India Week with Brinda Gill - A Rare Glimpse into Indian Trade Textiles

‘When Indian Flowers Bloomed in Distant Lands’ – Masterworks of Trade Textiles 1250-1950 in the TAPI Collection is an exhibition of historical Indian trade textiles, showcasing masterpieces from the renowned TAPI Collection. Hosted at the Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the exhibition runs from December 8, 2024, to March 9, 2025. The museum, a beautifully restored residence, provides an ideal setting for this exhibit, with its charming blend of heritage and modern architecture, surrounded by lush lawns and old trees.

The exhibition highlights some of the earliest and most rare Indian trade textiles from the TAPI Collection, a prestigious private collection based in Surat, Gujarat. Founded by Shilpa and Praful Shah, the collection includes some of the finest examples of historical Indian textiles. Over the years, the Shahs have generously shared their treasures with the public through exhibitions and publications.

From ancient times, Indian textiles—ranging from fine Bengal muslins, double-ikat silks from Gujarat, hand-painted cottons from the Coromandel Coast, to Kashmir shawls—were highly sought after by global markets. This demand led to a...

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