Beyond lakes and palaces, I found love for Indian textiles in Udaipur

A lightbulb moment can often echo throughout one’s life, with every subsequent experience mirroring that realisation. A corollary of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, perhaps. I rewatched Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani when it was re-released in theatres earlier this year, and a scene from the 2013 romcom struck a chord with me. When Bunny, played by Ranbir Kapoor, urges Naina, played by Deepika Padukone, to hurry so they don’t miss a light-and-sound show, she responds that if they leave, they’ll miss the sunset. She emphasises that you’ll always miss something, so it’s important to savour the moment you’re in.

I’ve planned several trips to Udaipur over the last few years. None of which materialised. They either withered away in group chats or lost out to more trendy destinations. Eventually, my first actual trip to this bucket-list destination was the result of an invite from Jaypore—the artisan-forward brand bringing the country’s handlooms to the forefront—to explore the art of dabu printing, a 500-year-old resist-printing technique practised in Rajasthan.

My first few days there, I explored the city on my own. My days were spent wandering through the Udaipur City Palace; browsing the handcrafted bags and embroidered jackets at Ganesh Emporium, curated by Vipul Shah; or watching the sun set into the water at Gangaur Ghat. I even bought a classic miniature painting with intricate detailing and signature vibrant colours, shopped at Hathi Pol bazaar and dined at rooftop restaurants. These were the days when I saw the Udaipur I’d always imagined, full of rich history, grand palaces and shimmering lakes. But it’s when I learned about the craft of dabu printing that I truly felt connected to the soul of the city and everything it offers.

My discovery began at Aavaran, a textile printing hub led by Alka Sharma that has worked in collaboration with Jaypore since 2020. The atelier focuses on reviving and sustaining the centuries-old dabu printing technique. Despite being someone who has studied fashion and reads about textiles every other day, this was my first time experiencing the block-printing technique up close. I was locked in.