As the country celebrates its 77th Independence Day, Google on Tuesday marked the day with a special doodle illustrating textile from 21 different regions.
For the doodle, New Delhi-based guest artist Namrata Kuma researched and identified the diverse textile craft forms present in India. “I sought to cover a broad spectrum of techniques, encompassing embroidery, different weaving styles, printing techniques... I wanted to ensure that I represented different geographical regions of the country in a balanced manner,” she told Google in a blogpost.
She then selected visually engaging textiles and composed the patchwork from all of the selected swatches. She said that the main goal was to honour and celebrate India’s textiles and their profound connection to the nation’s identity.
“My hope was that through this artwork, I would be able to shed a light on the rich cultural heritage and artistic brilliance of India’s textile traditions and create something that would resonate with audiences through the Google Doodle platform,” she said.
On this day in 1947, a new era dawned as India became independent from British rule.
Ms. Kuma said she sees it as the perfect occasion to celebrate the country’s rich and diverse textile traditions. “In this artwork, each textile showcased is a testament to the collective craftsmanship of skilled artisans, cultivators, weavers, dyers, printers, and embroiderers. Together, they create these extraordinary textiles that embody the essence of India’s creative spirit.”
