A Childhood memory that comes to this writer’s mind is playing with stamp tattoos alongside kids in the neighbourhood; this involved dipping those stamps in colours, leaving imprints on each other’s hands and arms. Who would have imagined that these games were inspired from block printing, a traditional textile printing technique?

Deepa Krishnan, founder of The Magic Room, a social enterprise committed to supporting Indian arts and crafts, believes it to be a skill that must be revived. “India has a rich legacy of textiles — not just woven, but also printed and dyed textiles, embroidered and hand-painted textiles. Our block printing workshops are a way to revive people’s interest in these beautiful traditions,” she says. With only six students per batch, Krishnan helms workshops on every alternate Saturday not only in Mumbai, but in Rajasthan and Gujarat as well.