A precious piece of heirloom, passed down through generations and preserved to be brought out only for the most important occasions, the Patolu, or Patola is one of the most prized and valued textiles. (As described in the earlier post on “Patola” ) It is revered not just for its religious significance across many [...]
Among the remains of one of the most ancient civilizations, at the Indus Valley site at Dholavira, Gujarat, were pieces of earthen ware, surviving in their original form for five thousand years.
As per Hindu belief the human body is composed of five natural elements, one of them being earth, and we humans always like to [...]
It is not just kaleidoscopic embroideries that Gujarat is so famous for; it is also the home of wonderful weaves that combine impressive skill and generations of expertise, with the result of pure aesthetic joy. Reaffirming that appearances are deceptive, the spectacular Mashru has the appearance of glistening silk that conceals the soothing feel of [...]
Like the patter of raindrops on the window, like the beat of gentle drums, a rhythmic, repetitive pattern spreading across fabric like a web of motifs… Such is the marvel of a fabric, hand printed by a block that creates identical patterns, seamlessly merging into each other so gently, one cannot follow where the pattern [...]
A craft tradition so deeply inherent in the collective identity of the practitioners, that their town is named after it. Sankheda, a small town in the eastern region of Gujarat derives its name from ‘sanghedu’, the word for a lathe in the Gujarati language.
Lacquered turned wood furniture with hand painted motifs and traditional method [...]
Colour permeates every single activity in an Indian’s life, more so in our villages. In Kutch, Gujarat, colour pervades not just the gorgeous clothes of the Kutchi people but even the small, nondescript items of everyday use. Spoons and ladles, chakla – belan (board and rolling pin), toys, stools, dandiya sticks, everything is covered with [...]
The Pithora paintings trail back long into history and find their roots in the cave paintings, thousands of years old. This is the most prevalent and characteristic art tradition of the Rathwa community, who live in the region bordering Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh states in India. While the styles vary with every Bhil group, they [...]
Think of Gujarat and vibrant images flash across the mind… the exhilarating Garba, decorated camels in the great Rann and everyone clothed in colourful embroideries. Gujarat can be called one of the biggest contributors to the image of India as a colourful country.
There are not one or two, but up to 16 different types of embroideries [...]
“Godhuli”… long shadows of dusk, a cloud of dust covering the orange horizon and the sounds of tinkering bells, announcing that the cattle is returning home.
Our villages have always had a strong relationship with animals, be it for farming or cattle raising. There are festivals especially for animals, such as Govardhan Puja, or Camel races, [...]
Patola is an exquisite and wonderfully intricate silk textile of India, believed to have originated in the 7th Century AD. Patola silk textiles are produced by resist dyeing of warp and weft threads before weaving, a complex process known as double ikat which is also practiced in other parts of India and abroad. However, Patola [...]
