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Embroidered Elegance: The delicate art of Chikankari
There is a subtle understated elegance of intricate white thread embroidery on delicate white muslin. So uniquely exquisite is this fine creation that it has been applauded and desired for centuries. While the true origins of Chikan are shrouded in mystery and legend, it is clear that Chikankari has its roots in the Mughal reign. Although Chikankari…
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Festive Ripples: Romancing the waves of a Leheriya
The colors of spring rarely come alive the way they do on a leheriya fabric, where vibrant hues shine through and celebrate the uniqueness of each shade blended together. Leheriya is a traditional style of tie-dye practiced in Rajasthan. Deriving its name from the Rajasthani word for ‘wave’, this technique is often used to produce…
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The Wood-carvers of Pethapur, Gujarat
Examples of the art of dyeing fabrics exist from the period of the Indus Valley Civilisation, however the origins of block carving are now lost among the pages of history. It is believed that this art was developed and specialised by artisans who were traditionally carpenters and the techniques may have been borrowed from Iran at the…
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Lucknawi Naqqashi: Decorating the Medicinal Metal
Copper finds a pride of place in kitchens across India as it is held in high regard by Ayurveda for its remedial properties. The metal is believed to have electromagnetic energy, called ‘Prana Shakti’ and many Indian homes store drinking water in a copper vessel overnight to allow copper to make water ionic, thus helping…
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For the Love of the Loom: A young textile designer finds her passion in the weaving villages of Odisha
Like most fashion school graduates, Gunjan Jain began working in the apparel export industry based in the urban centres of Delhi and Bangalore. But soon she was disillusioned with the industrial process of making clothes and their resultant commoditisation. Factory and assembly process of creating clothing lacked the collective union she wished to be associated…
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Kantha – An Intimate Witness to the Spirit of Womanhood
“Spreading the embroidered quilt She works the livelong night, As if the quilt her poet were Of her bereaved plight. Many a joy and many a sorrow Is written on its breast; The story of Rupa’s life is there, line by line expressed.” (From ‘Field of the Embroidered Quilt’ – a translation of ‘Nokshi Kanthar…
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Jamdani – A Wondrous Weave
Apart from being a land of deep-seated culture, with colorful festivals, rich literature, varied languages and dialects, and an unparalleled heritage of classical music and dances, India is also a land of expert craftsmen and master weavers, who literally weave magic on the looms! One such magical weave is that of the Jamdani, which is…
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Essaying the Revival of Parsi Embroidery
Parsi Embroidery is an aesthetic composition of pictorial traditions and an emblem of elegance. Combining the beauty inherent in four cultural traditions – Persian, Chinese, Indian and European – this exquisite textile form is truly an intercultural craft. The Parsi community, followers of Prophet Zarathushtra, left Iran for India, and settled along the western coast…
Storytellers of Wonder 