Raasta by Hari and Shanti

Manchaha, a Hindi word popular in Rajasthan’s weaving community, means “expression of my heart”. The rug Raasta, hand-knotted by husband-wife duo Hari and Shanti is part of Manchaha, a sustainable initiative where weavers design their own rug spontaneously on the loom. The couple has woven a road map of their village in calculatedly spaced designs which make for an abstract depiction of their village featuring motifs of their neighbouring houses, the crops in the fields, surrounding flora and mountains. This piece uses handspun leftover yarn, making its colour palette as unique as its design.

Jaipur Rugs is a family business strengthened by the purpose of protecting ancestral know-how and connecting rural craftsmanship with global consumers. It uses the ancestral art of handmade carpets as a tool to bring prosperity to 40,000 rural artisans of which 80% are women. Founded in 1978 by Nand Kishore Chaudhary with two looms, it now has over 7000 looms and sells in over 60 countries. Today the company creates contemporary works of art by collaborating with creative talents capable of showcasing this ancestral craft with a new vision.