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Trunk Show:
Chai and Chachh (Tea and Buttermilk): Back to the Beginning
June 18, 2022
Kachchh and Kala Cotton
The White Desert (Rann of Kuhchh)
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Stunning landscapes
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Rich and vibrant tradition and culture
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People are warm and hospitable
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Hotbed of crafts and craft traditions
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Pastoral and Farming communities
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Ethnic diversity (migrant communities from Central Asia, Afghanistan, etc.)
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Very distinctive character
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Prone to earthquakes
Kuchchh is an ancient land
Roots of indigenous cotton date back to the Indus Valley Civilization
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Remains of Indus Valley Civilization excavated in the 195os/1960s in Kuchchh
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Evidence of dyed documented by travelers and explrers on Meditarranean trade routes
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Kuchchh was once fertile
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Annual rainfall in Kuchchh is about 350 mm (2013 data)
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The kala cotton crop depends entirely on this rainfall
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Kala Cotton is not new
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It is a type of short-staple cotton native to Asia and Africa
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But use of indigenous cotton diminished during colonization
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After the 2001 earthquake, efforts to revive it began (a variety of American cotton was used until then, plus some local genetically modified varieties)
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It is pest-resistant and rain-fed
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