Textile Heaven

I’ve had the best textile day and I need to talk to some people who would understand.

Woke up early - breakfast on the rooftop and then headed out.  Thought I’d go to the lake before it got too hot.  After that I just wandered. Always hoping to find very special textiles.   There are so many tourist shops selling clothes, jewellery and all kinds of tourist souvenirs.  Didn’t inspire me.  Most of it you could get at home, you would just pay a lot more.   Or it has elephants on it and you could buy it anywhere in Asia.  

Then I found a shop that looked upmarket.  i.e. clean windows, displayed beautifully, not cluttered.  Thought this would be very expensive.  Just lovely looking around beautiful scarves,, wraps etc.  Bandani work for which Jaisalmer is known.  

Got talking to the owner who recommended the 2 best things of the day 

- that I have a cool drink at his rooftop cafe  ( my response was that  I would only if he has clean toilets, and they were.  No price can be put on a clean toilet especially when you are a 1/2 hour walk away from your hotel and don’t want to go all the way back just to use the toilet)

- That if I was interested in textiles, especially old textiles then I should visit his friend Dineesh

Yes I know it sounds like one of those scams, but I spent a fair part of the afternoon sitting on the floor of Dineesh’s shop looking at and talking textiles.  

Dineesh - the textile man in one of the 4 rooms of his shop

You can imagine the story - the family has been in the business for generations, Women don’t do embroidery the way they used to.  There used to be a lot of these pieces but now you can’t get them. etc etc.  He told me where different pieces were made, what they were used for.  They have all kinds of products they sell.  And then he started showing me old embroidered pieces.  Many different uses, bags for money, belts, dress fronts, throws etc etc.

He said they have supplied pieces to many museums including V & A.  

He showed me many things and then just let me wander the rooms of the shop pulling out things to look at.  

 Old Rajasthani embroidery

Above are 3 bags used for coins

Below is a belt

And then …… we sat on the floor and he opened the trunks that hold their very special pieces.  Some are for sale, but they are saving many for a textile museum they hope to set up.  And he talked about each piece.  I was in heaven.  Some pieces have prices - many thousands of dollars.  He knew there was no way I could afford these pieces and yet he spent probably 2 hours with me.  

And yes, I did buy something - 2 old silk saris in gorgeous colours.  And I think you would call it a khadi throw made of old silk saris with a row upon row of running stitch joining them.  

Most days lately I just can’t quite believe how I am living my life.  This is a very special time.