grown up with.
Made from old sarees the godhadi is hand stitched by the ladies of the family. This creative piece of work has a lot of memories and stories associated with it. 
But, with the passage of time this tradition is taking a backseat. Machine made and Rajasthani quilts, which look trendier and appealing, have precedence over godhadis. Once of the reason for this is possibly that women today neither have the leisure time nor do they have the patience for such activities.
However, a group of women from Goa believe that it is high time that we nurtured this craft whose essence is handmade thread work.
These women are coming up with a Godhadi Workshop with four traditional Godhadi ‘wallis’ from Keri, Bali, Margao and Panaji at the Goa College of Home Science, Panaji on January 31 from 10 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. It is a collaborative workshop between the Goa College of Home Science, Research Institute for Women and the Needlecraft Group.
The day will begin with a brief opening and felicitation of 97-year-old Godhadi ‘walli’ from St Cruz, followed by a presentation on ‘Quilts of India’ by researcher Patrick J Finn, an exhibition of the Needlecraft Group's collaborative quilt with a Goa theme, and exhibits of many traditional forms and styles of Goan godhadis and ‘manes’.
“We are celebrating the work of these women. Very often it is work of the art and heart, a work of love,” says Isabel Vas, member of Research Institute for Women.
This workshop is a stepping stone towards bringing together all these ladies and reviving traditional hand stitched godhadis.
Sujata Noronha of Bookworm library opines that we need to document the craft and also the stories associated with it. “There are many stories that are connected with the godhadis. Like I remember a girl telling me how she found the warmth through godhadi. Her father expired when she was not around and was cremated soon. So, when she came home she was very sad and upset. She went to sleep with a godhani, which was layered with her father’s vest. So, she felt like she was wrapped in the warmth of her father,” says Sujata, who is also part of the Needlecraft Group.
Needlecraft Group is a group of ladies who came together around six months ago with the concept of promoting stitching by hand. “In Goa there are either local or Portuguese names for stitches. The names are either based on aesthetics (like if there is a floral stitch it is called ‘fulanche’) or on the design,” adds Sujata.  
She lamented about the fact that we are not aware about our craft. “Nobody is aware about these stitches. Our students are learning about Phulkari or Kantha stitch but not about these stitches,” highlights Sujata.
During this workshop they will also display a godhadi being made collectively by the people associated with the concept. “We have called it Piece Makers Project where all 14 members have contributed and have made a godhadi that has 20 squares,” informs Sujata.
Along with godhadis they are also looking at ‘kapyalis’ and ‘manes’ which are quite common in Goan households, especially when a baby is born in the family.
There are others associated with this concept because it takes them back to their childhood and help them to connect. “I like to visit these ladies who make godhadis and listen to their stories. I feel connected to them,” says Milan Khanolkar, who is also part of the Needlecraft Group.
She has visited interiors to trace such ladies. She visited Keri (Ponda), Karmali (Keri) and even to Gaodongri in Canacona. “I happened to meet Godhadi ‘wallis’ who are making godhadis for the villagers. They are provided with old sarees and threads and they make them for others,” adds Milan.
She even happened to meet one 97-year-old lady from St Cruz who makes godhadis for her family till date.
When asked what is the difference between handmade and machine made godhadis Milan says that only the look is different. “The way Godhadi (handmade) looks is different. Earlier they used to be different patterns. With handmade godhadis you can come up with different stitches like circular and diamond. With machine it is generally just one design, like straight lines,” explains Milan.
“There are some godhadis that are transferred from mothers to daughters and so on. They are also distributed within families as gifts. There is affection and warmth that gets stitched into these godhadis,” concludes Milan, who has now learnt to make godhadis.