Rabari
Tribal women of Gujarat have traditionally embroidered their dowry
consisting of clothing and house hold items. Although these women are
married off at a young age, they stay with their parents until the embroidery
is finished. This could take years. Each woman embroiders the same traditional
design with only slight variations. Each tribe in geographical localities
have their own specific designs. The homes have a special cupboard especially
to store the embroidery work. Groups to the west have found that tourists
are very eager to buy this work and have started to sell off old family
pieces and to produce work just for the tourist market which is not done
with the same love and care as for their own dowry. However the supplement
to the family income has been extremely helpful.
Dana
and Margaret admire the antique Rabari embroidery including wedding garments
for grooms. The size if these exquisitely embroidered garments indicates
the young age of the couple.
This
large embroidered and appliquéd canopy was made especially for
the dinning area of the Desert Coursers, Camp Zainabad, at the Little
Rann of Kutch. This remote spot was the ideal place to safari viewing
the rare Wild Ass as well as flamingos, Black-Buck, and many water birds.
Banjara tribal women near Hyderabad wear blouses and head scarves embroidered and decorated with mirrors. These women are mainly labourers but wear all their jewellery and embroidered clothing to do heavy work which could consist of road construction or brick carrying. These women are having a day off on a national holiday. The Banjaras are descended from the original gypsy originating in North Western India.