Textures of ancient Nalanda

Nalanda was a seat of learning and one of the oldest residential universities in the ancient kingdom of Magadha, established during the Gupta dynasty in the 6th century AD. The Chinese monk Xuanzang said, ‘it was at Nalanda where an azure pool winds around the monasteries, adorned with the full-blown cups of the blue lotus,…

Chirps in the woods! Embroidery: Hand, machine and stitch machine.

Cushion covers, made in collaboration with Anek Taanka, a home textile studio.

Block making and printing

Block printing is another ancient craft of India, practised largely in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Intricate patterns are chiseled onto wooden blocks and stamped onto fabric using either natural or chemical pigment to ge a print in the desired colour. A pigment called ‘khadi’ is used to get an embossed or raised effect. These are some…

Mata ni Pachedi, hand painted with natural dyes

‘Mata ni Pachedi’ or ‘Behind the Mother Goddess” are hand painted mystical stories of the mother Goddess and her different forms. This art form is more than 300 years old and was originally painted on Temple walls. However, due to casteism some people were not allowed inside the temples and they started making their own…

Protection of the Indian handloomed

  Many of us signed the petition to stop the Govt. from repealing the Handloom  Reservation act. With regard to the same, posting this response I wrote in 2010, to how important it is to protect the authenticity of the Indian Handwoven Fabric. Please click on the link to read the same: authentic craft  

By the river Rehwa in Maheshwar

A photo account of cotton silk experiments and sampling in a historical temple setting by the river Rehwa. In a small temple town of Madhya Pradesh, the Holkar family has donated the beautiful premises around the Ahilya Temple to support and nurture the traditional talent of weaving maheshwari saris and fabrics. Most importantly they employ…

Khadi wool knits and conscious fashion. Photo by 11.11

Khadi wool fabric developments in Gujarat for 11.11 in 2013. A sustainable & conscious fashion project close to my heart Circular and linear hand machine-knit developments done in Khadi wool at a Khadi Gram Udyog, a little outside of Ahmedabad, Gujarat.  The knitting machines are mainly operated by women who are employed at the Udyog….

A month long craft-escapade in Kutch, Gujarat

A record of my fellowship with the UNBOX Festival anchored by CellDSGN from Jan 2nd until Feb 5th, 2012. I went to Kutch with a curious mind and with every new day I fell more and more in love with the passionate crafts people of kutch, their hospitality and love for sharing their stories. Our…

Ombre effect on a single warp

These sheer ombrés were handwoven in Maheshwari cotton silk and were customized for a client. They were created on a single loom of 50 meters with dainty thin lines of silver and gold zari in the warp. The zari lines were randomly placed to create some play. An image of the warp pattern can be…

Ikat in Tope, Orissa

In a remote little village of Orissa called Tope, live the masters of the Ikat (resist-dye) weaving technique. Tulsiji from (Manab Adhikar Seva Samittee (MASS)) is showing us around and brings us to meet Dilip’s family. Dilip’s father is a humble middle aged master weaver.  His wife is very proud to share his achievements and awards…