'Tukaram Pagdi' for PM Modi: What you must know about it

Girish Murudkar and his team began preparing for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Pune on June 14 sooner as they learned about it. The Prime Minister will be in the city to dedicate Jagatguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj's idol at the Shila Mandir on Dehu Road. The artisans will present him with a designer pagdi inspired by Sant Tukaram at the request of temple officials.

During PM's visit, he will inaugurate a temple dedicated to Sant Tukaram Maharaj in Dehu, near Pune.

"This is the toughest one (pagadi) we've ever made," says Murudkar, who has designed headgears for celebrities including Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bal Thackeray, Prince Charles, and others. Murudkar Zendewale and Fetewale is an iconic Pune store producing traditional turbans and flags for three decades.

The simplicity of Sant Tukaram makes this one difficult. "He did not believe in the materialistic world." When making a turban for the Prime Minister, we must be authentic [to Tukaram] while remaining rich and classy. We couldn't use diamonds or stones because it would ruin the authenticity. "It was difficult to maintain the balance," Murudkar added.

The turban was designed with the Warkari heritage in mind. The Warkaris are a Maharashtra religious movement that worships Vithoba. The pagdi was made by the 43-year-old out of 10m silk cloth and Tulsi beads. When worn, the beads are arranged in such a way that they resemble Chandan and a tilak on the forehead. Tukaram's Marathi and Hindi abhangs (poems) have been included.

While Murudkar will not be personally presenting the pagdi to the PM, he has paid close attention to every detail of the gift. "We used a transparent case in conjunction with Chipalya because we couldn't use a glass box for security reasons" (a traditional musical instrument played by the Warkaris). "A shawl, idols of saints Tukaram and Gyaneshwar, and a picture of Lord Vithoba will be added," Murudkar says. When asked if he is disappointed that he will not be able to meet the Prime Minister, he responds, "I have met him in his previous visits."

According to the artist, who has worked on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani, the gift costs nearly Rs 10,000 (2015).

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