What makes Kutch special is its extremely rich and diversified craft and culture. There is mud craft, metal work, ornament making, carpet weaving, shoe making, purse making, decorative
items, etc. All these items are handmade. Embroidery work is the most important handicraft item of Kutch. Embroidery work on all kinds of textiles is the magical art and craft of
Kutch region of Gujarat. Kutch is believed to be the home of ten million weavers, dyers embroiders and spinners that came together to create a great tradition in all sense. The people
of Kutch have learnt the art of bringing life into the dull land. These people have learnt to decorate anything and everything in various colours. Their clothes, houses, traditions,
and even animals are decorated in such a way that they overpower the dry and sandy surroundings.
Kutch remains truly memorable because of its people. The people of Kutch welcome everyone with a warmth that is hard to find. They will feed you when you are hungry, they will guide you
through the remotest part of the district so that one can discover large number of art and crafts. The simplicity of the people will touch everybodys heart. These people will make us What
makes Kutch special is its extremely rich and diversified craft and culture. There is mud craft, metal work, ornament making, carpet weaving, shoe making, purse making, decorative
items, etc. All these items are handmade. Embroidery work is the most important handicraft item of Kutch. Embroidery work on all kinds of textiles is the magical art and craft of
Kutch region of Gujarat. Kutch is believed to be the home of ten million weavers, dyers embroiders and spinners that came together to create a great tradition in all sense. The people
of Kutch have learnt the art of bringing life into the dull land. These people have learnt to decorate anything and everything in various colours. Their clothes, houses, traditions,
and even animals are decorated in such a way that they overpower the dry and sandy surroundings.
Kutch remains truly memorable because of its people. The people of Kutch welcome everyone with a warmth that is hard to find. They will feed you when you are hungry, they will guide you
through the remotest part of the district so that one can discover large number of art and crafts. The simplicity of the people will touch everybodys heart. These people will make us
think how a great society can function with simple efforts. There are many communities which have come from far and wide and have settled in Kutch.
THE AHIR COMMUNITY
The Ahir community, are a pastoral community of small scale farmers who migrated to Kutch. They are also master embroiders and make excellent patch work. The Ahirs believe themselves
to be the descendants of the Hindu God "lord Krishna" and call themselves "Yadu Vansh".
THE STORY OF MAI BHAMBHI
Mai Bhambhi was a spiritual leader of a community called the Jats who lived around the white deserts of Kutch. Their origin lies in the holy land of Medina. Spreading through Europe,
Baluchistan and Sindh they have decided to settle in Kutch, as the King of Kutch welcomed them and gave them land to settle.
Mai Bhambhi was a spiritual lady who travelled across the forests and deserts on a camel alone to preach spirituality and religion to the people of Jat community, she even taught
embroidery to Jat community. Embroidery thus became the religious significance to this community. This community never recycled or handed over embroidered clothes from one
generation to another. They instead buried or floated a piece of cloth that had been used by somebody for a lifetime. Even today when some of them have taken the craft
commercially they only charge for the hours taken to do the embroidery and not for the cloth or for their hard work.
THE MEGHWAR MARU COMMUNITY
The Meghwar Maru community is a group of embroiders of Kutch which is very difficult and time consuming craft that is practised using the thread counting method of embroidery.
The people of this caste believe in arrange marriage the bride and groom are allowed to see each other on the day of marriage especially when they belong to different villages.
They are not allowed to talk or meet before the wedding and hence they use embroidery as a means of communication.
THE HISTORICAL GUARDS OF THE RANN OF KUTCH
The Mutwas are a group of shepherds that migrated to Kutch from Sindh. The legend says that when the Mutwas asked the King of Kutch (Desalji) for a piece of land to settle the King
gave them Banni, which is the closest area to Indo Pak. These people were great in making handicraft items like Mud Work, Shawls, Carpet, Metal Work, Leather Work, Purse Making, etc.
They were also great patriotic people who would give their lives in protecting the land and community. When thw King of Kutch asked something in return for the land the people
of this community promised to protect the land of Kutch from the intruders and enemies of the King. This community is a peaceful community but takes up arms when needed.
RABARIS
The women of the Rabari community are known for creating extremely dense and elaborate pieces of embroidery work that takes them years to finish. A rabari women was allowed entry
into her husbands house only after finishing a certain number of items of embroidered clothing for her new husband, his family and even his cattle. This meant their entire teenage
and a major part of their young age was spent inside their home creating these clothes. These women also made other items like mud work, carpets, embroidered shoes, embroidered purses,
etc. with their own hands. Handicraft items are a blessing and gift for the workers and weavers of Kutch as they are in high demand world wide.
think how a great society can function with simple efforts. There are many communities which have come from far and wide and have settled in Kutch.
THE AHIR COMMUNITY
The Ahir community, are a pastoral community of small scale farmers who migrated to Kutch. They are also master embroiders and make excellent patch work. The Ahirs believe themselves
to be the descendants of the Hindu God "lord Krishna" and call themselves "Yadu Vansh".
THE STORY OF MAI BHAMBHI
Mai Bhambhi was a spiritual leader of a community called the Jats who lived around the white deserts of Kutch. Their origin lies in the holy land of Medina. Spreading through Europe,
Baluchistan and Sindh they have decided to settle in Kutch, as the King of Kutch welcomed them and gave them land to settle.
Mai Bhambhi was a spiritual lady who travelled across the forests and deserts on a camel alone to preach spirituality and religion to the people of Jat community, she even taught
embroidery to Jat community. Embroidery thus became the religious significance to this community. This community never recycled or handed over embroidered clothes from one
generation to another. They instead buried or floated a piece of cloth that had been used by somebody for a lifetime. Even today when some of them have taken the craft commercially
the craftsman only charge for the hours taken to make the embroidery not for the textile or to make the embroidery and never charge profit on them.
THE MEGHWAR MARU COMMUNITY
The Meghwar Maru community is a group of embroiders of Kutch which is very difficult and time consuming craft that is practised using the thread counting method of embroidery.
The people of this caste believe in arrange marriage the bride and groom are allowed to see each other on the day of marriage especially when they belong to different villages.
They are not allowed to talk or meet before the wedding and hence they use embroidery as a means of communication.
THE HISTORICAL GUARDS OF THE RANN OF KUTCH
The Mutwas are a group of shepherds that migrated to Kutch from Sindh. The legend says that when the Mutwas asked the King of Kutch (Desalji) for a piece of land to settle the King
gave them Banni, which is the closest area to Indo Pak. These people were great in making handicraft items like Mud Work, Shawls, Carpet, Metal Work, Leather Work, Purse Making, etc.
They were also great patriotic people who would give their lives in protecting the land and community. When thw King of Kutch asked something in return for the land the people
of this community promised to protect the land of Kutch from the intruders and enemies of the King. This community is a peaceful community but takes up arms when needed.
RABARIS
The women of the Rabari community are known for creating extremely dense and elaborate pieces of embroidery work that takes them years to finish. A rabari women was allowed entry into
her husbands house only after finishing a certain number of items of embroidered clothing for her new husband, his family and even his cattle. This meant their entire teenage and a
major part of their young age was spent inside their home creating these clothes. These women also made other items like mud work, carpets, embroidered shoes, embroidered purses, etc.
with their own hands. Handicraft items are a blessing and gift for the workers and weavers of Kutch as they are in high demand world wide.
