Threads of Tradition
Farm to Fashion 21 days textiles tour of India
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TOUR OVERVIEW
O
ur colourful ‘Threads of Tradition’ tour treks the geography of textiles as it has been since ancient times. This Farm to Fashion tour starts from India’s ancient and current centre of textiles in the west, Gujarat, and concludes in Kolkata, a port and yarn and textile hub of the pre-British era. Along the way, we visit New Delhi in the north-west, stopover in Agra to feast our eyes on the Taj Mahal en route to Lucknow. Throughout this tour we will witness for ourselves the hearts and souls, traditions and beliefs that are woven and embellished into the textiles of India. We embark on this amazing and colourful textiles adventure from the heart and centre of Indian textiles from ancient times, Gujarat. The birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat is renowned for its indigo dyeing, hand loom weaving, embroidery, handicrafts, mouth-watering vegetarian cuisine, natural beauty and colorful lifestyle.
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We will venture off the beaten track and visit villages where indigo dyeing, intricate embroidery (Rabari, Banni & Sindhi), double ikat patola saree weaving, wooden block making, ajrakh block printing etc. are undertaken in a very traditional way. Along the way, we will stop and marvel at architectural splendors of bygone eras, eat where the locals eat, meet and mingle with tribals and villagers in their natural surroundings and even visit some in their homes. We will also visit various artisan campuses set up by NGOs to encourage and teach the next generation of artisans in an effort to revive and retain these ancient skills. A trip to Gujarat, with the longest coastline (1290 km) in India, will not be complete without a stay in a beach resort where we get to rest, relax, rejuvenate and reminisce.
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After a restful day, we will fly north-west to Delhi, the capital city of India. A fascinating city made up of Old Delhi (a historic walled capital city built by Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who also built the Taj Mahal) with its narrow, crowded, colourful and fascinating bazaars and New Delhi (a garden city designed by Lutyens during the British era) with its landscaped parks, boulevards, mini palaces and Government buildings. Being the capital city, it proudly hosts a craft village spread over 6 acres of reclaimed land, where all the various arts, crafts and textiles from all parts of India are on display and for sale. Here we will get to visually treat ourselves to beautifully woven and embroidered textiles (cotton & silk) and meet and talk to the artisans. A visit to Delhi will not be complete without visiting Qutub Minar (a historically significant monument), doing a cycle rickshaw ride through the crowded streets of Old Delhi, visiting State Emporiums, enjoying culinary delights and commuting with the locals on the Metro. Out next leg of the journey takes us to one of the world’s most celebrated structures and an icon of India’s rich history – the Taj Mahal. A symbol of love, that is not only beautiful and romantic but is also so graceful, majestic and deeply memorable.
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With wonderment in our eyes, we embark on a three hour train journey to Lucknow, the city of the Oudh Nawabs. The Nawabs were great patrons of the culinary and other arts, particularly dance and music. Away from the tourist route, Lucknow is, to this day, a city of culture, gracious living and rich cuisine. It is the home of Chikan, a delicate and artful hand embroidery that embellishes a variety of textile fabrics like muslin, silk, chiffon, organza, net, etc. Historically of royal significance, it is now a fashion centric form of needle craft recognised world over and sought after by the international fashion houses. Lucknow is also famous for its zardozi (gold or silver metal thread) and aari (stitching using finest threads, beads and pearls) embroidery. Our culinary walk will entreat us to the famous and rich Lucknow cuisine. We also get to witness metal craft, artificial jewellery and edible silver foil being created by artisans in the bazaars. Staying in a heritage haveli, we roundup our stay with a taste of the lifestyle of the princely Nawabs of Lucknow.
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We fly over to Kolkata, our final leg of the Threads of Tradition tour, to marvel at her rich textile traditions. Fine muslins with superior designs, jamdanis, are their specialty here and so it is only apt that we pay a visit to a jamdani master weaver’s workshop in a nearby village. Here, we get to visit a cotton weaver in his home, a cooperative society of weavers and get a real taste of real village life. Returning to Kolkata, we will not only visit Mother Theresa’s home but also observe clay statue making and visit Indian fashion designers who are working to revive the traditional textile arts. No visit to Kolkata will be complete without a tram ride, tasting the famous Bengali cuisine (street stalls visited by Rick Stein) and enjoying the majestic colonial architecture. We bid our farewells, but only after we have had time to chill out, unwind and weave our rich and colorful experiences into yarns that we take with us to share to family and friends.
Bon Voyage!
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ABOUT TEAM ATI TRAVEL Sharing our passion for all things India ATI Travel directors and leaders are an international team made up of an Indian (Kerala) dad, Malaysian (South Indian ethnicity) mum and a Kiwi kid who has travelled often to India since he was just five months old. The unifying factor is that we are Kiwis – New Zealand is our home of choice (has been for the past 20+ years) and we are proud to be Kiwis. We love travelling and so during our trips to India, we make it a point to travel to different regions to gain a deeper understanding and broaden our knowledge of the customs, traditions and history. The more we travelled around the regions, the more our love and fascination for the people and places of India grew. Wherever we went, our genuine interest and respect for the people and the places and our willingness and ability to communicate in the local languages (especially since we are from overseas) meant people just warmed up to us very quickly and shared even more of themselves. For us, whilst there are beautiful landscapes and wondrous architectures and colourful traditions to be enjoyed every which way you turn, it is the warm and wonderful people, who give with their hearts that leaves a deep and indelible impression on our souls. Our Indian background, our excellent command of both English and the local languages of India will enable us to remove all cultural and language barriers so you too can experience India fully. Our aspiration is for you to experience India the way we see it, understand it and love it.
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