My journey with India’s textile crafts

One day, as Mum was cleaning her wardrobe, I was browsing through her collection of sarees. Fascinated by the diversity and the range of colors and fabrics, I asked her about them. With a twinkle in her eye, she told me about her silks—her Paithanis, Gadwals, Shalus, Valkalams, Kanjeevarams, and Banarasis. Then came the cottons—her Bengal sarees, Ikats, South cottons, super net, and floral prints. It made me marvel at these names, and that is how I was introduced to Indian crafts. A little about my mom—she was endowed with beautiful sarees by her parents when she got married, and she has draped them for over 25 years each day. That is how my love affair with sarees and crafts began.

Over the years, I came to realize how these crafts, which were once household names, were now heard of less and less. By the time it struck me to enter the field of Indian crafts and textiles, I was neck-deep in my chartered accountancy course. As soon as I had my CA degree in hand, I began my job hunt in the world of fashion and textiles. I worked with a fashion brand in Mumbai for 2 years and simultaneously delved into learning about crafts. Another realization hit me: although many brands were claiming to be selling crafts, very few were genuine and honest.

In mid-2023, I quit my job, shifted back to Pune, and started researching craft clusters and looking for weavers and artisans who were still practicing their craft. My first trip led me to the Kutch region in Gujarat, where I experienced the marvelous processes of Ajrakh, Bandhani, and Kala Cotton Weaving. In a few months, I traveled to the hinterlands of Rajasthan to witness the art of hand-block printing in Bagru and Sanganer, Leheriya in Jaipur, and handloom doria in Kaithoon, Kota. These travels increased my love and appreciation for our craftsmanship manyfold and strengthened my resolve to make these crafts even more accessible to people, not just in India but eventually across the world.

Thus, with a dream in my heart, guidance from my mom, and investment from my Nana and Papa, Kharaa was born in the summer of 2024.

This is just the beginning of my journey with crafts—every day as I interact with my artisan vendors, talk to customers, visit craft exhibitions, and read more, I learn about this vast area of skill and knowledge. It makes me respect our cultural legacy, connect deeper with our history and roots, and gives me immense satisfaction that my small business is not so small in terms of the impact it can create.

With Kharaa, I hope that our customers not only buy from us but also deepen their understanding about the products so that they can enjoy their purchase even more and contribute to keeping our craft legacy alive!

Eternally grateful and with lots of love,

Krutika

Kharaa

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