India’s textile heritage put on display at Bahrain National Museum

Umang Hutheesing, Amdavadi textile revivalist and designer invited by the Bahrain National Museum at the exhibition titled “The Magnificent Mahrajahs:Splendour of Indian Royal Costumes to showcase the grandeur and aesthetics of textiles and royal costumes from India at the Bahrain National Museum.

The exhibition was inaugurated on December 21 by Queen Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of King Hamad, and president of the Supreme Council for Women.

The exhibition has put on display 180 items. The exhibits are from the private collection of Deepak and Daksha Hutheesing. The textile designs range from the eighth and twelfth century till the British period.

Hutheesing said that it was his privilege to be invited to the museum at the time when so much of textile heritage from India is getting lost in this era of fast-fashion that not many get the chance to step into the past and experience real Indian craftsmanship which is so unique and shares so many common strains with textiles of Islamic countries.

He further said that the exhibition exposed visitors from Oman, Saudi and Qatar to the rich textile heritage of India. It was a matter of pride for Indian ambassador and Bahrain’s 30% Indian population that such an exhibition was put up at the Bahrain museum.

The exhibition is designed in such a way that it offers a social and historical context for the fabric on display. There are chogas (overcoats), abhas (worn by Kutch women), heavy zardozi work, chaniyas and other royal costumes on display at the exhibition which will remain open for five months.