I generally find history lessons a bit boring so I’ll share history of juttis in brief. But I promise by the time you’ll be done reading this article, you’ll feel no less a royalty.
Juttis, also known as Nagra, were extremely popular amongst the kings and queens who belonged to the richest era of Indian history. Rajasthan, in particular was a hub where the making of these exquisite shoes first originated. With time, Nagra shoes gained a lot of popularity in Punjab and underwent various forms of experimentation and innovation – now known as khussa, tilla etc.
It is said that during Mughal era (majorly Akbar’s reign) many artisans lived and worked in Delhi sultanate. Akbar was the first Mughal patron of the arts. In fact earlier Mughal paintings indicate that the era of Akbar's reign gave a new life to the art and architecture; crafting a range of exotic designs – traces of which can be found easily. It grew during Jahangir and Shah Jahan’s reign too but things changed a little after Aurangzeb took over. With fall of Mughal era the artisans too, were forced to leave Delhi and migrated to outskirts of Rajasthan and Punjab.
An artisan stitching together parts of a jutti
Jutti making is a skill transferred from father to son. They have been traditionally handed over generations; with each generation contributing some variation to it. Of late both men and women can be seen making juttis; and run a micro jutti-making facility in their homes. It is the newer generation of those artisans, the ones who made juttis for Mughal rulers and other royalty; who now handcraft your ZarsáLife beauties.
So every time you wear your ZarsáLife juttis remember who made them; remember you have a piece of art and culture adorning your feet.
(Image clicked for ZarsáLife)
]]>" Thank you for the juttis. Going through the page and really like the stuff! Good luck to you guys and may you continue making some awesome juttis!"
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]]>"... most comfortable pair of juttis ever. Love them!"
]]>Finding a brand that fits your feet well is really important. It is equally vital to check the quality of material used. Check inside - Put your hand and foot in shoe to see if there's adequate padding. Look on the out-sole — it is easy to tell when fabric and work on it is done poorly. Inspect to make sure the stitching is beautiful and material is high-quality. A good jutti is double cushioned and stitched well.
The first walk experience?
Even really nice shoes can take a little while to adjust. It’s normal for shoes, especially juttis to take a bit of time - to mold to your feet. Both juttis are same size and pattern but once worn, jutti will automatically take shape of your feet. People’s shoe sizes change over time and many brand differ in sizes a bit so it’s important to get your feet measured. We recommend people measure their feet in cms.
All about care?
All our juttis are delivered with a care-card. It tells you about juttis and the correct way to clean them. In general, you can put them in the boxes/bags they come in and keep them out of the sun. You should stuff the toes with tissue paper once you put them away so they stay in the right shape. Try and keep a silica gel pouch in your shoes – especially during monsoon.
Heels versus flats?
You don’t have to wear super high heels to be dressed up. Women go out partying in high heels and eventually kick them off in pain. Our modern design juttis are made for women who understand that luxury should be comfortable.
Our heavy work juttis are wedding favorites and most Indian wedding venues are outdoors, garden etc. No pair of shoes will make you look chic and comfortable as a jutti does.
Is it worth the splurge?
Zarsá juttis are humbly priced. People compare luxury juttis to local market juttis. They don’t realize that when they buy a luxury pair of juttis - they are in fact paying for the quality, detailing, hard work and experience. So you’re not really splurging when a great pair of shoes can elevate your look for an occasion.
Word from the founder:
Thumb rule before buying?
There are no hard and fast rules to shopping. Everything comes down to quality. Some people walk in cheaply made shoes, an imitation of a good brand made with quality which won’t take care of the feet. If you’re buying shoes for daily wear or any special occasion – invest in something that is going to take care of your feet too. Feel good that you bought something of higher quality and made with care.
How to pick the right design for an occasion?
One must pick a classic design, a design that would not go out of fashion soon. It is important to think of occasions and your wardrobe so you can make the most out of them. Our wedding collections and designs are inspired by the royal mughal era. The designs such as Noor and Bridal Blush, inspired by Maharaani haar and other jewelry are classic designs. Red and pinks are forever wedding colours in India. You can never go wrong with them.
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"Graceful awesome style. Just love it and so comfortable..." - NehArun Sharma