Vastrabharana 2026 traces India’s textile and jewellery traditions through Meghdhanush
A rainbow rarely stays in one place. It arcs across a landscape, shifts with the light and brings together colours that might otherwise never meet. That is the idea behind Meghdhanush, the theme of Vastrabharana 2026, which turns the rainbow into a route through India’s textile traditions. At its 35th edition, the Crafts Council of Karnataka’s flagship textile and jewellery showcase brings together 60 firsttime label launches, master artisans, revivalists and design practitioners from across the country. The textile trail stretches from ahimsa silks sourced through tribal communities to chikankari and aari work; and from kotpad, molakalmuru and kondapalli to paithani, banarasi, chanderi, maheshwari, Karnataka silks and kanjivaram.
Among the makers are a twelfth-generation ajrakh printer, a UNESCO-awarded bagh printer and custodians of GI-tagged textiles
This year, that journey extends to jewellery with Ratnangan — Jewels of Memory, a dedicated pavilion that places adornment at the centre of the Vastrabharana landscape for the first time. Under the Neela Lohitambari chapter of the Meghdhanush spectrum, the pavilion moves from the royal courts of Jaipur and vintage jewellery archives to Karnataka’s traditional gold vocabulary, jadau, tribal jewellery from Kutch and Odisha, temple-inspired forms and contemporary diamond design.
Among the makers are a twelfth-generation ajrakh printer, a UNESCO-awarded bagh printer and custodians of GI-tagged textiles whose techniques are unique to their regions. Curated by convenors Susheela M and Purvi Patel, Vastrabharana lays emphasis on the people and knowledge behind each piece, making the exhibition feel like a journey across the country without leaving Bengaluru.
Why did you choose Meghdhanush — the rainbow — as the theme for Vastrabharana’s 35th edition?
Susheela M: The theme of Meghdhanush, or the rainbow, has been chosen as an ode to Mother Nature, the source of energ y and nourishment for mankind. The concept, with its spectrum of colours, is uplifting to the soul, but more importantly, it opens a novel canvas for the weavers to create a whole new imagery according to their vision. Each weaver has his own line of thinking, imagining and creating works that play with the colours of the rainbow — some think of dawn, some of the return of the cows to their sheds after grazing, some imagine the rainbow as a young, innocent damsel, while others see it as a gaze on the horizon. So, in this Capsule Collection of Meghdhanush, we will see a myriad of visions of a rainbow.
This year has 60 first-time label launches. What was the thinking behind introducing so many new labels in a single edition?
Purvi Patel: Meghdhanush echoes the very essence of India, which is Unity in Diversity. Just as all the colours come together harmoniously and beautifully in the rainbow, so do the various genres of handcrafted textiles from different corners of India. The fabrics handcrafted on different types of looms, with different techniques and designs reflecting their unique identities, create the textile map of India — beautiful and vibrant.
Tell us a bit about the new labels and their craft practices?
Susheela: Cut Collective, sarasa, patka ashavali saris, contemporary nakshikanta, shyahi begar revivals of the Jaipur City Palace atelier, eri silks and paithani woven poetry in dakhini, venkatgiri revival, triple korvai, double korvai, kandangi, Ambari is doing the revival of moombagam and aarni cluster, Aabaran — mapping of Mewar, kalakshetra, mandvi mashru, kamakshi arpan, kodiala weaves by Hota Aramba, swarn sugandhi tungdi in natural dyes, Anokhi Stitch by the only existing custodian, Naseem Banu and, last but not least, we have Shabir Bhai, who has used 75 colours in a leheriya sari, which was only used to make pagdis for members of the royal families.
Why was this the right year to bring jewellery into the heart of Vastrabharana?
Purvi: This is the first time that a pavilion is dedicated to jewellery (Ratnangan). Vastrabharana is a coming together of Vastra (textile) and Aabharan (jewellery). While the public of Bengaluru has revelled in the glory of textiles throughout these years, we thought of giving a fresh ‘sight and insight’ into the exquisite craftsmanship of jewellery, the intricacies involved in the making of these pieces and the sheer skill of the artistes. We get a glimpse of recreations of rare family heirlooms as well as royal treasures to bring to life ‘Jewels of Memory.’ We have introduced a young jeweller working with handcrafted, lab-grown diamonds that will have a strong appeal to the younger generation. There is a collection of Contemporary Silver Jewellery along with vintage Tribal Jewellery from the east and west of India (Odisha to Gujarat).
Walk us through the select jewellery houses, collectors and contemporary studios at the event?
Purvi: The jewellery showcase brings together NS Jewellers, Paramani from Delhi, Amrapali from Jaipur, Advai, Nanda Nahata, Me ghna Shrof f and Aham, Abharan, Flames of the Forest — presenting everything from basra pearls, old rubies, jadau and Hampi-inspired forms to laboratory-grown and coloured diamonds; and vintage Odisha and Kutch silver.
On till October 5. At Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Kumara Krupa Road