Singer Sona Mohapatra’s passion for all things earthy reflects in her singing as well as sartorial choices

TRADITION IN HER CLOSET

Singer Sona Mohapatra’s passion for all things earthy reflects in her singing as well as sartorial choices

    In a city like Mumbai, the luxury of having a walk-in closet needs to be accompanied by the skill and desire to use it well. And singer Sona Mohapatra gets it all right. The heritage house, that the Bedardi Raja singer shares with husband Ram Sampath, includes a “princess-like” walk-in closet.
    It has well-stacked columns of clothes, jewellery and accessories collected over the years from across the world. “The idea,” says Sona, “is to truly represent my soul through my personality, just like I do it through my music.” It’s no wonder then to see an eclectic mix of inspirations in her closet. There’s a ghaghra she picked from the pushkar fair, ensembles from one of her favourite designers, Kallol Datta, stuff that she has got tailored and even pieces she’s got designed from her mother’s clothes. “I’ve never been brand-conscious or trend-focused. I like to pick things I instinctively feel will look good on me,” she says.
    Even her jewellery has been collected with a similar approach. There are pieces which she was given by her mother when Sona was a teenager and also knick-knacks she has been collecting. She says, “I’m not a diamond or solitaire person. For me, it’s only silver jewellery. I have so many pieces, even posterity will think I was a nutcase! But, the fact is, I like things which are closer to our culture, our traditions... basically all things representative of our roots.” While Sona dismisses her fondness for all things earthy in jest, we realise during our conversation that looking great — onscreen or off it — is a matter of conviction. It’s about adding soul to your closet and following it without any fear. Thankfully, says Sona, being unconventional has been her style since day one.

Sona Mohapatra and her walk-in closet

A silver kamarbandh that Sona is very fond of

A ring from Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar

A filigree piece from Orissa, her native place

A silver piece worn by Sona’s mother when she got married

This necklace was pieced together from buttons she’d bought from a local shop!

Sona picked this anklet from a small village near the India-Pakistan border near Bhuj, Gujarat a few months ago. The heavy anklet cost her roughly 15,000, but it’s the story behind it that attracted her. “Such anklets were prima rily a symbol of how rich your husband is. The more money he had, the more silver he would add to your ankles. Also, it bogged down women by a lot of silver so that they couldn’t run away and even if they did, they could be heard. The story is what attracted me,” she says.