Suneet weaves magic!

Enchanted by Suneet!

Recently on a sunny, chilly January day at Famous Studios in Mahalaxmi in Mumbai, there was distinctively pleasant and creative frenzy at its best. Delhi-based designer Suneet Verma was finalising his Lakme Fashion Week grand finale look with the models. And it was my priviledge to have met him here in the city in person for the first time.
It was however, two years ago when Suneet's magic had started to work on my mind. At a show called 'Enchanted Forest', every dramatic detail was looked into with impeccable precision replete with a pond on the ramp with water bubbling, birds chirping and clouds lowering towards the silvery bright full moon. While I gazed with awe, supermodel Madhu Sapre made her appearance on the ramp like a princess and others followed strutting long flowy gowns. The show was fabulous. The story about it is long but the great respect for Suneet was born right there and then.
And so at the meet recently, Suneet with a dimpled shy smile and spiky hair perched himself on a chair and was quick at revealing surprises. A firm believer in good education, he has been a design teacher for designers Manish Arora (who's taken Indian sensibilities to Paris quite effortlessly), JJ Valaya, Rajesh Pratap Singh and many others. But there is this one unbelievable aspect to his grounded attitude, which takes him off and away from worldly trappings — He is an active 'Jathedaar' at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
Suneet said, "I have been visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar for over 11 years now and I go there every month. It's not just a religious practise, its a way of life for me now." With a twinkle in his eyes, he adds, "You know, the Golden Temple kitchen runs the largest kitchen in the world and serves 75,000 meals every day." People do seva there by serving food, putting the shoes in the racks, cleaning the floors, cooking the langar (Punjabi word for temple meal) and helping with the chores. Suneet takes great pride in being able to help people who wish to visit the Golden Temple by arranging for amenities for them. Right from booking a train ticket to the temple, to standing at the station to recieve them and then taking to the temple premises, doing the ardas and also seeing them off later to their home destination. "That's what a Jathedaar does. Next time, you'd like to visit, let me know. I will be at your service." Wow, I was moved...
Why do you do this practise, is there a reason to it, I asked. "I am not married and do not have children. It's quite easy to get swayed by compliments that follow in our profession. And do not ever want to turn thankless towards anyone. I truly believe that my seva shall keep me connected with the real world."
Perhaps the only designer to have been selected as the face for international motor brand BMW in India; doing a limited edition of high-end Judith Leiber bags, Suneet will now be the grand finale designer for Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2010. A cosmetic range with his way of celebrating women will be at the counters by March-end. That way, the good news is that we would all have a little bit of Suneet to celebrate with.

Girl with the blue scarf says: Isn't there a desire in all of us which yearns to stay connected with the real world and yet enjoy the fruits of success. How do we do that? Listen to your inner voice. The answer might just be there.