Huggable Handicraft

Kutch is the fascinating area of Gujarat where I am currently and it also happens to mean cuddle in Welsh (cwtch).  If I could throw my arms around any region of India it would be this one.  It’s like the rest of Gujarat but there is a depth of sincerity to the people here which is indescribable.  People seem to rub along very happily with less segregation than I have seen elsewhere between religions, tribes and social status.  In 2002 this fragile dessert region was devastated by a massive earthquake, perhaps the aftermath gave everyone a sense of solidarity or maybe it’s just too hot for animosity.

The little red taxi had all of its windows open on the way out to the villages today but all it did was spread the heat, fan-oven style, cooking me evenly from the toes up. In between my turns on the spit, I spent money on beautiful things.  Although today was mostly embroidery, it was a real treat to sip homemade lemonade whilst I watched the pit-loom weaver create high quality artisan craft on his beautifully traditional piece of kit.

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