Textile Tour, India, 2025

March, 2025, with Polly Leonard, Editor of Selvedge magazine, in India was spectacular! She had cultural backup from Param and logistics support from Ravi and his crew. We were always able to deal with options such as snow covered roads and filled in with helicopter rides and airplane trips. The pace is fast and the days are full of sensory delights from meetings in ateliers with designers who control the vertical process from growth of fiber to weaving and the opportunity to experience hands on dying with vegetable dyes, weaving, block and resist printing, and embroidery, to the full range of Indian foods. I learned so much about hand made textiles and enjoyed my companions who were creative and knowledgeable women. We had open conversations about our experiences and shared referrals, especially from those who had already been with Polly for the first half of the trip in February. This is a life enhancing trip never to be forgotten. Thank you Polly and Param and thank you to our lovely group of travelers for sharing this phenomenal experience.

Once in a lifetime experience
In February, 2023 I joined Polly Leonards textile tour in India. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will treasure always. The Tour was multi faceted and included the history and culture of Indian textiles, visits to artisans, as well as textile workshops, but also offered a complete, holistic overview of Indian culture and history. We were joined by an extremely knowledgeable Indian guide and culture/history expert who regaled us and educated us with tales of Indian history and the Indian experience. Polly opened doors to us that we would never been able to do on our own. We met textile experts and artists, and were invited into homes for dinners and intimate conversations. These personal, warm invitations were some of my most memorable memories of the trip- and there were many memorable experiences.

It was an intense month, but, there was nothing that I would remove from the agenda.
Thank you Polly and Param. You have deepened my life experience. I learned so much more than I expected from this tour (and I had high expectations) and I came away with experiences and friendships that I will keep forever in my heart.

Wonderful
This is a trip that would have been impossible to arrange on one’s own, not only because of the complex logistics but also because of Polly’s connections with the best of India’s designers that specialize in the handmade and their artisans. At each of the ateliers, shops, and workshops we were able to see the breadth of the produced work, with designers spending at least an hour talking about their work. We watched artisans in action, such as weavers, block printers, spinners, with indigo dyers, while occasionally trying our own hands at a technique such as resist stamping for a cotton scarf. I can’t imagine having such a rich experience without the caché that comes with a Selvedge tour. What an experience of a lifetime. I could go on and on about this incredible trip.

Fabulous and informative
For me, the trip was fabulous and informative. I especially appreciated the con- tact with all of the talented artists and experts who were associates of Polly. The entree to homes of all socio-economic levels was most appreciated for me. It was wonderful to enjoy the hospitality of so many different families. I know the pace was fast, jam-packed, and the days were lengthy. I appreciate that every effort was made to provide us with all sorts of cultural experiences as well as textile-related experiences, and I very much appreciated that. I loved the opportunities to be on the streets, in the villages, and with the people. I hope that future tours will continue to offer last-minute changes to the itinerary that open travellers up to real immersion into the culture. Please continue to provide those sorts of experiences

Rainbow Rajasthan
In Rajasthan there’s a rainbow around every corner. Vibrant, dazzling, viv- id, garish – none of these words do Rajasthan justice. Every street is a sensory assault, from lime to mint, saffron to crimson, turquoise to indigo, magenta to lavender. This regal Indian state is known for the splendour of its forts and Maharajas’ palaces, where the sun shines through emerald, ruby, and sapphire Belgian glass windows, to dance on paintings of past opulence.