Category: Textiles
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The Regional Flavours and Global Language of IKAT Weaving
The word IKAT is derived from the Indonesian word Mengikat, meaning to tie. It is a technique that employs resist dyeing similar to tie and dye on warp and/or weft threads prior to weaving. Alteration to the bindings and dyeing in more than one colour and removal of all bindings produce multicoloured patterns on weaving.…
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Tree of Life: The Many Unique Interpretations of this Ancient Symbol
The Tree of life concept appears in science, philosophy, religion and mythology and alludes to the interconnection of all life on our planet, serving as a metaphor for our common descent. It is a symbol that appears in nearly every ancient culture. With the branches reaching for the sky, and deep roots into the earth,…
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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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Ajrakh Legends
Ajrakh is believed to be a symbolic representation of the universe, the blue representing the night sky, the red denoting twilight and the white geometric motifs signifying the stars in the dark sky. Their fingernails are the color of the midnight sky, and their eyes gleam like diamonds when they talk with passion about the…
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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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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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The Gilded Storytellers of Lucknow
Deep kohl-set eyes follow the graceful movements of decorated fingers, the intricate beats of the tabla and the progressive tempo of rhythmic footwork. Spectators watch transfixed as elegant swirling movements, lightning quick pirouettes, subtle gestures and sudden poses combine to tell a breathtaking story. Kathak, the North Indian dance form famed for its subtlety and grace, traces…
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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…
Storytellers of Wonder 