Celebrate Rajasthan's textiles, art through cultural fests

Fashion designer Prasad Bidapa has collaborated with National Award winning handloom weavers from Rajasthan for the first edition of 'Rajasthan Heritage Week', which aims to celebrate the desert state's textile and crafts.
The week includes a 3-day fashion extravaganza, 'Handmade in Rajasthan' that begins in Jaipur from December 3 for which Bidapa has worked with top designers like Ritu Kumar, Abraham and Thakore, Hemant Trivedi and Bibi Russell and aims to highlight heritage fabrics like khadi and kota in fashionable silhouettes for the global market.
Former international model-turned Bangladeshi designer Russell, previewed her collection at the newly revamped Bikaner House here today.

"We did a pilot project with Bibi working with weavers in Jaipur and her first collection debuts in Jaipur next month. Designers from India and across the world worked with the traditional textile arts of Rajasthan. India needs to brand its khadi and handloom masterpieces and position them as true luxury," Bidapa said.
The event, part of the desert state's Textile Development Programme' is being held with Khadi Board and the state government of Rajasthan and intends to showcase a spread of rare Kota Daria sarees, khadi prints and hand-embroidered fabrics that are quintessentially Rajasthani.
Malvika Singh co-chair of sub group in Tourism, Rajasthan government said the project was conceptualised to benefit the textile artisans of the state in a manner that would create "intervention without interference".

"Rajasthan has one of the richest fabric and embellishment craft forms of India and the integration of these ancient and beautiful techniques into the work of the contemporary fashion designers was a mission that could only benefit both," Singh said.

For designer Russell it was "a dream come true."
"Kota Doria should be the pride of India. I worked for many countries including in Bangladesh, Latin America and South East Asia among others and don't understand why Rajasthan should not be fashion capital. I am set to show my new collection with khadi, kota and other crafts in Jaipur and since I got back from Europe this is the day I was waiting for," she said.

Acclaimed designer Ritu Kumar also participating in event said, "I feel the clothes and fashion in India are an art form and we should retain it and hence my participation in this festival."
There are various festivals spread across Rajasthan from
this month stretching on to late February, including the camel festival at Pushkar and at Bikaner, 'The Sacred' festival at Pushkar, the Literature Festival in Jaipur besides festivals in Jodhpur and Udaipur.
"The Sacred" scheduled to be held in Pushkar between November 22-24 is set to feature diverse musical performances including Spanish sacred music ensemble La Grande Chapelle, Grammy-winning Hindustani classical music instrumentalist Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, vocalist Shubha Mudgal and popular folk influenced singer Kailesh Kher.

Other events scheduled are by nagara maestro Nathu lal Solanki and Sino-Jewish collaborators Yom and Wang Li. Heritage walks, Guided meditations, Chanting and wellness practices including Kundalini Yoga by Kulbir Singh, son of Yogi Bhajan and Vayu Yoga by Capucine Redon and Suresh Dutt Sharma.
The state government is going out in a big way to promote its festivals and the Bikaner House located near the India Gate here has also undergone a revamp and is now equipped with a exhibition hall, an art gallery which opened with an exhibition of photographs by Maharaja Ram Singh of Jaipur, and gift shop. A new restaurant with inhouse catering is also set to come up soon.

"We hope that this Bikaner House becomes a hub of cultural activity and a gateway to Rajasthan," Singh said.