India had always been on my bucket list, and my recent trip was everything I’d hoped for. The chaos in the streets, the brilliant colours of India, and the skilled artisans at work all blended into a sensory overload that felt both wild and welcoming. I joined a fabulous tour run by Melanie which was the perfect combination of sight seeing, culture and fashion/textile sourcing. People have been asking about my trip and interested in where I went so here is a snapshot.
First stop was a remote town outside of Ahmedabad (south of Delhi) to see the skilled artisans weaving with gold thread. The conditions were basic, with the weaver positioned in a hole dug out from the floor. Despite this their creations are beautiful.
We came out from watching the weaving to see a local villager carrying her saucepans to the watering hole.
What fascinated me most were the extreme contrasts. The chaotic and polluted streets were interrupted with the vibrant scene of a beautiful wedding party.
Our next stop was Delhi. We stayed at a lovely hotel where they were setting up for a wedding in the private gardens.
More street chaos on our way to Agra with cows intermingled with construction machinery on the side of the road.
A huge highlight for me was seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise. It looked surreal shrouded with the morning haze. I was so surprised at how emotional I felt standing in front of it. It was strangely serene (despite the crowds) and deeply moving.
Up close the detail of the carved marble was exquisite. It took 22 years with the hands of 22,000 people and 1,000 elephants to build.
Some of the intricate details of the marble inlay at Agra Fort, the palace adjacent to the Taj Mahal.
We spent most of our time in Jaipur which was definitely my favourite city. We had drinks at the beautiful Bar Palladio. I loved the saturation of colour and detailed paintwork.
Such a gorgeous shade of blue!
The bar.
And I couldn’t resist some retail therapy in their ‘tent shop’!
We did a night tour of the Amer Fort where we saw more colour, this time in a soft pastel palette.
Can you believe this is a jewellery showroom? Again, the attention to detail and colour was so unexpected.
Another very memorable experience for me was having the opportunity to create my own block print design on a scarf with the help of the experts.
Although my finished product probably wouldn’t pass the QC test, I was able to truly appreciate the work that goes into creating some of the block print fabrics that I use for client projects.
More block print at our hotel.
And of course I couldn’t resist this robe which I justified as a ‘souvenir’!
The trip was such a whirlwind, I think I am still processing some of the things I saw. What is etched in my memory are the beautiful and unexpected colours of India.