One thing you should know is that the handmade carpets of Rajasthan are in danger of dying out. The fellow I spoke with estimated that there were only about two thousand people keeping the tradition alive. He also said that the Indian government subsidizes the work, as well as other countries and/or agencies. That being said, it would be a tragedy if this ceases.
As I alluded to in the Taj post, the designs aren't merely decorative. Behind them lie hints and narratives of allegorical nature.
Or as Mullah Nasruddin once said, man's life is but an allegory.
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| It takes two to tango, uh, weave. |
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| The idea here is to burn away any tufts or stray fabric. Not only that, it's also a test to ensure that no synthetics have made their way into the material. I was assured that if any are found, the funding goes away. |
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| Next is combing the remainder of any excess fabric. |
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| And last a good cleaning. The dyes are colorfast (and made from natural ingredients, as you might imagine.) But a good cleaning enhances the luminous quality of those colors. |
A trio of examples:
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