Woven in the Himalayas: Stories from the roof of the world

Model Anika Bogi stands hands folded gaze fixed against a doublehumped camel dressed in a Ladakhi Sulma With its elongated lines and voluminous silhouette the robe evokes ritual Designed to fall into a gown it gathers sul at the waist with kneelength slits for ease of movement Crafted from wool brocade velvet or silk it is secured at the waist with a brightly coloured skeyrak sash and paired with a tilin blouse its wide sleeves rolled up in warmer weather Traditionally worn by Ladakhi women the Sulma often signifies marital statusIn another photograph Mila Dechen wears a Mogo a traditional Ladakhi dress layered with a Bokmdasha wool shawl with vibrant colours and intricate patterns reflecting Ladakhrsquos textile heritage Itrsquos paired with a gyaser a silk brocade woven with gold and silver zari on wooden pit looms in BanarasNamza Couture collection captured amidst the sand dunes of LadakhAvani Rairsquos photographs form a chiaroscuro hymn to Namza Couturersquos HORLAM collectionmdashnamed after the Route of the Hor People ldquoHorrdquo refers to the Uyghur ldquoHorpardquo communities from Xinjiang and ldquoLamrdquo means route This ancient term connects to Ladakhrsquos role as a crossroads on the legendary Silk Road linking Kashmir to the west Tibet to the east and Yarkand in Chinarsquos Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to the northThrough these poetic images Padma Yangchan the brandrsquos cofounder and designer brings the ancestral Ladakhi textiles into conversation with contemporary design ldquoLadakhrsquos textiles are shaped by its highaltitude environment and historic role as a Silk Road junctionrdquo says Yangchan ldquoThe fine quality Ladakhi pashmina is produced by goats adapted to the harsh climate Other traditions include gyaser weaving tigma dyeing and yak wool weaving each rich in cultural symbolism and storytelling These crafts not only distinguish Ladakhrsquos textile history but also add to the diverse fabric of Indiarsquos craft legacyrdquoPadma Yangchan cofounder and designer of Namza CoutureWoven into Aratrik Dev Varman and Jisha Unnikrishnanrsquos textile installation is the Risha a narrow handwoven breastcloth traditionally worn by women of Tripurarsquos 19 tribes until the 1970s This installation shifts focus from the finished textile to its creation process drawing inspiration from the simplicity of the backstrap loom Using just a few bamboo sticks to set up the warp this lightweight and portable loom was essential for tribes practicing shifting agriculture moving between hills to cultivate crops Held by the weaverrsquos body the loom limits the width of the textile giving the Risha its characteristic narrow form of about 20 inchesMeasuring 3 feet by 145 feet the installation is framed in teak wood with cotton and lurex yarn woven into its multistriped composition Two sets of intersecting threads create a play of opacities referencing Tripurarsquos tribal textiles ldquoWe wanted the focus to remain on the loin loomrsquos simplicityrdquo says Varman who hails from Tripura and now runs his label Tilla in Ahmedabad ldquoItrsquos not just about the object but about the story it tells the tools the craftspersonrsquos life and the context behind the traditionrdquo Varman addsJagrity Phukan founder and creative director of Way of Living StudioSimilarly in Arunachal Pradesh Jenjum Gadi looks at the loin loom a tool used by his community for centuries attached to the weaverrsquos body with a back strap ldquoItrsquos the first loom in history its process unchanged embodying the essence of slow fashionmdashunhurried deliberaterdquo says Gadi a contemporary designer from Tirbin village now based in New DelhildquoInstead of creating fashion for fashionrsquos sake textiles are a powerful way to raise awareness of my communityrsquos heritagerdquo Gadi explains ldquoWhile it may seem homogeneous to outsiders each statemdashfrom Nagaland to Arunachal Pradeshmdashhas its own distinct craft languagerdquoAratrik Dev Varman and Jisha Unnikrishnan with The Tripura Project an installation commissioned by Royal Enfield Social Mission Pic CourtesyTilla by Aratrik Dev VarmanFor his latest menswear collection Gadi draws inspiration from the Mopin festival an agricultural celebration of the Galo tribe dedicated to the goddess Mopin Ane Traditional Mopin attire features bold blackandwhite geometric patterns which Gadi reinterprets in black garments adorned with white motifs giving ancestral symbolism a modern twistRather than viewing indigenous crafts as static traditions Yangchan Varman Unnikrishnan and Gadi treat weaving as a living art form evolving through its intersection with contemporary design across Ladakh Tripura and Arunachal PradeshAratrik Dev Varman right and Jisha UnnikrishnanAs 2024 draws to a close craft enters a golden age of cultural storytelling where the ancestral skills of textile artisans meet distinctly urban design approaches This revival of interest has brought fresh attention to Himalayan and North East textilesFestivals like Journeying Across the Himalayas held earlier this month in New Delhi have spotlighted over 50 Himalayan communities and their artists across art music photography food design and architecture This diversity of works makers and meanings underscores culturersquos power to shape identitymdashthrough its many forms it remains one of the most accessible and enduring expressions of who we are ldquoThe festival was founded on the recognition that the Himalayas hold stories worth sharing and preserving As the region faces the impacts of climate change it highlights the resilience of its communities inviting a broader audience to celebrate their legaciesrdquo says Bidisha Dey executive director at Eicher Group Foundation which organised the festivalFrom Folk to Fabric The Himalayan Knot exhibition in New Delhi recently explored textiles folktales and material culture across nine Himalayan regionsPart of this effort was the From Folk to Fabric exhibition part of The Himalayan Knot project which brought together nine Himalayan communities to share their stories ldquoThe project inspires us with how craftsmanship connects diverse Himalayan communities At Royal Enfield craftsmanship is at our core from handpainted pinstripes to our attention to detail The project celebrates the regionrsquos textiles and traditions while supporting communities promoting sustainable crafts and preserving living heritagerdquo explains DeyCurated by Ikshit Pande and contributions from Dr Monisha Ahmed Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh The Woolknitters Himachal Pradesh Anand Joshi Uttarakhand Aagor Assam Easternlight Zimik Manipur Charlee Mathlena Mizoram Kevisedenuo Margaret Zinyuuml Nagaland and Sonam Tashi Gyaltsen Sikkim the installations presented a layered narrative of not just textiles but folktales and cultural memoryBidisha Dey executive director Eicher Group FoundationFor all the detail and sophistication in design textiles remain living documents of the land communicating shared ideas through folktales myths and oral histories ldquoInterest in heritage textiles particularly from regions like Kutch and Bengal has always been strong due to their accessibilityrdquo observes Pande ldquoNow textiles from the plains are starting to attract attention but often through a limited lensmdasheither by patrons or in museums Modern storytelling by the original custodians is key to broader engagement without their voices these materials risk becoming forgotten relicsrdquoThe exhibition transcended notions of luxury and the exotic beginning with the Pawnpuimdasha traditional Mizo cotton blanket valued as a bridal heirloommdashand extending to the Moon shawl a testament to Kashmiri weaving artistry ldquoTextile traditions from the eastern and western Himalayas are integral to Indiarsquos craft landscape particularly in preserving intangible cultural practices and promoting sustainability From natural dyes in Bodo cotton to sustainable Eri silk techniques these textiles connect communities to their environmentrdquo Dey saysJenjum Gadirsquos latest menswear range draws inspiration from the blackandwhite motifs found in the folk stories of the Galo communityEach textile whether designed by a contemporary artist or woven by an artisan represents the transference of ancestral knowledge evolving over time This dynamic interplay gives textiles their ldquohuman facerdquo illustrating their ongoing relevance across generations ldquoThey are more than just skillsrdquo Pande reasons ldquoThey pass down stories beliefs and traditions with each piece reflecting the makerrsquos moods experiences and the communal nature of the craftrdquoSome of the most inspiring stories from the Himalayan and North East regions come from communities where conservation and culture intersect Green Hub founded by Rita Banerji empowers young people through visual storytelling focused on social change and conservation Since 2015 Green Hub has partnered with grassroots organisations to support sustainable practices and amplify local voicesJenjum Gadi menswear designerThe North East region home to about 36 per cent of Indiarsquos 14 billion population faces high unemployment and environmental challenges The Green Hub Fellowship provides a platform for young changemakers and the Green Hub Royal Enfield Conservation Grantsmdashintroduced in 2022mdashhave supported youth from over 20 communities across six states in NorthEast IndiaWanmai Konyak of Nagaland is restoring jhum lands while Chajo Lowang and Sara Khongsai from Arunachal Pradesh are documenting biodiversity and folktales from Tirap and launching a conservation project In 2024 Rangjalu Basumatary received a grant for his work protecting the Bengal Florican in Manas and Jagrity Phukan was awarded for her Soil to Silk project preserving Muga silk traditions in Dhemaji AssamldquoMuga silks are the embodiment of slow fashionmdashlike denim they become more comfortable and durable over timerdquo Phukan explains Since class 9 Phukan had dreamed of a career in fashion After graduating from NIFT and working with the Ganga Maki brand she felt drawn back to her village in the foothills of the Himalayas There inspired by her grandmotherrsquos muga silk weaving she launched Way of Living Studio WOLS reviving the craft while weaving in sustainable modern valuesldquoNature and the indigenous communities of Dhemaji are central to everything we dordquo says Phukan acknowledging how parts of her region feel overlooked by mainland India ldquoPeople sometimes donrsquot know where Irsquom from because of my Mongolian features Therersquos a lack of awareness but indigenous communities have always been part of this countrymdashpeople just need to pay attentionrdquoThis disconnect is something Yangchan also grapples with in her work ldquoThe term lsquoregionalrsquo oversimplifies the depth and cultural significance of Himalayan craftsrdquo she argues ldquoWhen people say lsquoitrsquos too regionalrsquo I ask them lsquoWhat about Chikankari or Phulkari Arenrsquot those regional toorsquo Every craft from the Himalayas to the plains carries its own unique story and legacy deserving of respect and global recognitionrdquo