Chitra Balasubramaniam writes, collects, experiments with textiles, and follows her passions by writing about food, travel, and heritage. She dabbles with stock-investment analysis and research. She also runs a small travel guide at visitors2delhi.com.
Follow an Indian textile collector on her quest to discover the origins of her newly acquired bag.
Peel back the layers of recycled sarees to uncover the history of ledra quilts in India. Find out how the handstitched motifs rejuvenate reused textiles into striking works of needle art.
A simple design, minute satin stitches, and fabulous colors in the base fabric and stitching drew Chitra to this suzani textile.
In a market, Chitra chanced upon a little bag from Afghanistan, which led her to research its tribal origins.
A query about how French lace goods came to be used as a saree fabric in India resulted in a search for more information. Chitra Balasubramaniam shares what she discovered.
The Banjara embroidery design on a small dowry purse comprises simple squares, rectangles, and line work. But oh! The colors!
Done in khamak, an intricate form of embroidery, this dastarkhan consists of delicate silk satin stitches on finely woven fabric.
Can a simple square piece of cloth decorated with fine embroidery be a part of the collective heritage of a community? The answer is yes when it comes to the chakla.
Contributor Chitra Balasubramaniam shares a beautiful piece that ties into history.
Gold and beadwork adorn this traditional headdress, which was one of Chitra’s first pieces for her collection of textiles.