Partnership with Jai Bhavani Handicrafts & the Banjara Women of Yellamma Thanda

I work in deep collaboration with the Jai Bhavani Handicrafts Manufacturing Unit based in Yellamma Thanda, Ranga Reddy District, Telangana—a Banjara community renowned for their exquisite hand embroidery traditions. For over two decades, I've been fascinated by the hand-stitching heritage of Banjara artisans, and this partnership represents the realization of a lifelong mission to support these master craftspeople.

The Collective

The artisan group is led by Padma, the lead organizer and teacher who guides a dedicated team of women embroiderers from Yellamma Thanda. Padma is not just a collaborator but the face of the brand—her image and story are featured prominently on all product tags, ensuring the makers are celebrated and directly credited for their work. Fellow artisans like Anguri teach embroidery techniques to younger Banjara artisans, ensuring traditional knowledge passes to the next generation.

Heritage & Craft Mastery

The artisans specialize in intricate hand embroidery characterized by:

• Signature stitch techniques: Interlaced chain stitches, herringbone variations, mirror work, and cowrie shell embellishments

• Named stitch patterns: Padma Muggu, Jali, Nakra, Sadri Kalani, and Poshoteki

• Vibrant color stories: Deep crimsons, turmeric yellows, indigo blues, and emerald greens set against dark indigo or black bases

Design Philosophy: Co-Creation

The partnership operates on collaborative co-creation—rather than imposing designs, I work with the artisans to:

• Preserve traditional Banjara motifs while adapting them for contemporary lifestyle products

• Develop a shared Stitch Sampler Book that serves as both a design catalog and educational tool

• Allow the community to initiate designs themselves, adding colors and finishing details in the design center

• Create story-driven pieces where Padma conceptualizes narratives, which the women then embroider into fabric

Economic Empowerment

The partnership ensures fair, transparent compensation:

• Daily wages for design sessions and product development work

• Full travel coverage (2-hour commute each way to the studio)

• Fair per-piece pricing that honors the intricate skill and cultural depth of Banjara embroidery

• Revenue sharing from limited-edition art pieces and global partnerships

Global Impact

Recent milestones include:

• Multi-year collaboration with Sundance Holdings (2023-2025), bringing substantial income to the artisans

• Global reach through platforms like the International Folk Art Market (IFAM), where each product features custom tags with artisan portraits and stories

• Sustainable livelihoods that allow women to earn income from their homes and villages while preserving generational crafts