We embark on an exciting journey into the realm of woodblock printing, where we will gain practical experience in a charming family-run studio located just an hour from Jaipur in the renowned woodblock village of Bagru.
The day starts with a welcome chai and a walking tour through the small village of Bargu, visiting artisan workshops, printing and dying spaces and the famous 'fields of colour' where reems of fabric are left in the sun to dry. We then are expertiy guided into hands on print our own scarf.

Pichwai Painting - One of the highlights of my last trip was taking part in his masterclass. We are fortunate to join a group masterclass focused on the art of devotion through pichwai painting. I thought pichwal was miniature sized paintings, but it turns out these are actually large pieces created with incredibly fine brushstrokes.

This was one of the last groups most cherished experiences, welcomed into home and studio/gallery and helped us to understand the deep cultural/religious meanings of Pichwai Art and with kindness and patience help each student to re-create their own masterpiece to take home.

Kalbelia Gudri Quilting - Delve into the intricate art of kantha hand stitching and quilting at Nila House, a non-profit organization, a full day of engagement with local craftswomen. The Kalbelia community is popularly known as the snake charmers community. The Gudri quilting technique employs rich and complex stitches, we will learn the craft straight from the craftperson themselves and create our own quilted fabric.

What a great workshop learning from these ladies, I will say this was tricky for me cause needles and thread are my challenge but as with all the workshops any level of skill is invited and I was graciously guided along the way by my teacher. But omg the others in the group managed some beautiful pieces.

How could we not do a cooking class. We uncover treasured family recipes while learning to prepare a classic Indian meal in the home of tour host is a delight. We just loved it the food was top delicious and very authentic. From learning the basics of chapati, trying new things we cooked some ochra and a variety of vegetarian homestyle curries to finish off with a group favorite gulub jamon.

We invite a group of local woman to join us in the garden and be amazed by the freestyle creations they create for us over a pot of chai.

The art of Henna—called mehndi in Hindi and Urdu—has been practiced in Pakistan, India, Africa, and the Middle East for over 5000 years. It was originally used for its natural cooling properties for the people living in hot desert climates. A paste would be made, in which the palms of hands and soles of feet would be soaked. It was also used for medicinal purposes and applied to the skin to treat such ailments as stomach aches, burns, headaches, and open wounds. Today, Henna is mainly used in celebration of special occasions such as weddings and birthdays in the joyous gathering of people. The Henna paste symbolizes good health and prosperity in marriage, and in some cultures, the darker the henna stain, the deeper the love between two individuals.