Patterns, patience, and process—exploring stories told through thread, dye, and hand.
Patola |
Systematic double ikat weaving with pixel-perfect dyeing
Me draped in Patola, proudly wearing the heritage I come from.
Met the Salvi family (@patola_bynirmalsalvi) in Patan, who’ve carried forward this generation-old double ikat tradition — now globally recognized for its unmatched precision — and especially meaningful to me as it originates from my native town of Patan.
Each thread is pre-dyed, pre-planned, and precisely woven to match its partner — a remarkable example of system thinking, patience, and layered storytelling, executed with pixel-perfect precision.
Ajrakh |
Geometric block printing rooted in symmetry and tradition
Met Dr. Ismail Khatri, Padma Shri awardee – Ajrakh Studio
​Inside this humble desert village, blocks speak louder than words. Watching Dr. Khatri work with woodblocks and indigo dyes reminded me that true design is rhythm, balance, and soul.
Rogan Art |
Freehand painting using castor oil-fluid, organic, and precise
200 yrs old skirt painted by Rogan art
The only family in India still practicing 400 yrs old castor oil-based Rogan painting, a delicate art done entirely freehand. In Nirona, I met the son of Padma Shri awardee Abdul Gafur Khatri, who shared stories of their family's legacy and the intricate control required to master this form.
Freehand art using threads of paint, floating above fabric. It felt like designing in air—no guides, just intuition and legacy. A meditation on muscle memory and visual balance - fluid gestures become storytelling lines suspended in air.
Vibrant lacquered wood furniture where surface becomes identity
Sankheda |
Handmade lacquered wood furniture from Gujarat, rooted in centuries of traditional Gujarati design. Crafted with vibrant colors and turned wood, Sankheda furniture today finds high demand in the USA, UK, Russia, and Australia - a global symbol of regional craftsmanship.
Sankheda taught me that ornamentation, when done right, becomes identity - not noise. It’s a well-thought expression of UX and form - where function, story, and aesthetics meet.
