Words and images by Priya Krishnan Das

Edited, formatted and expanded by Aditi Patwari

Introduction

India is a land of rich cultural heritage, where vibrant textile traditions have flourished for centuries. Each region boasts its own unique techniques, patterns, and materials, reflecting the diverse history and artistry of its people. From the intricate weaves of silk saris from Karnataka to the colorful block prints of Gujarat, the textiles of India tell stories of tradition, craftsmanship, and identity. In this blog post, we will explore some of the most captivating textile traditions that Priya discovered during her travels across the country. Join us on this colorful journey through the textile landscape of India and the artisans who keep these age-old practices alive.

1. Rabari Embroidery - Kutch, Gujarat

2. Khun Weaving - Guledgudda, Karnataka

3. Arjakh (Block-printing) - Gujarat

4. Monpa Weaving - Thembang, Arunachal Pradesh

5. Kalamkari (Hand paintings) - Ahmedabad, Gujarat

   
   

1. Rabari Embroidery

Among the arid salt flats of Kutch in Gujarat is a community of pastoral nomads that has preserved one of India’s most dazzling textile traditions: Rabari embroidery. 

Cultural Symbolism

The Rabaris are a traditionally nomadic herding community in Kutch, Gujarat, in which women wear black wool skirts and odhnis (light shawls that are often draped over the head and torso) adorned with embroidery and mirror-work. While men wear white garments and turbans ornamented with silver jewelry. 

Rabari embroidery is a visual story, often created for bridal trousseaus, dowry bags, wall hangings, and quilts, cradle cloths, canopies, and ceremonial cloths. Historically moving with their camels and sheep, the Rabaris have passed down their embroidery art from mother to daughter, using it to decorate garments, dowry items, and household textiles. 

Process

The embroidery usually features bright coloured threads of red, yellow, pink and white on a dark colored wool or cotton base. The cloth is stretched on the lap or worked while folded, with no frame. 

First, the artisan outlines a pattern into the fabric using a chain stitch, then other decorative elements are added on top - including a variety of stitches, fabrics and mirrors symbolizing various motifs found in the Rabaris’ natural surroundings.

2. Khun Weaving

Khun weaving is primarily practiced in Guledgudda and surrounding villages in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka and Parts of Kolhapur, Sangli, and Solapur in Maharashtra.

Cultural Symbolism

Historically, Khun was a local, community-specific weave worn by rural and agrarian women, usually woven in only 1 or 1.25-meter lengths and paired with Ilkal or Narayanpet sarees.

Khun was traditionally woven as short cuts tailored for women's blouses. Now, with its growing popularity, it’s also woven as longer yardage for dresses, scarves, and home decor, showing that it carries a dignity and radiance that has stood the test of time.

Process

Khun is woven on pit looms or frame looms, in which the process starts with choosing the silk and cotton yarns with the desired texture and sheen.The yarn is dyed in vibrant, bold colors using traditional dyeing techniques. Silk (or sometimes viscose) is used for the warp to give a glossy finish, while cotton is used for the weft to add structure and breathability. The result is a fabric that is lustrous on the surface but soft against the skin.

Patterns are woven directly into the fabric using jacquard or dobby attachments, with popular motifs like rudraksha (dried seeds used as holy beads), chandrakor (moon), phool (flowers), and geometric grid-work.

3. Ajrakh Block Printing

Ajrakhpur in Gujarat is home to the Ajrakh block printers of India. A popular stop there is Dr. Ismail Khatri's house, which doubles as his workshop. He’s a national award-winning artisan who is a 9th generation artisan working in the family’s craft and was given an honorary degree of Doctor of Arts in 2003 by the De Mortfort University, Leicester, UK, for his deep knowledge of his tradition and craft processes.  

Patterns & Colors

Ajrakh patterns are created using intricately carved wooden blocks, each representing a layer of the design. A single motif may require up to 14 blocks for different stages and colors. These blocks are carved by skilled artisans using chisels and the motifs typically reflect Islamic geometry, flora, and the rhythms of nature.

Ajrakh is usually dyed in natural colors. Indigo is used for blue (fermented in tanks with soda ash and natural components), alizarin for red (derived from madder root), rusts and browns come from iron-based mordants, and yellows are obtained from turmeric or pomegranate rind.

Process

The process of ajrakh printing begins with handwoven cotton fabric, which is soaked, washed and cleaned to make it soft so that it absorbs dyes. The cleaned cloth is treated with myrobalan (a natural fruit extract) to act as a mordant — a substance that helps bind the dye to the fabric. The yellowish tone from myrobalan serves as the base for many ajrakh colors.

Once all dyeing and printing is complete, the cloth is boiled to remove any leftover mordant or resist paste. It is washed again and dried under the sun, which helps deepen the natural tones. The result is a soft, rich fabric adorned with intricate, symmetrical patterns. This entire process can take up to 14-16 steps and several weeks to complete.

Ajrakh block printing is slow fashion at its finest — deeply sustainable, locally rooted, and imbued with the human touch. It is a repetitive and laborious process that demands precision when aligning each block perfectly with the previous one. Each piece is a meditative effort, where time, nature, and craftsmanship converge. 

4. Monpa Weaving

The quaint village of Thembang in Arunachal Pradesh is a 1000 year old village inside a fortified area, and a UNESCO Heritage site. Thembang is also a settlement of the Drikhpa clan of the Monpa tribe practising Tibetan Buddhism.

Cultural Symbolism

Monpa woven bags typically feature stripes and color bands in balanced, rhythmic arrangements, and geometric motifs, often inspired by Buddhist iconography, nature, or tribal markings. What makes Monpa bags truly special is their deep cultural embedding, as pieces of woven history. To keep this textile tradition alive, an active member of the community, Mrs Tsering, trains the village women in weaving.

Process

Monpa bags are woven on back-strap or frame looms by women in the community, who effortlessly dedicate daily weaving time in between their household chores, cooking and farming activities. After weaving, the fabric is then cut, stitched, and reinforced by hand.

Some bags are lined with fabric scraps or locally sourced cloth for added strength, and are carried by both men and women. The bags are typically rectangular or square, designed to be functional yet beautiful, and used in daily life for carrying essentials — from grain and firewood to personal belongings.  

The warp and the weft are separately woven and the colors and patterns are bright and specific to the Monpa tribe. Like any hand made item, it's a laborious process. The women also weave carpets by hand, which showcase the same bright colors and geometric patterns as the bags.

5. Kalamkari (Mata ni Pachedi)

The Vaghri community in Ahmedabad, Gujarat are practitioners of this sacred textile art depicting scenes from mythology; particularly those that celebrate the Goddess's power and stories of divine triumph.

Cultural Symbolism

Mata means Mother and the term Mata ni Pachedi translates to "behind the mother," referring to cloth paintings that are used as backdrops in temples or shrines dedicated to various forms of the Goddess, especially Maa Durga, Harsidhmata, Bahucharimata, Ambe Mata, and some forms of grama devis (village goddesses) or kula devis (family goddesses). Traditionally, these paintings acted as portable sacred spaces allowing one to worship anywhere.

Process

These intricate textiles are hand-painted or block-printed on fabric, typically using natural dyes in bold colors like red, black, and white. The natural dyes are made from ingredients like madder or Majishtha for red, dried pomegranate skin for yellow, and fermented rust for black, among others.

The artworks above are those of Kalamkari textile artist Satish Chitara whose brilliant pieces are all drawn painstakingly over a period of a few days to months, depending on the intricacy. The art form of Kalamkari is declining, yet Chitara and his family are keen to preserve the legacy through innovations such as drawing flora and fauna motifs without the Goddesses, to suit a wider audience.

Conclusion

As we have journeyed through the rich tapestry of Indian textile traditions - from the mirror-studded embroidery of the Rabaris to the divine depictions of Mata ni Pachedi - one thing is clear: India’s textiles are not just fabrics, but living stories. Each thread carries centuries of memories and identities, crafted by hands that blend skill with soul.

In today’s world of fast consumerism, these slow, intricate traditions remind us of the value of patience, heritage, and human connection. Our hope is that more people, both within India and around the world, begin to recognize and cherish these textile arts not only for their beauty, but for the communities and cultures they sustain. By supporting artisan-led, traditional practices, we can invest in a more meaningful and sustainable future for us all.

About the Guest Writer

Priya Krishnan Das is an Illustrator, visual journalist and traveler, capturing daily snippets of life in her sketchbook. This includes drawing food, urban scenes, people and nature. Her belief is that everything becomes interesting and beautiful when you draw it, making life more enriching. Her motto is to teach people to confidently draw anything, anywhere, without inhibitions. Back in India, she traveled across the country capturing traditions, culture, tribes and food through her sketches and compiled it into a book, “75 Sketches Celebrating Bharat”. Having moved to the UAE in 2024, she is delightfully exploring the rich local culturescape one sketch at a time, and hopes to contribute to the same through her work.

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