Photo Journal: Thread Caravan Jaipur
By photographer Luna Antonia Arboleda
India ~ What a joy! I had the incredible opportunity to go on a Thread Caravan trip to India, Jaipur and to this day, it was probably one of the most special and unforgettable experiences I have ever had! At first, it felt overwhelming to be in a place that so fittingly is being described as “organized chaos” - a to me entirely new country, and culture that very quickly through the loving guidance of Caitlin and Nirmal has then become a place of warmth, adventure and absolute wonder. The magnificent colors, scents and tastes are still very present when I think of our time there, and of course the absolutely beautiful fabrics. What a special place to be, and to appreciate the richness of India’s culture and tradition.
After spending a few days in the historic center of Jaipur, we ventured out to the little town of Bagru, where we got to work with the wonderful Wabi Sabi Project. Here we learned about the multigenerational block printing process and got to make our very own pieces under the kind guidance of Avinash and his wonderful team. Each day was accompanied by the most delicious meals cooked by the Wabi Sabi team and of course there was always some warm chai and sweet cumin cookies.
The afternoons we spent in Jaipur, visiting beautiful textiles workshops, having rooftop drinks while looking at the kites flying in the sky, enjoying a Bollywood movie night and dining at the most wonderful restaurants where we were always welcomed with a lot of warmth and just the most special meals to end yet another day of awe and wonder.
It was my first time traveling in a group and I really hope it wasn’t my last. It felt very special getting to know each woman in the group and to experience together this wonderful trip in which each day brought something new and each day we grew a little closer. Once the trip ended, we all felt comfortable and confident moving in the bustling city of Jaipur and we all had a beautiful and broad collection of unforgettable memories to take home with us. I definitely left a small piece of my heart in beautiful India and I can’t wait to hopefully go back someday soon again!
