Photos of my short and sweet Ahmedabad sojourn. Ahmedabad, a city in Gujarat India, has a deep background in textiles, architecture and design. It is the home of the original Calico textile Mills.
This museum houses the finest, most valuable South Asian textile collection in the world. It's a private collection and the earliest pieces date back to the 15th century. If you're ever in the city, go here. Sadly, I don't have images of the textiles - no photos allowed inside. The textile artistry is unlike anything I've seen.
The word calico comes from Calicut, a town in southern India where Vasco De Gama first discovered the cotton cloth which spurred the "calico craze" around the world. The "calico craze" refers to the popularity of Indian chintz in Europe in the 16th century. In case you missed it, here is my June presentation on chintz.
At the Gandhi Ashram, Gandhi's spinning wheel. This is where he spent most of his time in India. It is from here that he exhorted Indians to take up hand-spinning of cotton to create khadi, the "freedom fabric"...and to rise in peaceful resistance against the British.
Yes, you could really write to the main post office to make sure he got your letters! - from the Gandhi Memorial Museum
Deep in thought. Selecting peace silk shawls for my new collection (launching soon).
View from Inside a stepwell, Yes, its a well with steps. But it's so much more. I'll need to do a whole post just on these marvelous structures.
A young student of urban design on a field trip in the Old City. Yes, that's a charcoal iron. They're still used in India today.
Unbelievably, a mosque in the Old City, built by Hindus (only in India). There are no minarets or domes typically found on mosques. It is stunning.
Architectural detail on mosque. The intricate carvings inspire wooden blocks used in "ajrakh" textile printing today.
Our tour guide, Nirav, charming wife Urivashi and very shy daughter Nishta. Urivashi made us a to-die-for local Gujarati meal.
Honestly Preeti if you have the energy I’d love to have you as a guide to India all about textiles.