Reviving the art of Siddi Quilts

The Siddis are descendants of African people who were enslaved and brought to India by the Portuguese. They are now settled in isolated villages in coastal areas of Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The Siddi population was 25,000 as per the Census 2011. The Siddi women practice the art of making patchwork quilts, called Kavands, using waste fabrics from their households. The colourful quilts are used as mattresses as well as covers in Siddi households. The art was dying out as the younger generation wasn’t interested in making them. Art historian Anitha N Reddy saw these quilts in some villages in coastal Karnataka in 2010 and has been working for their revival since then. Now, 50 Siddi women work with her to make these colourful quilts. Read the full story here: Follow us on: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: https://instagram