Textile Study Tour to Rajasthan & Gujarat

This tour is not a surface-level visit. It is an immersive exchange, built on long-standing relationships of trust and respect with artisans and cultural leaders.

Imagine walking through the bustling markets of Jodhpur, draped in a traditional saree or ghagra-choli after a joyful evening hosted by local artisans. Picture yourself sitting in a desert courtyard, learning to stitch a Ralli quilt with Sindhi Muslim women as Sufi songs rise into the night. Or dipping your hands into indigo vats in Ajrakhpur, as master artisans demonstrate the centuries-old techniques of Ajrakh block printing.

These experiences are not staged performances. They are genuine exchanges with communities whose knowledge, creativity, and resilience continue to shape India’s cultural and artistic heritage. Participants will also explore India’s leading institutions, including the Calico Museum of Textiles and the Living & Learning Design Centre (LLDC), and a lecture and studio visits at NIFT Gandhinagar. You will also take part in collaborative community projects, traditional celebrations, and market visits that reveal how textiles shape social life.

Ground transportation is via private deluxe motor coach. Airport transfers on arrival and departure days are included.

TSA is committed to fair-wage and ethical exchange. All artisans, guides, and cultural partners involved in this program set their own rates, and TSA does not determine or reduce those payments.

Tour Price: $5,900 per person  (Based on double occupancy)

The tour price includes all listed program elements, including lodging, workshops and demonstrations, museum admissions, scheduled group meals, and private ground transportation throughout the program.

Included in the tour price is a $600 tax-deductible donation to the Textile Society of America, supporting TSA’s mission and ongoing programming.

Single supplement: $1,000

TSA Members receive 10% off the tour price (discount applied before the single supplement).

Payment Schedule

• $560 non-refundable deposit due at the time of registration
• Final payment due on or before August 1, 2026  

Registration is confirmed upon receipt of deposit and availability.

Group Size: Enrollment is intentionally limited to preserve access and depth of experience.
Rooming: Single and double occupancy options are available. TSA offers a roommate matching service for travelers seeking double occupancy.
Inclusions: Lodging, group meals, museum admissions, workshop and studio fees, activity fees, and private coach travel between locations.
Exclusions: International airfare, airport transfers to your home city, and travel insurance.
Payment: An initial non-refundable deposit is required at registration. Full payment terms and deadlines are available on the registration page.

This study tour grows out of Ai Kijima’s six-month residency in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where she was based in a tribal village while traveling extensively to cities and rural communities across the region. During that time, she observed how textile and craft practices are deeply embedded in daily life woven into domestic routines, social rituals, economic systems, and intergenerational learning.

Her experience informed new directions in her own artistic practice and strengthened relationships with local artisans and cultural leaders, connections that now form the foundation of this TSA study tour.

“When I arrived in Udaipur during the Diwali celebrations, the city glowed with warmth and renewal. I carried no fixed plan beyond one intention: to listen.”

In Textiles as Living Memory: Reflections on Six Months in India by Ai Kijima, from TSA’s Fall 2025 TSA Newsletter, artist Ai Kijima reflects on six months spent traveling through Rajasthan and Gujarat, learning from communities where textile traditions remain woven into daily life. From Udaipur to Bhuj, she followed the threads of connection, finding creativity and care intertwined in every gesture. Her time at the Art Junction Residency in the Bhil village of Badanga revealed how art, work, and ceremony sustain one another.

Across 21 days, participants will also be guided by regional experts Chiman Dangi (Udaipur–Jodhpur) and Shokat Ali (Jaisalmer–Ahmedabad).

A textile study tour is an educational, immersive journey for artists, students, and enthusiasts, focusing on the history, production, and culture of cloth. Led by experts, these tours typically feature visits to, weaving workshops, artisan studios, museums, and manufacturing plants to explore techniques like natural dyeing, embroidery, and weaving.

Spaces are limited to ensure intimate, meaningful engagement.

This program is designed for artists, curators, scholars, collectors, educators, and dedicated textile enthusiasts who want more than a surface-level visit. Over three weeks you will learn by doing, observing, and conversing with makers whose work carries generations of skill and meaning.

Travel beyond tourist pathways into artisan homes, village workshops, and community studios. Learn directly from Bandhani dyers, Ajrakh printers, Patola weavers, Rogan artists, embroiderers, and quilters whose knowledge has been passed down for generations.

Participants don’t just observe, they create. Workshops are thoughtfully designed to provide meaningful, skill-based engagement while honoring local traditions and techniques.

The Textile Society of America is committed to providing a study tour that combines scholarly depth, hands-on practice, cultural respect, and authentic exchange all at an exceptional value.

Udaipur

Begin in the “City of Lakes,” visiting temples, markets, and the City Palace Museum. Participate in a collaborative textile art project with Bhil tribal children in Badanga village, weaving environmental and heritage themes into Gavri masks and costumes. Yoga, satsang, and charpai weaving deepen cultural immersion.

Jodhpur

Explore blue-washed lanes, Bandhani workshops, and vibrant markets. Celebrate Rajasthani dress traditions with a saree and ghagra-choli gathering. Optional visit to Mehrangarh Fort.

Jaisalmer & the Thar Desert

Engage with Sindhi women artisans through Ralli quilting workshops and embroidery demonstrations. Enjoy henna, Sufi singing, traditional cooking, and a sunset camel ride into the Thar Desert.

Barmer & Patan

Visit Ajrakh block printers and embroidery artisans. In Patan, witness the intricate artistry of Patola double-ikat weaving and visit Rani ki Vav (Queen’s Stepwell), a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Bhuj & Kutch

Explore Bhujodi weaving village, Ajrakhpur, Nirona (Rogan art), and the LLDC Museum. Visit artisan markets and private textile collections.

Ahmedabad

Concluding in India’s historic textile capital with heritage walks, fabric markets, museum visits, brocade weaving studios, and guided tours of the Calico Museum’s exceptional collections. Enjoy a farewell dinner celebrating three transformative weeks together.

Accommodations are carefully selected to reflect local character while ensuring comfort, cleanliness, and security. Stays include heritage hotels, boutique properties, and centrally located city hotels in:

• Udaipur (Mahendra Prakash Hotel)
• Jodhpur (Haveli Inn Pal)
• Jaisalmer (Hotel Grand Khalifa)
• Barmer (The Haveli Resort)
• Patan (Hotel The Grand Piano)
• Bhuj (Click Hotel Bhuj)
• Ahmedabad (Hotel Nalanda)

Dates: September 10–October 1, 2026

Day 1: Arrival in Udaipur

• Individual arrivals at Udaipur Airport (UDR)
• Individual or shared transfer to the hotel
• Stay at Mahendra Prakash Hotel in Udaipur
• Evening orientation and welcome dinner at Art Junction

Day 2: Udaipur

• Visit Jagdish Temple and other local temples
• City Palace Museum visits
• Fabric markets and optional tailor visits
• Visit basketry weaving workshops

Day 3: Udaipur (Badanga)

• Trekking in the Aravalli Hills
• Visit Bhil tribal home for cultural immersion and textile viewing 
• Collaborative textile art project (Day1) with local school children. Led by Dr. Chiman Dangi: We will collaborate with Bhil tribal children creating environmental and heritage-inspired Gavri masks and costumes using eco-friendly materials like bamboo and repurposed old clothes.
• Evening satsang: devotional singing and dancing at Art Junction

Day 4: Udaipur (Badanga)

• Guided morning yoga
• Charpai Weaving Workshop with Dr. Chiman Dangi & friends at Art Junction 
• Collaborative textile art project (Day 2 ) with local school children. Led by Dr. Chiman Dangi: We will collaborate with Bhil tribal children creating environmental and heritage-inspired Gavri masks and costumes using eco-friendly materials like bamboo and repurposed old clothes.
• Evening dance party at Art Junction

Day 5: Travel to Jodhpur

• Stay at Haveli Inn Pal in Jodhpur 
• Visit Molela village for terracotta plaque demonstration and Ranakpur Jain Temple
• Cotton carpet weaving workshop in a village near Jodhpur

Day 6: Jodhpur

• Guided walk: Toorji Ka Jhalra, Clock Tower, Sardar Market
• Visits to Bandhani (tie-dye) workshop 
• Saree or Rajasthani Ghagra–Choli Party 
• Optional visit to Mehrangarh Fort

Day 7: Travel to Jaisalmer

• Stay at Hotel Grand Khalifa in Jaisalmer
• Drive to Jaisalmer 6.5 hours
• Stop for lunch en route
• Late afternoon walking tour of Jaisalmer Fort

Day 8: Jaisalmer

• Ralli quilt workshop with Sindhi women
• Henna, Sufi singing, traditional Sindhi attire fashion walk and dance
• Desert farm walk
• Participants receive henna from local women, learn Sufi singing, then dress in traditional Sindhi attire for a joyful fashion walk and dance
• Sindhi traditional cooking class and dinner

Day 9: Jaisalmer

• Guided walk through homes showing Ralli quilts and embroidered costumes
• Demonstration & workshop by Sindhi women artisans
• Lunch at artisan’s home

Day 10: Jaisalmer

• Morning textile market visit
• Fort Palace Museum and Jain temples 
• Free time for lunch/shopping
• Camel ride or walk into the Thar Desert to see sunset and dinner

Day 11:Travel to Barmer

• Stay at The Haveli Resort in Barmer
• Visit Ajrakh block printing workshops
• Visit embroidery workshop
• Textile market walk

Day 12: Travel to Patan

• Stay at Hotel The Grand Piano in Patan 
• Travel to Patan (6-7 hours)
• Visit to Patola weaving workshop

Day 13: Travel to Bhujodi and Bhuj

• Stay at in Click Hotel Bhuj in Bhuj
• Visit Rani ki Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell), a UNESCO World Heritage site in Patan
• Transfer to Bhuj (6 – 6 1/2 hrs)
• Visit Bhujodi weaving village

Day 14: Bhujodi & Khamir

• Salim Wazir textile collection visit
• Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal 
• Bhuj Haat artisan market

Day 15: Ajrakhpur & Bhuj

• Artisan tour and Ajrakh block printing demo & workshop
• Visit to LLDC Museum (Living and Learning Design Centre)

Day 16: Nirona Village 

• Nirona Village (Rogan Art demonstration)
• Optional visit to the Bharatiya Sanskruti Darshan Museum

Day 17: Travel to Ahmedabad

• Stay at Hotel Nalanda in Ahmedabad
• Group dinner at hotel or local restaurant

Day 18: Ahmedabad

• Visit to National Institute Of Fashion Technology Gandhinagar with a lecture by Associate Professor Nilesh Shidhpura
• Visit Royal Brocades studio with Paresh Patel (Ashavali brocade weaving) in Ridrol
• Jacquard weaving and indigo dye demonstration
• Woodblock carving workshop in Pethapur

Day 19: Ahmedabad

• Guided heritage walking tour of the old city
• Explore Swaminarayan Temple, pol neighborhoods, Jama Masjid, and traditional havelis Includes stops at historic fabric markets
• Visit Arvind Indigo Museum & Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum
• Guided tour of the Calico Museum of Textiles (Chauk Galleries)
• Evening in the old city for local dinner and night market visit

Day 20: Ahmedabad

• Guided tour of the Calico Museum of Textiles (Haveli Galleries)
• Free time for rest, shopping, or revisiting favorite textile markets
• Farewell group dinner

Day 21: Departure from Ahmedabad

Check out and airport transfers from hotel to AMD airport

If you would like help finding a roommate, indicating special interests, or connecting with other participants before the tour, please note your preferences on the registration form. TSA will offer an optional pre-departure virtual meet-and-greet for registered travelers.

This 21-day study tour is an opportunity to see textiles as lived practice, not just objects. Travel with the Textile Society of America and artist Ai Kijima to learn from the people who keep these traditions alive, and return with new skills, deep context, and enduring connections.