Saturday 26 September, 12-2:30 p.m.: Talk: Handmade in Kachchh with Subrang Arts

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Institute of Indian Art and Culture), 4A Castletown Rd, London W14 9HE, UK

Subrang Arts is a registered charity and voluntary organisation dedicated to the promotion and development of Asian art, craft and culture. Named after the Sanskrit word meaning “spectrum of colour”, the organisation celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent through exhibitions, performances, talks, heritage projects and educational programmes. Through its work, Subrang Arts encourages a deeper understanding of traditional arts within contemporary multicultural Britain, while creating opportunities for cultural exchange, intergenerational learning and community participation.

Event Description

Handmade in Kachchh is an afternoon of talks exploring the living textile traditions of Kachchh, Gujarat, through dress, handloom weaving and cultural practice. Presented by Subrang Arts, the programme brings together scholarship, artisan knowledge and lived experience to offer insight into one of India’s most celebrated textile regions and the communities who continue to sustain its craft traditions today.

The event features Professor Eiluned Edwards, an internationally recognised scholar of South Asian textiles and dress whose research explores craft livelihoods, fashion, identity and the changing role of handmade textiles in contemporary India, alongside Shamji Vishram Valji, an acclaimed handloom weaver from Bhujodi, Kachchh, known for his work with kala cotton and for sustaining generations of weaving knowledge through collaborative artisan practice and innovation.

12 - 1 pm: The afternoon begins with Celebrating Navratri: Dressing for Garba in Kachchh, a talk by Professor Edwards examining the extraordinary garments, embroidery and adornment associated with the festival of Navratri and the dance traditions of Garba. Exploring how dress communicates identity, celebration and community, the talk highlights the vibrant textile cultures that emerge during this important annual festival.

1.30 - 2.30 pm: The second session, Handmade in Kachchh: Handloom Histories, brings Professor Edwards into conversation with Shamji Vankar Vishram Valji to discuss the histories of textiles in Kachchh, the significance of kala cotton, artisan knowledge systems and the changing place of handmade textiles within contemporary life. Combining personal experience, textile history and discussion of contemporary craft practice, the event offers a rich introduction to the enduring creativity of Kachchh’s textile communities.

Event Cancellation Policy
All bookings are non-refundable. However, if you let us know that you are unable to attend an event you have booked at least two weeks before the event, we will open up your place. If we find another participant, you will be offered a credit note.

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