Independence Day: Google Doodle celebrates India's rich legacy of textiles
What's the story
India's timeless arts and crafts have remained a testament to the nation's rich cultural legacy and artistic excellence.
Today's Google Doodle, commemorating the 77th Independence Day, intricately weaves this facet of India's heritage.
The doodle, conceptualized and designed by artist Namrata Kumar from New Delhi, showcases textiles from 21 distinct regions. Here's all that the artist told Google about her creative process.
Balanced depiction
Commitment to presenting a balanced depiction
To craft the doodle, Kumar delved into extensive research to identify the manifold textile craft forms of India.
"I sought to cover a broad spectrum of techniques, encompassing embroidery, different weaving styles, printing techniques, resist-dyeing techniques, hand-painted textiles, and more," she reveals.
She also underscores her commitment to presenting a balanced depiction of the country's different geographical regions.
National dentity
Aim was to highlight textiles' role in national identity
She chose visually engaging textiles and creatively arranged them in a patchwork using the swatches she had selected.
She explained that her main goal was to show respect for and celebrate India's textiles and their strong connection to the country's identity.
"This step required thoughtful consideration to achieve a balanced arrangement of textures, colors, and patterns," she detailed.
Colors
Accurately depicting textile colors for authenticity
Following that, the New Delhi-based artist dedicated her efforts to enhancing the colors and making sure everything was easy to see.
She explained that accurately depicting the specific shades used in each textile was crucial to maintain their authentic nature.
Additionally, she made it a priority to ensure that each textile swatch was clearly visible within the overall design.
Deep connection
Growing up, Kumar developed deep connection with textiles
"Indian textiles have held a profound significance in my life, thanks to my mother's profession as a textile designer," she says.
Growing up surrounded by textiles from diverse regions, she developed a deep connection with them.
Now, presented with the opportunity to create the Doodle for India's Independence Day, she saw it as the perfect occasion to celebrate India's rich and diverse textile traditions.
Diversity
Recognizing India's wealth of textile diversity
Her artistry showcases India's textile heritage, ranging from Assam's mekhla chador weave to Gujarat's Kutch embroidery, and Jammu & Kashmir's pashmina kani to Tamil Nadu's kanjeevaram weave.
The doodle highlights famous traditions like Odisha's fine ikat and Uttar Pradesh's benarasi weaves and Punjab's phulkari embroidery, along with lesser-known treasures like Bihar's sujni embroidery, West Bengal's kantha embroidery, and Nagaland's naga woven textile.