Calico Museum, Ahmedabad - Textile Treasures

Still early in the morning, we toured the Calico Museum, a private collection of rare textiles, particularly that of Gujarat. Considering Ahmedabad being a center for the textile industry in India (in fact it’s sometimes called the Manchester of the East), it was quite appropriate for such a museum to be situated here. A museum guide (after giving us rules such as no drinks/food, no photography, etc.) took us through the lush compound grounds and into the museum’s buildings. Even the exterior of the museum was quite beautiful, with its ornately carved wooden façade. Displays were quite extensive, including a 17th century Mughal tent with carpeting and hand-painted cotton panels taking up nearly an entire room. The tour was kept at a rather fast pace (making it impossible to read descriptions and enjoy all the pieces), but it increased my anticipation of seeing the textile work while in the Kutch region of Gujarat.

This photograph of the  Mughal tent is from the Calico Museum's website

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