UNESCO has declared the Garba, the dance of Gujarat, as “an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” (ICHH), recognising it as an inherited “living expression” that fosters inclusiveness and honours the feminine energy of Shakti. Intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalisation and an understanding of it from different communities helps intercultural dialogue and mutual respect for other ways of life. Over the decades Garba has been an integral, multivalent component of Gujarati culture in India and among the Indian diaspora in UK and across the globe.
In addition to being a religious ritual, Garba fosters social equality by diluting socio-economic, gender, and rigid sect structures. It continues to be inclusive and participative by diverse and marginalised communities, strengthening community bonds. This tradition is inherited from ancestors, and passed on to descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.
This inscription helps ensure the viability of this tradition and inspires the community, particularly young people, to continue with the knowledge, skills and oral traditions associated with Garba
This project aims to reveal the story of this UNESCO recognised intangible heritage as practised in UK. One of the most important tasks for the first generation was to preserve and pass onto future generations a love of their food, costumes, arts, culture and religious traditions. In this regard, the story of the annual Navratri Garba, during the period is a very important heritage that needs to be recorded, shared widely and preserved.
The project explores following crafts associated with Garbas :
Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Finale : A celebratory event with an exhibition of outputs of these workshops at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in 2026
All the outputs of above activities will be archived in local archives.
Project curated by Lata Desai with Rolf Killius.
Traditional Garba pot decoration workshops
The Navratri Garba pot, or Garbo, holds deep symbolic meaning and cultural significance in the Gujarati tradition. The Garbo is an earthen pot which has holes around it and in it, a lighted lamp is placed. It represents the womb, the source of all creation, reflecting the feminine aspect of divinity, particularly as it relates to Goddess Durga and other forms of Shakti.
It is placed at the centre of communal Navratri gatherings around which colourfully dressed women, men and children move around singing and playing Garbas. The moving around the Garbo, indicates the never-ending cycle of creation. Just as the dancers move around the Garbo in a continuous circle, it represents the infinite cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.
We conducted workshops to teach women how to decorate the pots using upcycled and ecofriendly materials.
Ajrakh Workshop
Ajrakh is a traditional block-printed textile craft practised in Kutch, Gujarat, distinguished by its intricate geometric patterns and rich colours achieved through natural dyes and resist-printing techniques.
The word Ajrakh is believed to derive from the Arabic and Persian azrak, meaning “blue,” while another interpretation traces it to the Kutchi expression meaning “keep it today”, a reflection of the patience and time that the craft demands.
With a history that stretches back over four thousand years to the early civilizations of the Indus Valley, Ajrakh represents a remarkable legacy of textile making in western India.
The Making of Ajrakh
Creating a single piece of Ajrakh involves a 14 to 16 step process that unfolds over 14 to 21 days. Each stage is carried out by hand, making it a process of intensive manual labour. The cloth is then treated with kasano, a solution of myrobalan (harde), which acts as a natural tannin, allowing the fibres to better absorb colour. Once dried in the sun, any excess is brushed away. The first printing, rekh, is done using hand-carved wooden blocks and a resist paste of lime and gum arabic, establishing the outline of the design. For finer pieces, this is printed on both sides with careful alignment. The process begins with the selection of unbleached cloth. The fabric is prepared through saaj, an initial soaking in a mixture of camel dung, castor oil, and soda ash used to remove starch and impurities. It is then wrung, dried under the sun, and the cycle is repeated several times until the cloth is fully cleansed and ready to receive dye. Details in black are added using a fermented mixture of iron and jaggery, prepared over several days. A resist paste of clay, alum, and gum (gach) is then applied to protect areas that must be dyed red. To stabilise the print, the cloth is dusted and left to dry under the sun. The fabric is then immersed in an indigo vat, often more than once, allowing the colour to deepen gradually. In the final stage, the cloth is thoroughly washed to remove all resists, and then boiled with madder root or alizarin. This is when the reds emerge and the full palette settles into the fabric. Additional dye baths using ingredients such as henna, rhubarb root, and logwood may be introduced to create subtle greens, browns, purples, and violet tones, expanding the characteristic palette of Ajrakh.
For centuries, the colours of Ajrakh have been drawn from plants, minerals, and naturally occurring ingredients. The craft relies on an intimate understanding of these materials, whose interaction with water, sunlight, and time gives Ajrakh its distinctive palette. Crimson Reds are derived from madder root, lac, and sappan wood. Deep Blues emerge from natural indigo (Indigofera tinctoria). Jet Blacks are created through a fermented mixture of iron and jaggery. Warm Yellows come from pomegranate rinds and turmeric. Greens are achieved through successive dye baths of indigo and turmeric. Earthy Browns, Purples, and Violet Hues are introduced through ingredients such as henna, rhubarb root, tamarix, and logwood. These dyes are biodegradable and work in harmony with the environment, reflecting a tradition that has long been guided by the rhythms of nature.
From garments and accessories to home textiles and art panels, Ajrakh continues to find new expressions while remaining rooted in tradition.
Ajrakh Workshops were conducted by artisan Sufiyan Khatri with 30 women. Here are some photos of these workshops
Bandhani – Tie and Dye
Bandhani is a traditional tie and dye textile art from Gujarat which has roots that can be traced to the Indus Valley Civilisation. It is woven with history, culture and intricate craftsmanship. The word ‘Bandhani’ itself comes from the Sanskrit word ‘’bandh’ which means to’ tie’, reflecting the fundamental technique of tying and dyeing fabric to create stunning designs. It is a craft which narrates the enchanting tale of dots and knots with colours. These dots are tightly tied with thread before dyeing the cloth to create patterns and figurative designs in the resist areas Each colour and pattern holds cultural meaning, from red symbolizing love to yellow bringing happiness. People wear bandhani costumes during Navratri to express the festive spirit. It is considered auspicious for Navratri.
30 women worked with national award-winning artisan Akhtar Khatri from Bhuj who taught them the intricate techniques of making ‘bandhani’. Some of the work created by these women are displayed here.