After the success of the first heritage textile stole design inspired by the Gangaur festival, Friends of Mewar’s founder Padmaja Kumari Parmar conceptualized a second exclusive stole design that celebrates the rich heritage of Mewar, reflecting its deep cultural roots through the symbolism of the lotus flower. Created in collaboration with Aavaran, an indigenous brand founded by Alka Sharma, this stole is a masterpiece of traditional craftsmanship, combining age-old techniques with a contemporary touch.

The stole’s design features floating lotus flowers and water lilies, capturing the essence of Udaipur’s cultural heritage. Handcrafted by skilled women artisans in Udaipur, Rajasthan, these stoles are meticulously fabricated from luxurious Mashru and Chanderi silk. The fabric is naturally dyed and adorned with exquisite Dabu prints, a mud-resist hand block printing technique with origins in Akola, Chittorgarh, a former Mewar capital. Embellished with opulent zari embroidery, edged with delicate leheriya, and fringed with tiny zari ball tassels, each stole is a testament to the timeless beauty and intricate artistry of the region.

The lotus, a symbol of resilience and transformation, holds profound cultural significance in Udaipur and Mewar. It is a reflection of the enduring legacy of the House of Mewar, the world’s oldest-serving dynasty, with an unbroken custodianship since 734 AD. Just as the lotus rises from muddy waters to bloom in pristine beauty, so does Udaipur, embodying the spirit of perseverance and the pursuit of excellence amidst adversity. This motif is not only a central element in Udaipur’s art and architecture but also a symbol of the values and traditions that have guided Mewar through centuries of challenges and triumphs.

Ultimately, the lotus serves as a timeless emblem of beauty, spirituality, and cultural legacy, effortlessly encapsulating the essence of Mewar. A hundred stoles featuring this design will be distributed globally to Friends of Mewar supporters along with the story of its development to support future women’s empowerment initiatives as they are crafted in a factory in Udaipur that employs over 100 women artisans and supports more than 200 women across five independently run training and production centers in villages around Udaipur operated by Aavaran’s NGO COSVI Udaipur.

This collaboration between Friends of Mewar and Aavaran is a commitment to women’s economic empowerment and preserving Mewar’s cultural heritage.

Friends of Mewar founder Padmaja Kuamri Parmar has conceptualized an exclusive stole design steeped in the beauty and traditions of Mewar in collaboration with Aavaran, an indigenous brand and craft platform founded by Alka Sharma in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

A hundred stoles featuring a design inspired by Gangaur, a multi-day Mewar festival that holds a special significance for women, will be distributed in the US along with the story of its development to support future women’s empowerment initiatives. The design depicts a Maharana and his court in traditional attire riding in a Gangaur boat on Lake Pichola as it heads towards the iconic City Palace. It further portrays the grandeur mood with motifs such as lotus flowers and pigeons, often found in abundance in the region.

The naturally dyed stoles are crafted in a textile factory in Udaipur that employs over 100 women artisans and supports more than 200 women across five independently run training and production centers in villages around Udaipur operated by Aavaran’s non-government organization COSVI Udaipur. At these centers, they undergo training in stitching, embroidery, button making, and other indigenous crafts like the revival and preservation of the local technique of Dabu. This mud-resist hand block printing traces its history back to Akola in the Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, which also happens to be a former Mewar capital. The signature indigo blues are a unique testimony to the craft, representing sustainability while empowering the local artisans. Their work with other natural dyes in various fabrics, including traditional embroidery techniques, pays homage to India’s rich heritage, seamlessly blending with contemporary designs making Aavaran a hallmark of sustainable fashion and clothing.

This collaboration between Aavaran and Friends of Mewar is a result of a deep commitment to women’s economic empowerment by both teams to positively impact the lives of women and to further preserve the rich cultural heritage and art of Udaipur.

We strongly feel that education is the one thing every child in the world deserves. But it breaks our heart to know that more than 3 million children are living on the streets of India and about 50% of children still long for a school. Promoting education is the only answer.

Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School located in Jagdish Chowk, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India has close and emotional ties with the House of Mewar. When girls’ education was not a popular idea, and most girls grew up doing household work and getting married at a young age, Maharana Shambhu Singhji of Udaipur brought a wave of change. He took an unconventional step and constructed Maharana Girls High School in 1864 A.D. at Jadgish Chowk, Udaipur. Today, this school comes under the Directorate of Education, Government of Rajasthan, and is a place where 500 students learn with a dream of a better life.

Unfortunately over the years, the school’s classrooms, building, entrance, utilities, and laboratories were on their way to becoming ruins. The school no longer looked like a school, and due to the historical connection and the idea of empowering these girl students, we took on the task of upgrading the educational environment and infrastructure along with the help of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation.

Thanks to your donations we successfully accomplished this project! We completed the conservation work of the school’s administrative block, restored the western open courtyard, developed a science and mathematics laboratory and advanced the learning facilities for the students all around.

If the thought of brightening a child’s future inspires you, you can help us build and aid more schools like Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School.