National Handloom Day – 7th August 2025

We celebrate the National Handloom Day with little write ups about designers / revivalists/ dedicated individuals who are working to bring back to life forgotten weaves and textile techniques. All of them are known to me and are friends where there is a shared camaraderie and a mutual love for textiles… I cover 3 of them in this post.

The Celebrations start from 1^st of August and go to the 10^th of August. Keeping this in mind, I cover a series of such revivalists over the next couple of posts.  

(For the uninitiated – 7^th August 1905 was the day when the Swadeshi Movement was launched. It was launched in Calcutta Town Hall. It was aimed to promote domestic and indigenous goods and products. Primarily amongst them the handloom which was a way to boycott imported goods especially apparel. To commemorate this and give a boost to the domestic production especially those woven by hand, the National Handloom Day was launched. The first one was held on 7^th August 2015 and inaugurated by the PM Shri Narendra Modi. Since then the celebration has swelled and participation increased.  There is a genuine attempt to create awareness about our long forgotten weaves and handwoven products. What is even more exciting is that the celebration brings some of the best craftsmen and their products to Delhi.)

Kodalikaruppur Revial -
Image Courtesy of Aksh Studio

 Aksh Studio – Sriya Smita Mishra and   Vipin Das – Fascination with the  Coromandel textiles The two have with their interpretation revived and are working with  Kodalikaruppur and Nayaka Kalamkari. What sets them apart is that they are extremely grounded, with no airs and a very hands on approach to work. Despite combining 3 techniques of handpainting, jamdani weaving and dyeing using natural colours, there quest to learn more is unending. The talk with Vipin is fascinating of two people who shared a common love for the handmade. Their road trips across the Deccan led them to discovery a distinctive and new way of weaving every 50 kms. Learning, experimenting and creating the duo today are making the iconic Kodalikaruppur and Nayaka Kalamkari textiles. What was more interesting for me was that while I was chasing them for this interview. They apologetically told me that their helper workers had gone home for Pongal so it was only the two of them working on dyeing for the next exhibition at Vermillion House, Bangalore. Yes, the two work hands on with their natural dyeing process.

Vriksh Bomkai Cotton - 
Image Courtesy of Vriksh

Vriksh - Gunjan Jain – Weaving fantasy with ikat from Odisha – Gunjan’s design is a beautiful mix of the traditional with the contemporary. What sets her designs apart is that she understands the design vocabulary of the weavers and then incorporates her own touch without in anyway upsetting their sensibilities. The result is that the tradition remains intact but the design interpretation gives it a beautiful contemporary look which is perfect in any part of the world.

Gunjan’s designs are like a breath of fresh air as she marries the traditional with the contemporary beautifully. Without disturbing the aesthetics of the weaving methodology, she plays around with the colours, motifs, their placement and gives the traditional weave a new look. Be it the namavalli series (calligraphy / alphabet weaving with ikat or Bomkai or tussar or dhalapathar curtains motifs which were brought on to sarees. There has been innovation galore. Her designs are unique, aesthetic and more importantly give the handloom weave a new twist. Working with predominantly silk (both mulberry and tussar) and cotton, the results are unique. Linen is a new yarn which has been introduced. As of course the Gamcha.

Joth Saree - 
Image Courtesy of Vinay Narkar Designs 

 Vinay Narkar of Vinay Narkar Designs – It was Vinay who told me very passionately about weaves beyond Himroo and Paithani from Maharashtra. His designs and passion to research is inspiring. Having traversed the interiors of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana he has unravelled several old designs and techniques which ruled the roost once upon a time. Today, several of the looms remain idle. Several techniques have been revived by him. Beyond that though there have been a huge number of sarees woven and probably woven 60 to 70 years ago, today are sadly absent. So it was interesting to see Kali Chandrakala, Neeli Chandrakala, Joot, Motichur and several other traditions in a host of colours from the Deccan palette. What gives the sarees a modern twist is that they are in silk and of course the border and pallav interpretation is contemporary. A call to Vinay was a joyous discovery of a shared love for textiles. His sheer fascination with the history, poetry and folk lore tradition in Marathi which has provided him the base for his revival. It is while reading the rich heritage in books referencing poetry where sarees of various types are mentioned that has provided inspiration to Vinay to explore the countryside and speak to villagers, women, weavers of the rich weaving tradition of Maharashtra.