Ethnic Wear in Rajkot

तांगलिया

Tangaliya is a GI-tagged handloom weaving tradition from the Surendranagar district of Gujarat, practised exclusively by the Dangasia weaver community. The defining feature is raised dot motifs (called 'dana') created by wrapping extra weft threads around groups of warp threads during weaving, producing a distinctive three-dimensional texture on wool and cotton fabric. Tangaliya shawls were historically used as status garments by the Bharwad pastoral community. The craft faced near-extinction and has been revived with government support.

चनिया चोली

Chaniya Choli is Gujarat's iconic three-piece festive outfit comprising a flared skirt (chaniya), a short blouse (choli), and a dupatta, worn especially during Navratri garba and dandiya celebrations. The outfit is traditionally crafted from mirror-worked, embroidered, or bandhani fabric and features elaborate decoration including Gota ribbon, sequins, and glass bead work. Ahmedabad is the principal hub of contemporary Chaniya Choli production, where both traditional hand-embroidered and fashion-forward versions are made.

बांधनी · बांधणो

Bandhani is one of India's oldest textile arts, involving the precise tying of thousands of tiny knots on fabric before immersion in vibrant natural dyes. The knots resist the dye, creating intricate dot patterns — circles, squares, and waves — that reveal themselves only when the ties are removed. Originating in Rajasthan and Gujarat over 5,000 years ago, Bandhani is synonymous with celebration, worn at weddings, Teej, and Navratri across northwestern India.

शीशा कढ़ाई · आभलो भरत

Mirrorwork, known in Rajasthan as Abhla Bharat (from the Sanskrit word for glass), is an embroidery technique in which small circular mirrors are anchored onto fabric using colourful buttonhole and herringbone stitches. Concentrated in the desert districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer, the craft has deep roots in Rajput and pastoral communities who believed the mirrors would ward off the evil eye. The resulting textiles have a joyful, light-catching brilliance that makes them iconic in both traditional and contemporary Indian fashion.

अजरख

Ajrakh is one of the subcontinent's most ancient and technically complex textile traditions, practised by the Khatri community in Barmer (Rajasthan) and Bhuj (Gujarat). The craft involves up to 16 stages of natural dyeing and block printing using indigo, alizarin, and resist pastes made from lime and gum. The resulting deep blue, red, and cream geometric designs carry cosmological symbolism — the word Ajrakh is believed to derive from the Arabic 'Azrak' meaning blue. GI-tagged to protect this irreplaceable heritage craft.

पटोला

Patola is a double-ikat silk weaving tradition from Patan, Gujarat, considered one of the most technically demanding textile arts in the world. Both warp and weft threads are resist-dyed before weaving so the pattern emerges perfectly aligned on both faces of the fabric. Historically worn by royalty and traded across Southeast Asia, Patola sarees carry GI protection and are produced by only a handful of Salvi family weavers in Patan. A single saree can take six months to a year to complete.

कच्छी बांधनी

Kutch Bandhani is the distinctive tie-dye tradition of the Kutch region of Gujarat, practised primarily by the Khatri community of Bhuj and surrounding villages. While related to Rajasthani Bandhani, the Kutch variety is distinguished by its use of gajji silk, richer colour combinations, and bolder dot formations including the iconic Shikargah (hunting) and Panchrangi (five-colour) patterns. GI-tagged and recognised as a UNESCO intangible heritage, Kutch Bandhani is central to bridal and festive dressing in Gujarat.

गमथी

Gamthi is a traditional embroidery style from the villages of Kutch, Gujarat, characterised by dense geometric filling stitches worked in vivid thread colours on cotton or wool ground fabrics. Distinct from the broader Kutch embroidery tradition, Gamthi features a specific vocabulary of interlocking triangles, chevrons, and diamond forms created primarily using double running stitch and herringbone. Practised by women of the Rabari and Ahir pastoral communities, Gamthi embroidery adorns everyday garments, dowry textiles, and ceremonial odhnis.

मशरू

Mashru is a traditional satin-weave fabric with a silk warp and cotton weft, developed in medieval India to allow Muslim wearers to wear silk-like fabric while observing the religious injunction against pure silk touching the skin. The silk floats on the surface create a lustrous sheen while cotton remains against the body. Historically produced in Patan and Ahmedabad, Mashru is woven in striking stripes and is used for garments, furnishings, and accessories. Its distinctive lustre and practical comfort make it enduringly popular.