Thirty-year-old Rashid Bin Kabeer, who works as a store in-charge of a textile unit in Dubai, nurtures hopes of restarting his purdah manufacturing unit, Hareem Purdha, set up by his father, P.M. Kabeer, in Kozhikode in the early 90s. It was perhaps Hareem Purdha and Hoorulyn Purdha, two major brands, which introduced and popularised the female Arab black attire in the public sphere of Kerala in the late 90s.
Over the years, purdah became a marker of identity for Muslim women in Kerala. But among the two brands, Hareem Purdha had ceased operations, while Hoorulyn Purdha is still available in the market. When the long black dress worn by Arab Gulf women was introduced in Kerala, the dominant colour was black. The two companies were also instrumental in bringing in innovations in purdah-making such as introducing different materials in various hues such as denim as part of wooing the younger generation.
“But the innovation the company had brought in was not well received in the market in the long run and the heavy investment we made and the tough competition forced Hareem Purdha to wind up its operations four years ago. Nonetheless, I am hopeful of restarting the business,” says Mr. Kabeer. The trends in the Arab market serve as a vital force behind the purdah industry in Kerala, he adds.
