Reviving the Art of Block Printing
BANGALORE, we are thrilled to announce that we are back with yet another No Borders experience!
In collaboration with Tharangini Studio, we have a curated a day-long workshop for you to indulge in the art of handblock printing and all that goes behind the craft ✨
A day of exploring Tharangini's beautiful estate, tucked away in plain sight of the city 🌸🦋🍃 surrounded by the jungle on one side and lake on the other, offering natural inspiration for the block printed patterns that run throughout the studio.🪴☀️
As you enter the picturesque studio, you meet the tall Jacaranda tree midst the everyday bustle laying a bed of beautiful purple flowers all around. Along with it, the notes of retro songs playing on a small antique radio 📻🎶 to which the artisans rhythmically block print the large stretches of textiles with natural dyes.🌺 Come celebrate with us the art of woodblock printing, the artisans and Tharangini’s legacy on the 11th of March, 2023. An exclusive workshop and a chance to learn the art of block printing from the best! We cannot wait to share in this joyful day you as we meet, learn and create memories🌸 Join us on this wonderful journey into art, fashion, food and music as we celebrate the culture 🌻🤎
LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE! 🔅
Tharangini Studio
Tharangini is a women-led studio, dedicated to the ancient art of block-printing ☀️ It was established in 1977 by Lakshmi Srivastha and passed on to her daughter, Padmini Govind. Padmini was a software engineer working in the States who left her corporate job and came on this journey back to her roots and homeland, crossing boundaries to keep the art of block printing alive and rediscovering what it means in the 21st century with an emphasis on slow hand-crafted fashion, using natural dyes often derived from plants grown on the property itself 🍃🌿
We, at No Borders, had the pleasure of exploring Tharangini’s expansive woodblock collection, an accumulation of 6000 blocks with both traditional and contemporary designs ✨and an exclusive vintage collection of blocks of around 500 different patterns which are more than fifty years old. During the workshop, you will have access to to this vintage collection from the seventies to create your own patterns and re-imagine the art with the artisans that have worked with Tharangini since 1977.
Artisans are at the core of life at Tharangini, they dedicate their day towards creating these hand block printed textiles that were once a major part of Indian textile industry and are slowly vanishing. At Tharangini, they are one big family where artisans work merrily with no hierarchy between them🌷, just love and respect for each other and the craft. The way Padmini interacts with them with such compassion and benevolence is a sight to admire.✨
A Day of Block Printing
In most South Indian households, the day doesn’t start without a fresh kolam at the doorstep, so what’s a better way to start the day than creating some beautiful kolam patterns in the company of Tharangini’s skilled artisans? Sharing this morning ritual will be a chance to get acquainted with the experts who you will learn from, as well as the lush property that surrounds you.🌱 Blockprinting has been a part of these artisans lives for more half a century now, they have beautiful stories to share around their craft and everyday experiences.
Take your time to soak in the earthy moodiness of every nook and corner around the studio, with frequent refreshments of specialty home-brewed kombucha or Tharangini’s renowned filter coffee ☕ before diving into the intricacies of block-carving, natural dyeing, and the art of block printing. Along with a chance to make prints on fabric that you can take home 🦋
Hand crafted textiles have a sought-after magic of carrying emotional value and the memories behind its making, which translates to anything you morph it into. One beauty of returning to slow and considerate craftsmanship is this longstanding sentiment, the urge to re-imagine its utility, and to keep us holding onto these treasures, instead of discarding the pieces.
While block printing, we will uncover crucial topics of circularity and Slow-Fashion that educate us on how to have a modern take on ancient Indian textiles🌸 Something that will change how we perceive our roots, and learn how to respect our surroundings 🌴🌸
It is mutually enriching when you respect the land on which you breathe, survive and grow. On this note, lunch will entail a specially curated menu by Chef Anjali Ganapathy, with dishes inspired from Kodava cuisine, reminiscent of a farming community’s evolution🌱 and its deep connection to a rich landscape.
After this meal, stroll through Tharangini’s garden and try to identify the plants that yield such vibrant natural dyes. Get excited to dedicate all of these sensory experiences to crafting beautiful block printed patterns with the artisans and a goody bag with block printed treasures that you are the creative director of🌻☀️
An Ode to Kodava Cuisine
Kodava cuisine is reminiscent of a farming community’s evolution, and its deep connection to a rich landscape 🌱 Chef Anjali Ganapathy has created a menu for the day that features recipes passed down generations and highlights key flavors, whilst keeping the Coorg kitchen and its culinary roots at the heart of it all 🍲🌸
Like most cuisines, with time, some ingredients have made way for others, and eating habits have shifted focus, from indigenous and local to the, easy to store and more accessible ingredient. But the No Borders menu specially curated for the event and you, for you to re-align with the flavours of homeland and nostalgia.🌿💛
Note from the Chef - Anjali Ganapathy :
Pig Out is an ode to my Kodava roots. Through this platform, I hope to share a culinary culture close to my heart, and which to me, acts as a lens into a rich landscape and it’s, people. My journey of exploring Coorg cuisine began at home. From my grandmothers cooking, to recipes passed down in my family. Cooking and research, has also connected me with chefs and a growing community of regional cuisine experts, who share a similar passion for preserving culture through food.
To share a taste of my Coorg kitchen has been immensely satisfying. There is a deep sense of accomplishment 🔅 and purpose in representing my community. And I hope for you to experience the same sense of nostalgia and belonging through this meal.🌸
Throughout the day...
we have created an immersive experience of amalgamation of art, fashion, music, culture ✨💛 Indulge in henna inspired by vintage woodblocks 🦋; listen to soulful Carnatic music 🎙; a specially curated NB library with vintage books around the craft of block printing 📖 ;or you can sip on Mountain Bee Kombucha or coconut water 🥥 Engage with Padmini and her stories about her mother’s legacy and the beginning of Tharangini 🌺 Along with a chance to make prints on fabric that you can take home 🦋
Open all your senses and surrender to your surroundings while you immerse yourself and your inner child to this day of re-discovering your roots and re-connecting with the elements of nature.🌱🌻
See you guys on 11th of March, 2023 @Tharangini Studios
Timings : 10 AM to 5 PM
Location : Tharangini Studios
Address : 12th Cross Road Sadashivnagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560080 (Near IIHS Campus)
https://goo.gl/maps/8NzjiUkg1K2fYCNNA
Limited seats available! ☀️