Obeetee Carpets made the carpets for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha houses in the new Parliament building 
Special 
Obeetee Carpets made the carpets for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha houses in the new Parliament building What makes a good carpet? A good quality carpet is determined by a combination of factors such as the material used, its construction technique, its density or the number of knots or stitches per square inch, its thickness, its design, intricacy, precision, and attention to detail. But what makes a notable carpet? Where it is laid perhaps, or the corridors and rooms it graces? How about if it is laid on the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha houses of the new Parliament building? That’s where Obeetee Carpets comes in.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the montage of the new Parliament building ahead of the inauguration on Sunday, any keen-eyed observer would have spotted the elegant and colourful carpets in both the houses. The houses, otherwise sombre amphitheatres, were lit up by the bright carpets matching the highlighted walls.
The carpet makers who had also made the carpets for Rashtrapati Bhawan, have a rich history of 103 years, in doing the kind of work they did for the new Parliament building. Obeetee Carpets was founded by three British entrepreneurs right after World War I. The name of the company comes from the initials of the names of the three Britishers. Now Obeetee works with over 20,000 artisans whose craftsmanship ranges from 15 knots to 300 knots per square inch.
Rudra Chatterjee, Chairman, Obeetee Carpets told Business Today that the company bagged the project because of its reputation as a premier manufacturer of handmade carpets and its past achievements. “The brand has historically been a carpet maker for Rashtrapati Bhawan. The exceptional craftsmanship, attention to detail, and the brand's commitment to preserving India's rich cultural heritage played a significant role in winning the project,” he said.
Its experience and history equipped the company to use the finest quality, 100 per cent pure New Zealand wool for the Central Vista project that took nearly 2 years to complete. The process of creating these carpets started in 2020 – in the middle of the pandemic. The weaving process began in September 2021 and was completed by May 2022. The installation of the carpets commenced in November 2022.
As many as 900 weavers worked on the Central Vista carpets, amounting to 10 lakh man hours. The weavers came from Lala Nagar, Deharia, Jangipur, Pipanith, Goppur, Ugapur, Anarudidhapur, Fattapur, Godhana, Kalhana, Makrandpur, Abholi, Guwali, Meuli, Bathna, Gazia, Chausha, Barkaccha, Aghuli and Fataha villages. These weavers created 158 carpets for Lok Sabha and 156 carpets for Rajya Sabha. The carpets were then stitched together in a single carpet in the shape of a semi-circle.
The total area covered by the carpets was approximately 35,000 sq ft – covering the halls measuring up to 17,500 sq ft each for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Rajya Sabha carpets were of the shade of kokum red, while the Lok Sabha ones were Indian agave green, with inspirations from the plumes of the Indian peacock. The substantial procedure took place at Obeetee’s factory headquarters in Mirzapur.
The task was not an easy one, obviously. To begin with, the manufacturers had to ensure that each piece of carpet was stitched seamlessly and had to be capable of sustaining heavy footfall.
The process began with the engineering of the pattern and designing the carpets according to the requirements of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Once the phase of crafting the carpets was complete, the weavers from Bhadohi and Mirzapur, kickstarted the laborious task of hand-knotting them.
The peacock pattern for the Lok Sabha and the lotus motif for Rajya Sabha were created following close discussions and deliberations of Obeetee’s design team with the various stakeholders. It was eventually decided that the lotus to represent purity and enlightenment and the peacock to represent beauty and grace were best-suited for the houses. “The finalisation of the designs required a harmonious blend of artistic vision and cultural symbolism, ensuring that the carpets would be representative of India's rich heritage,” said Rudra Chatterjee.
The weavers then wove 120 knots per square inch, which culminated in approximately 600 million knots for all the carpets. “To ensure that the design of the carpets remained uncompromised, Obeetee implemented stringent quality control measures throughout the manufacturing process. The design team worked closely with the weavers, providing them with detailed instructions and supervising the production to maintain the integrity of the designs. Regular inspections and quality checks were conducted to ensure that the finished carpets met the highest standards of artistry and craftsmanship,” said Rudra Chatterjee.
Not only the mammoth order but also the timing of the order created challenges for Obeetee. Chatterjee said that they had to deal with a combination of roadblocks, including something as basic as coordinating with multiple weavers and artisans at the time of the pandemic, logistical challenges like transporting and installing the carpets in the new Parliament building, and ensuring that the design specifications were accurately replicated.
The company that primarily specialises in hand-knotted, hand-tufted and handwoven carpets, employs a combination of skilled in-house weavers and artisans as well as collaborations with external weavers.
Obeetee’s carpets, apart from the new Parliament building and the Rashtrapati Bhawan, also grace the floors of luxury hotels, royal residences, iconic landmarks, and high-end commercial spaces. Of the two Rashtrapati Bhawan carpets by Obeetee, one measures over 450 square metres and contains a whopping 100 million intricate knots.
The carpet-maker holds a significant position in the luxury carpet market but when COVID-19 struck, they too faced their fair share of challenges. “However, the Central Vista project continued amid the pandemic, as Obeetee managed to adapt its operations and maintain its commitment to delivering exceptional carpets,” said Chatterjee, adding that they implemented safety measures and adopted innovative approaches to ensure the continuity of their operations.
Also read: 'Number of seats, MPs will increase': PM Modi on why new Parliament building was need of the hour
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