Rajasthan & Gujarat Textiles & Handcrafts: An overview
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Explore Rajasthan and Gujarat with us! Visit specialist textile museums, artisan villages and workshops, women’s co-operatives, colourful bazaars and fabulous tourist sites along the way. Participate in SIX hands-on workshops: Zari Zardozi embroidery, block printing, bandhani (tie & dye), stitching and thread embellishment, Ajrakh printing & dyeing and Kalamkari cloth painting. Briefly try your hand at carpet knotting, mojari making and loom weaving, engage with local women and artisans, be inspired by incredible design and craftsmanship, marvel at stunning landscapes and architecture and experience traditional Indian culture and hospitality … plus much, much more.
We’d love you to join our small group of like-minded textile and handcraft enthusiasts for this fantastic experience of a lifetime!
A nation of contrasts, India is at once raw and exotic, confronting and alluring, distinctly earthy and riotously colourful, delicate and brutal, decadent and survivalist. The sights and experiences, handcrafts and textiles, traditions and architecture you’ll discover as we journey through Rajasthan and Gujarat will touch, inspire and leave you in awe!
This 20 day women’s textile tour is fully escorted by retreat|recreate host, Susan Keeble and a local, English-speaking guide. Our adventure begins in Delhi where we’ll visit one of India’s largest mosques, a Sikh Gurdwara where 1500 people are fed (for free) every day and an ancient stepwell (subterranean construction for storing and collecting water). We’ll weave our way via rickshaw through the bustling labyrinth of the city’s oldest market and be introduced to India’s incredible range of textiles and traditional crafts at one of the country’s premier craft museums.
Continuing on to Agra, we’ll visit the iconic Taj Mahal in the early morning. We’ll take part in a Zari Zardozi workshop (a style of metallic thread embroidery once used to adorn the royal robes, sword sheaths etc) and learn about the exquisite marble inlay work for which Agra is famous.
Spending several days in the ‘pink city’ of Jaipur, we’ll visit several major tourist sites including the opulent City Palace and its acclaimed museum filled with lavish royal costumes, textiles and art, the massive Amber fort, a museum devoted to the art of block-printing and a stunning historic step-well. During a guided walking tour of the old city, we’ll explore some of the artisan communities for which this city is known and later visit a carpet weaving village where the women weave and men warp the looms. You’re welcome to sit by an artisan and learn how to make the knots, at the same time exploring the lengthy process behind each carpet.
We’ll head out of town to a village which has been home to the Chhipa (print/dye) clan for at least 400 years where we’ll observe the stages of the hand block printing process (ink and mud resist) and then try it for ourselves! We’ll each be able to print a block printed scarf to take home as a souvenir of this very special handcraft village.
We continue on to Jodhpur, the famous ‘blue city’ situated on the edge of the Great Thar Desert. Historically many of the buildings were painted blue to signify the home of a high caste Brahmin; today most of the city is blue as other castes have followed suit. We’ll explore the colossal fort sitting atop a sheer rock ridge in the middle of town and the old market, whose stalls radiate out in concentric circles from a central clock tower. We are also privileged to visit a wonderful organisation working to empower disadvantaged women and girls through vocational training. We’ll be able to meet some of the women and observe them as they work on their handcrafts before we join the women in preparing, cooking and eating lunch.
We’ll take part in a bandhani workshop and learn the intricacies of the ancient art of tie-dye. A day trip out of the city takes us to a village to visit potters and dhurrie weavers and get a glimpse into these age-old crafts and local rural life. We are privileged to visit and have dinner with a charming local family at their home.
Leaving Rajasthan, we take a short flight to Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat. Highlights here include a visit to Gandhi’s Ashram, a workshop with a family of Mata ni Patchedi artisans and a visit and embroidery/thread embellishment workshop with a women’s organisation.
En route to the walled, desert town of Bhuj, we’ll visit a museum and art centre which aims to preserve, revitalise and promote the glorious craft heritage of Kutch. We’ll view the impressive collection of many types of embroideries of this region.
We’ll spend time with a family of weavers who will demonstrate the various steps of spinning and hand loom weaving. We will each be given the chance to try our hand at spinning and weaving and we’ll also enjoy a traditional home-cooked lunch with the family. Other artisan ateliers and villages we’ll visit in this region are those of rogan artists (oil painting on fabric), bell-makers, lacquer wood-workers, embroiderers and ajrakh (resist-blockprinters/dyers). These days, many of these textiles and handcrafts traditions are being continued by only a few families. The dedicated artisans are determined to save their craft and the traditional techniques from extinction and we’re proud to support them. Another highlight of our time in Kutch is a magical, sunset visit to the Great Rann salt desert.
Before leaving Bhuj, we’ll visit the home of a family who have been collecting and selling museum quality textiles for many years. Their extensive knowledge and. passion for preserving and caring for traditional textiles and the story each piece tells, is second to none.
On our return journey to Ahmedabad, we’ll stop at a museum where several generations of one family continue to practice and preserve the traditional and ancient art of Patola weaving (double ikat). We’ll also visit a family of Mashru weavers who hand-weave a luxurious fabric using a mix of silk and cotton. Nearby is a superb and very impressive UNESCO-listed step-well, which was only re-discovered in the 1940’s and restored in the 1980’s.
On the final night of our tour, we’ll enjoy a delicious farewell dinner at our gorgeous Ahmedabad hotel.
This exciting trip of a lifetime is not to be missed! We’d love you to join us!
Click HERE to register your interest for future tours to India so you’ll be notified of new tour releases as soon as we’re ready to open our bookings.
Testimonials from some of our Rajasthan and Gujarat tour travellers are below. You’ll find many more testimonials HERE
This was my second trip with retreat|recreate and it did not fail to impress. The careful planning of the tour company is so important for me. The inclusive approach taken by Susan K to ensure we were a very cohesive and caring group made all the difference. This is especially important if you are a solo traveller. The tour was rich with experiences, learning and sharing of knowledge about textiles, India and life in general. I can’t wait for my next trip with retreat|recreate. Cathrine – India (Rajasthan & Gujarat) Feb 2025 (Morocco 2024 and Lembata & Sumba, Indonesia 2025)
This has been my third retreat|recreate journey (I have two more coming up!). I cannot say enough about how excellent these trips are … you should just go and see for yourself! The planning is meticulous and the itinerary is jam packed with extraordinary experiences. Seeing Rajasthan and Gujarat through the eyes of local, traditional textile and craft adds a dimension to travel that is not otherwise available. What are you waiting for?! Sign up now! Susan – India (Rajasthan & Gujurat) Feb 2025 (and Morocco 2023, Thailand & Laos 2025)
My recent trip to India on the retreat|recreate Textiles and Handcrafts tour was the trip of a lifetime. India had always been a place I longed to visit, and the idea of traveling safely with a group of like-minded women was appealing. Susan, along with the other experienced guides on our tour, made it easy to relax, embrace the special moments, and enjoy the vibrant mix of fun, colour, and chaos that India is known for. Throughout the trip, we had many hands-on craft experiences and connected with some extraordinary artisans. I began to understand how deeply textiles are woven into the fabric of India’s religion and culture. I also developed an appreciation for ancient traditional arts that were previously unfamiliar to me, such as double Ikat weaving, Rogan art and Mata ni Pachedi. In addition to the crafts, there were breathtaking sights to see (I’ll never forget the ethereal sight of the Taj Mahal in the early morning mist), lifelong friendships to be made (I’m sure many of the women on this trip will remain friends for life), and, of course, serious shopping to be done (I won’t reveal how many kilos of block-printed fabric I stuffed into my suitcase!). It was truly an unforgettable experience, made even more special by the company and guidance of our easygoing, fun-loving leader, Susan Keeble. I’m forever grateful for the incredible experiences she organised for us. I do hope to experience another retreat|recreate trip in the future. Sandy – India (Rajasthan & Gujurat) Feb 2025
I couldn‘t imagine a more creative, meaningful and culturally sensitive tour of India. Susan is so knowledgeable and has amazing social connections to the people of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The tour has enhanced my life immensely! Denise – India (Rajasthan & Gujarat) Feb 2025
Susan K’s calm demeanour and friendship with the local guides and with all the artists/artisans we met assured us of a warm welcome wherever we went. She also set the tone for a harmonious and good-humoured group dynamic as did our witty local guide Avdesh who freely and helpfully shared his cultural heritage during lengthy road trips. All these elements were essential on a sometimes challenging yet always engaging, stimulating and enjoyable tour. Silvia – India (Rajasthan & Gujarat) Feb 2025
I have been looking for a specific textile tour for a long time. I followed retreat|recreate on Instagram for several years . The trips looked so interesting with such a variety of artist visits and hands on activities. I was finally able to make a trip happen to India. The trip met all my expectations and more. We were invited into intimate artist work spaces to see first hand the work created. We had opportunities to purchase some of the art work directly from the artist. The hands on art activities were fun and we could appreciate the hard work of the artists. We were immersed into the culture with such a variety of experiences from museums , world heritage sites and home visits. I highly recommend traveling with retreat|recreate. This smaller travel company provided a one of a kind personal experience. I was so excited about the well planned and researched activities. Linda – India, Jan-Feb 2024
The 21-day India Textiles and Handcrafts Tour (January-February 2024) was absolutely wonderful. The trip was all that I hoped for and a whole lot more! I didn’t really expect to fall in love with India and its people. Some days were long but we had the most amazing hands-on activities (stitching, weaving, block-printing, and dyeing) and visits (artisan workshops, museums, private collections) far beyond my expectations. We visited the old cities of Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Bhuj, often tearing about in auto-rickshaws drinking in the sights, sounds, and smells of historical and contemporary India. We visited remote villages in Gujurat, learned traditional embroidery stitches, ate the most amazingly wonderful meals, learned about current and historical sustainability practices, and watched the sun set over the Great Rann of Kutch. I’m home now and I’m seriously missing our great group of women, our awesome host Susan, and the tastes of India.. especially multiple masala chai in the morning and tasty masala dosa for dinner. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this truly special textiles and handcrafts tour, Susan and fellow travellers! This was my seventh retreat|recreate tour (seven before seventy) and I can honestly say that every single trip has far exceeded my expectations and been a wonderful and truly special life-expanding experience. Louise – India, Jan-Feb 2024 (and Japan 2019 & 2023, Tasmania 2022, Top End 2022, Morocco 2023 and Thailand & Laos 2023)
I thought I knew quite a lot about India, having travelled for business in Rajasthan some years ago, but I was so wrong. This trip through Rajasthan and Gujurat was one of the most interesting, stimulating and fun things I have ever done. The planning and organisation was excellent, all the tour guides were extremely knowledgeable, very caring and great company too; they really added a great deal to the whole experience. We spent 18 days discovering the heart of two great states famous for their textile heritage and the amazingly talented craftsmen and women living there who are still creating beautiful pieces of art, preserving their traditions and their way of life. Embroidery, dyeing, printing, weaving, pottery, wood turning, metalwork. We saw it all. And it was a joy to be able to spend time learning about their skills and trying my hand at them, skillfully guided by such talented people. The tour took us to places most tourists don’t get to experience, and every day became a new adventure. The two Susans who are retreat|recreate have forged wonderful relationships with the people we visited and everywhere we went we were genuinely welcomed with smiles, great courtesy and of course cups of chai! So, if you want something more than a tour that just whisks you around the usual tourist spots and you enjoy travel that is ‘up close and personal’ then this is the tour for you. It delivers in the most unexpected and delightful ways. Anita – India 2020
The trip to India was beyond all expectations. Truly amazing to see so many famous sights and incredible museums but it was meeting the craftspeople and visiting the villages that were the real highlights of the tour. Whether you’re a lone traveller or travelling with a friend you’ll soon have a group of new friends with common interests. Looking forward to becoming a repeat traveller with you. Gail – India 2020
I have always wanted to travel to India and I couldn’t have gone with a better company or been in more capable hands. I met so many interesting people and saw so many amazing sights. The textiles and crafts were fabulous and meeting the people who made them was a highlight of the trip. I can’t wait to sign up for the next one. Carol – India 2020
This was my second time as a solo traveller travelling with retreat|recreate. The tour organisers, tour guides, fellow travellers, accommodation, itinerary, food, workshops and experiences were even better than I could ever have hoped for. If you’re thinking about traveling through India you will not be disappointed with retreat|recreate. Looking forward to trip number 3! Marianne – India 2020 (and Bali 2019)
A wonderful trip: I just completed the India tour. The itinerary was a mix of must-see points of interest – like the Great Rann desert and the Rani ki Vav stepwell – and delights for textile artists including museums, demonstrations, and workshops. My best memories though are the personal interactions within our group and with the people we met. The artist’s relationships with Susan and our local guides made us welcome guests, sometimes even in their homes. Thank you Susan and Anant for keeping us organized, safe, and happy and for your warm caring nature. Susan – India 2020
India is a country with a rich and ancient textile tradition. It was wonderful to be able to experience many of these crafts first hand with local artisans in small villages. retreat|recreate leads an amazing tour which delves deep into textiles but also includes key cultural sites. As a designer I have admired and referenced the beautiful fabrics of India for decades but this trip has taught me the origins of these handcrafts. I look forward to exploring another part of the world with retreat|recreate. Katherine – India 2020
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