By Amrit Prasad Poudel, Beni, Oct. 9: An artisan family has been continuing with their craftsmanship in tailoring for 200 years in Beni and its nearby areas.

Fauda Singh Nepali, 65, is one name in that family, who is also handing over the tailoring legacy of his lineage to the new generation.

Born in 1955, Fauda Singh still remembers the time of 1969 when his father gave him the first responsibility to stitch Balighare in Purna Bahadur Sakya's home.

After that, his work of tailoring has not even stopped at the age of 65.

Some time ago, he even took a break from his tailoring work at the request of his son, who said to not work as Fauda was aging.

“I stayed in home for three long years. Neither my buyers nor the skills of my hand would let me to sit idle, therefore, I again started a shop in a shutter and returned to my profession,” shared Fauda Singh with excitement.

Now, his shop is at the Sangamchowk, Benibazar.

Having embraced his ancestral profession of tailoring 51 years ago, he saw commercial earning in Balighare styled tailoring.

Though he had hemmed lots of different clothing styles since 1977 in a rented room, but his artifact of Daura-Suruwal is loved by many.

Specialized and efficient in sewing Nepal's national flag and Newari dress, Fauda said that most of Daura-Suruwal stitching are ordered.

Though many tailors stitch Daura-Suruwal, but there are no other people who give finishing like that of Fauda, said Bel Bahadur Katuwal, senior Vice President of Myagdi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The name of Fauda Singh is in everyone’s mind if there are grand programmes or need of stitching the Newari clothes, he added.

All the traditional costumes of the Newars that has been made in Beni and the surrounding areas have been made by the Fauda’s lineage, said Krishna Prasad Shrestha, chairman of Nepal Bhasa Manka Khala, Myagdi.

Fauda's family sewed our garments more than 200 years ago and he is still the one who can give a good finish to Newari garments, he added.

In the beginning, he used to sew the clothes cut by his father and grandfathers.

When the king of the time visited Beni in the year 1986, he for the first time cut and sewed the clothes himself.

Recalling his first work, he said, "Om Bahadur Bogati of Beni Municipality-1, Ratnechaur gave a sample of his old Daura sewed in Kathmandu and ordered it to be sewn accordingly."

With the reference of the old Daura made in Kathmandu, he for the first time stitched Daura with his own cutting in 1986, recalled Fauda.

The CDO, Padma Raj Regmi of that time, happened to like this Daura.

Soon after, I was standing in front of the CDO through Om Bahadur Bogati, but, was unable to speak any words as my body was trembling.

 (As per the District Administration record, Padma Raj Regmi was CDO from 1982 to 1986).

But, I was happy having the opportunity to sew the clothes. I don’t recall how many clothes I sewed for CDO after that but I sewed many, he said.

In the year 2007, the youngest son, Sunil went to the USA, where he is still residing. He was the heavy weight player in taekwondo.

The youngest son, Sunil lost to Bhim Ranabhat (84 kgs.) of Tribhuvan Army Club in Taekwondo selection for the Sorth Asian Regional Games on the basis of previous record though having a tie.

The eldest son himself who is active in tailoring business is now in golf country doing tailoring.

Most of those doing the tailoring in Benibazar even today are mostly the members of the Fauda family.

As many as five people who were taught by Fauda are now sewing Daura-Suruwal in Beni.

Sewing we do as well and many have entered tailoring profession but no one does the finishing like Fauda Singh, said Yuvaraj Danar, president of Nepal Textile and Sewing Entrepreneurs Association.

The association had published a souvenir of 'Pahiran' in 2012.

In that souvenir, too, Fauda Singh was asked to make a draft of how to cut for the Daura, added Chairman Darnal.

Lately, he has been paying attention towards national flag and Daura-Suruwal stitching.

Raju KC, principal of Mount Everest Residential Secondary School, Beni, said, "The flags we put up in the school were also sewn by Fauda Bahadur."

Nobody makes Daura-Suruwal and flag like Fauda does in the whole of Beni, he added.