where in the world: Rajasthan Activity Week: Part 1

I lucked out and got to chaperon a second Activity Week this year. My colleague, Rebecca, and I designed a specialized trip to study traditional crafts in Rajasthan. We received funding and support from Winterline Center for the Arts, without them the trip would have been impossible. Rebecca is also to thank; she studied in Rajasthan last year on a Fulbright scholarship, so has many connections in the area. I was ecstatic to tag along!

With a group of eighth grade girls, we took off on a 10-day trip. We had a rough start when two girls jumped on a departing train in Delhi without the rest of us, but after that things smoothed out. We spent five days in Jaipur and four days in Jodhpur. We loved the desert weather after a cold Mussoorie winter, consumed enormous amounts of mango lassi, and immersed ourselves fully in textiles and other crafts.

Though I stand by my belief that eighth grade girls are a different species, it was a delight to take them on this trip. The knowledge we all gained about traditional crafts is so valuable. They will no doubt remember this for a lifetime.

Part 1: Jaipur

Morning ritual at the hotel - sunshine and mango lassis!
Photo cred: Rebecca

First stop in Jaipur was the Anokhi Farm. If you aren't familiar with Anokhi, it is one of the leading block-printing textile/clothing companies in India. Their products are absolutely beautiful. They are based just outside of Jaipur, so we spent a day touring their factory.

Quality Checks

Rachel, Anokhi's head designer, explaining the block-printing
process.

Our choice of blocks.

Our choice of ink colors.

Ink blocks.

A border with alternating design - pretty
fancy for a first-timer!

Hard at work.
Photo cred: Rebecca

Placing the last print on my scarf. (After placing it, you
give the block a hard and swift karate chop. We had
bruises on our hands afterwards!)

Quality check.

My scarf (before the colors were treated - it has since
changed colors!)

Woodstock scarves!

We also got a tour of Anokhi's organic garden.

The next day we headed to Amer Fort to look at architecture and patterns. This was my third visit there and I still found it incredibly enjoyable!

Skeptical of having to walk up that big hill in the heat.

I love this photo because of how clearly afraid the girls are!

Photo cred: Rebecca

(architectural butterfly)

How did he know I was taking his photo?

The whole gang.

From Amer we went to the nearby Anokhi museum.

Block-carver at Anokhi Museum

Photo cred: Rebecca

Carving an intricate design.

Photo cred: Rebecca

So many patterns and samples!

Photo cred: Rebecca

Block-printing lesson #2. He was impressed with us!

Photo cred: Rebecca

A sample of a ten color print.

Photo cred: Rebecca

And a shopping trip in the bazaar to round out the day.

The next day we drove about an hour outside of Jaipur to the village of Bagru, a traditional block-printing community. We met up with a printer, Vijendra, who is working with a non-profit organization, Bagru Textiles.