SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

Textile artist Geeta Khandelwal recently hosted an exhibition of her work at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai. On display were miniature classic costumes inspired by the attire of the erstwhile maharajas of India, in all their long-lost grandeur and extravagance.

- Pooja Mujumdar

AMONG THE RICH TREASURES of Indian textiles and craftsmanship, traditional clothing of the royals holds a special place. For centuries, the ruling dynasties of India patronised master tailors, commissioning them to make garments from textiles sourced from across the subcontinent, as well as from abroad. Richly brocaded silks, sumptuous velvets and finely woven cotton were all transformed into costumes—often embellished with intricate embroidery, beads or semi-precious stones—fit for kings. And it is the glory of the ceremonial and everyday attire of India’s erstwhile maharajas that 80-year-old textile artist Geeta Khandelwal has tried to recreate in her ongoing exhibition on miniature classic costumes, at the Kamalnayan Bajaj Special Exhibition Gallery, in Mumbai’s Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. The exhibition opened on October 2, 2019, and will be open to visitors until December 31. Speaking about the exhibition, Khandelwal says, “I have worked for more than three years to create this collection of miniature classic costumes. The pieces have been mostly hand-stitched to perfection.”

Love for textiles