Indus Valley Times

Launches 9 limited edition packs and a brand-new campaign inspired from famous handloom styles of Odisha

Dials up hyperlocal pride by celebrating Odisha’s rich cultural legacy

By Sukant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar,March 31: Ahead of ‘Utkala Dibasa’, TATA Tea Premium – Desh Ki Chai, the flagship brand from Tata Tea’s diverse portfolio, today launched #UtkalaKiKala campaign to pay homage to Odisha’s rich handloom legacy. Held at Ekaamra Haat, the event brought together celebrities, craft activists, art enthusiasts and karigars all under one roof to launch the initiative. A limited-edition tea pack collection and brand film inspired by nine different handlooms from different corners of Odisha have been curated to bring alive the exquisite story of famous Odisha handloom weaves.

As part of the event, Tata Tea Premium also provided karigars, a platform to showcase their creations in the form of an on-ground exhibition. The weavers/karigars who have been instrumental in bringing alive the designs and the packs were also felicitated at the event. Notable personalities including Padma Vibhushan Sudarshan Sahoo – Sculptor and Founder of Sudarshan Art & Craft Village,  Dr. Sanjay Kumar Panda – President of organization “SHRADDHA” dedicated for revival of the craft sector & ex-textile secretary Government Of India , Dr. Anita Sabat, craft activist and Founder & Managing Trustee Odita Trust, and acclaimed Odia actress Archita Sahu engaged participants via an insightful discussion highlighting the need to revive our traditional handloom pieces to suit contemporary times.

Odisha as a state is not only renowned for its pristine nature and proud history but also for its long-standing tradition of craftsmanship. This culture of craftsmanship is best reflected in Odisha’s ancient name ‘Utkala’. Etymologically Utkala is known to be a land having an excellent opulence of artists. This rich and cultural artistic heritage is reflected across diverse arts and crafts, dance, and music traditions, and perhaps most vividly in the handlooms of Odisha. Odisha is famous for its diverse handloom traditions like Sambalpuri Bandha of Sambalpur, Bomkai of Ganjam, Dhalapathar of Khordha to Habaspuri of Kalahandi. Thus, on the glorious occasion of Utkala Dibasa (Odisha Day), As a part of the campaign Tata Tea Premium has launched a new film which  takes you through a visual spectacle and a sing-song ride of local folk art and cultural cues that are intrinsic to the handloom styles.

Elaborating on the initiative, Puneet Das, President, Packaged Beverages, India & South Asia, Tata Consumer Products Limited,said,“As part of our continued efforts to strengthen our brand connect with the people of Odisha, we are excited to celebrate the handloom culture of the state through our #UtkalaKiKala campaign on Utkala Dibasa. The array of handloom sarees from Odisha have been an integral part of the state’s cultural fabric. We have been able to bring alive these handloom traditions and capture their magical design in our limited-edition packs. We have further amplified this story beyond our packs into a beautiful film that can be seen by consumers across Odisha. Celebrating the rich culture of Odisha as well as driving this campaign to highlight the magic of these craftsmen, is at the core of our hyperlocal strategy to strengthen the connect with people of Odisha”.  

Arnab Chatterjee, co-founder Tree Design, who had conceived the thought and the pack design said, “To truly do justice to the brief we decided to go to the source of this rich cultural heritage. Traversing across the state of Odisha, we covered close to 1000 kms by road, over a period of 8 days, and located nine local artists who have been practicing their specific craft of handloom weaving for generations. Each of the nine artists was tasked to create a special saree for Odisha Day based on their rich and specific ethnic handloom culture. These sarees then became the base for the nine limited edition Odisha Day packs. These nine gems were then used to create a full campaign for Odisha Day ranging from a special edition tea book to outdoor to print to evoke a sense of local pride with the Tata Tea Premium consumers in Odisha”.