Heirloom textiles on display

Our Correspondent

Kangra, February 27

Students of NIFT-Panchkula, have put up a display of heirloom textiles comprising various hand-woven and hand-embroidered products at the NIFT-Kangra campus for the two-day ‘Spectrum 2020’ that started today. The event was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Rakesh Prajapati.

Vishu Arora, Associate Professor, NIFT-Panchkula, today said these textiles were the heritage of Indian households that were woven and embroidered by grandmothers/mothers to gift to their daughters during weddings. She said heirloom textiles were passed from generation to generation. The textiles on display include crochet table mats, cushion covers, pakhi (the traditional hand fans), naala (the drawstrings with tassels), khaddar (traditional hand-spun and woven cotton fabric), majnu khes woven circa 1920, neeli chitti durrie, panja durrie besides traditional wedding durrie, dasuti bedsheets and traditional chair covers. These textiles are rooted to the culture of weaving circa 16-18th century in Lahore, Sind and Multan of Pakistan that are woven in households of Punjab, Sind and other parts of Punjab.

During the Spectrum 2020, Craft Bazaar is a platform where many artists from Himachal Pradesh exhibit their art. A famous Kathak artiste, Monissa Nayak, gave a dance performance during the event.