RURAL TAPESTRY Textiles & Crafts Mahatma Gandhi Is Credited with Reviving the Old Processes of Hand Spinning and Hand Weaving As Part of the Freedom Movement of India
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SPECIAL INTEREST KOLKATA SHANTINIKETAN AHMEDABAD MULI MUMBAI TOURS BISHNUPUR BERHAMPORE BAJANA BHUJ Insider Tips: Ÿ Maximum 10 participating guests Ÿ Language: English Ÿ Best time for this itinerary – October to April. Ÿ Gujarat is a dry state where one can't buy alcohol off the shelf. However, procuring alcohol from designated Berhampore government shops is easy. You will need to show your Bajana Bhuj Shantiniketan passport and e-tickets of your flights in and out of Ahmedabad Bishnupur Gujarat. Your escort-cum-guide will assist you. Be aware, Muli Kolkata you cannot drink in the public areas of the properties. You can drink only in your room. Mumbai Ÿ The majority of Gujaratis are strict vegetarians, at least when they are in Gujarat. Don't be surprised by the all vegetarian, often sweet menu in some hotels and restaurants. Ÿ Some communities in the Bhuj area are averse to being photographed. It is absolutely imperative that permission is taken before taking photos. If you take photos of nomads, while they are on the move on Gujarat's highways, they expect to be paid. EJ4 > 19 DAY TOUR RURAL TAPESTRY Textiles & Crafts Mahatma Gandhi is credited with reviving the old processes of hand spinning and hand weaving as part of the freedom movement of India. It was a strong political tool used to assert self-sufficiency by a nation under colonial, draconian laws on textile. Khadi was linked to the concept of Swadeshi (Made in India), where Gandhi believed that choosing to make and wear handspun, handwoven cloth, a source of livelihood for millions of weavers across India, over machine-made textiles from Manchester, would bring power back into the hands of the villagers and build self-reliance. The spirit of Khadi became synonymous with 'plain living and high thinking'. Khadi is hand woven cloth in cotton or silk or wool depending on the climate of the region. It is environment friendly and suitable for all seasons. There is a huge movement in India to support the many weavers and craftsmen who produce Khadi. This itinerary is a beautiful introduction to India's traditional arts and craft which have changed little over the centuries. Escorted by an expert, start the journey from Kolkata to move inland and travel through some of the most distinct and vibrant destinations of West Bengal where hand-woven textiles and sarees form an important cottage industry. After meeting weavers in West Bengal, continue your journey to Gujarat which has a rich and unique cultural heritage with an identity of its own. Explore the lesser known Muli and the more popular Bhuj where the indigenous communities are known for their immense creativity, unbound imagination, untiring spirit and are custodians of an overwhelming variety of soulful crafts. KANTHA WORK The name 'Kantha' signifies a poor man's wrap. It is a form of embroidery practised by rural women of Bengal and Odisha. The traditional form of Kantha embroidery was done with soft dhotis and saris, with a simple running stitch along the edges. The idea was to recycle old clothes and embroidering them for Meghawal tribals of Mewar, Rajasthan migrated to Sindh in Pakistan in the 17th { aesthetics, ensuring no piece of cloth in the house was wasted. { century, and then on to Kutch in 1971 after the Indo-Pak war. They forged a partnership with nomadic pastorals, Maldharis of Kutch. When a Maldhari cattle dies, adept hands of flavours, which brilliantly blend the tribes to appreciate their weaving Study the Rogan Painting, a 300- Meghawals convert the raw hide into a piece of sweet and spicy. and hand embroidery traditions. year-old art form which originated in utility or of art in leather. Meghawals also Persia. Visit the bell makers here brought with them their exquisite embroidery DAY 11 IN AHMEDABAD DAY 14 BAJANA – MULI styles and stitches, which still bear some Take a walking tour of the old city of Drive to Muli, an erstwhile princely and appreciate the lacquer work resemblance to similar embroidery done in Ahmedabad which is a maze of state of Gujarat. Explore some of the done on wood. The exquisite Afghanistan. What we see today as Kutchi twisted lanes connected by inner historic sites of the area such as the interiors of the Bongas, complete embroidery is actually a beautiful amalgamation of northern and eastern styles passages with fresco-laden havelis Swaminarayan Temple, the 200- with mirror-studded clay of magic with needle. and ancient temples. Visit the Calico year-old Swami Narayan Bhagwan Ni decorations, embroidered cloths Museum to see its remarkable Haveli made entirely out of sesame and painted earthenware and the collection of fabrics spanning across wood and the Mandavraiji Sun beautiful embroidery work, are five centuries. Post lunch, spend Temple, the spiritual centre of the stunning. Also meet a traditional TOUR ITINERARY | EJ4 time at the Sabarmati Ashram from Royal family of Muli, which houses quilt maker and hear from him how where Mahatma Gandhi led his their clan deity. his fortunes changed after a visit to DAY 01 ARRIVAL KOLKATA terracotta horses with their established by the British East India passive resistance against the British DAY 15 IN MULI the International Folk Art Market at Warm welcome at the airport by our elongated necks. Company after the Battle of Plassey Raj. Learn to use the Charkha Discover the age old textile and craft Sante Fe, New Mexico, where he is a representative and transfer to the in 1757. Plassey, in many ways, was DAY 05 BISHNUPUR – (spinning wheel) like the Mahatma traditions in and around Muli. Visit regular now. A long but exciting day. hotel. the turning point and marked the SHANTINIKETAN and listen to the story of Khadi, the the Patola weavers at Somasar beginning of the 200-year-old British DAY 18 IN BHUJ DAY 02 IN KOLKATA Drive to Shantiniketan, Tagore's handspun fabric of India. At the end, known for their colourful and Raj in India. Later in the afternoon, Meet a local textile collector and Spend the morning at the Abode of Peace. Learn about the visit the workshop of an artisan who strikingly beautiful patterns. visit the Hazarduari (meaning 1000 connoisseur showcasing his private Gurusaday Museum which has a quintessential Bengali obsession specializes in making the Mata-ni- Appreciate silk weaving and doors) Palace of the Bengali Nawabs collection exclusively to the group. unique collection of indigenous art with Rabindranath Tagore, the first Pacheri, the fabric dedicated to the beadwork at Sayla. Also visit the of Murshidabad, built in 1829, and Interact with a local tie-and-dye and craft of Bengal. Post lunch, non-European Nobel Laureate for Divine Mother Goddess. walled city of Wadhwan famous for modelled on the Kedleston Hall of artist who has innovated the continue exploring this city of Literature. Tagore is considered an its tie-and-dye textiles and Derbyshire. DAY 12 AHMEDABAD – SIDHPUR – amiable contrasts taking in its main icon in the millennium old literature centuries old art form to a PATAN – MODHERA – BAJANA brassware. sites such as the Victoria Memorial, of Bengal. He was an educator, DAY 08 IN BERHAMPORE contemporary style. Also meet a Drive to Bajana making several DAY 16 MULI – BHUJ Dalhousie Square, the Writer's social reformer, poet, painter and Explore Murshidabad whose silk and local weaver who uses a unique interesting stops en route. Visit Drive to Bhuj and explore a variety Building etc., and getting to know philosopher, best remembered for cotton trade attracted the Dutch, material for weaving. His style of Sidhpur to admire the magnificent of crafts en route. Visit local artists more about its colonial history. End penning India's national anthem. the French, the Armenians and the weaving has a strange resemblance mansions of the Bohri Muslims and and craftsmen who have added the day by visiting the Weaver's English to set up textile factories to Yathra weaving of Central Bhutan DAY 06 IN SHANTINIKETAN enjoy a cup of tea with a Bohri remarkable value to Gujarat's Studio, which uses traditional here. Spend time with the weavers which uses the wool of yak and Spend time exploring Shantiniketan, family. Continue to Patan to see heritage. Stop to see the traditional techniques of making eye-catching and discover how silk is extracted sheep. End the day in a traditional meeting textile artists, local their unique style of weaving that block printing done by the Khatri contemporary designs. from cocoons. crafts village which produces 16 residents and students of Vishwa dates back to the 12th century and community using natural dyes. Their different styles of embroidery in DAY 03 KOLKATA – BISHNUPUR Bharati University, a radical DAY 09 BERHAMPORE – KOLKATA also visit the Rani-ki-Vav Stepwell ancestors came from Sindh in exquisite shawls, traditional blankets Drive to Bishnupur. Spend two experiment by Tagore in the early Start early today and make several which is a UNESCO World Heritage present day Pakistan. Spend time nights exploring the magnificent 20th century to bring education interesting stops en route to and woollen durries. Another long Site. To conclude, visit the 11th with the Ahir community known for terracotta temples which date back closer to nature with open air Kolkata. Stop at Phulia, one the most century Sun Temple of Modhera their beautiful embroidery and exciting day. to the 17th and 18th century. classrooms. Try Bengali food and renowned weaving centres of West before reaching Bajana in the mirror work. DAY 19 BHUJ – MUMBAI – listen to the music of the Bauls, the Bengal and also Ghurni, famous for DAY 04 IN BISHNUPUR evening. DEPARTURE wandering minstrels who croon its beautiful clay dolls.