When their original project idea was turned down, Arjunvir Singh and Rashi Sharma chose to document Khes, a modest Punjabi textile. Their four-year pursuit revealed Majnu Khes, a complex handwoven fabric faded from Indian Punjab but still alive across the border in Pakistan. This discovery reconnects a community to its shared heritage and Partition memories.
- Majnu Khes is a complex Punjabi cotton weave thought lost in India after Partition.
- Students traced its history through family heirlooms and interviews with migrants.
- The weave still survives in Pakistan, maintaining cultural ties across borders.
What happened
In 2018, textile students Arjunvir Singh and Rashi Sharma from the National Institute of Design set out to document a traditional craft from their home states after their initial proposal to study Kashmir’s Suzani embroidery was rejected. They selected Khes, a humble cotton fabric used as bedcovers and shawls in Punjab, initially considered too ordinary for academic focus. During their research, the duo discovered the elusive Majnu Khes, a sophisticated double-cloth patterned textile, which seemed missing in current Indian Punjab knowledge and production.
Their investigation led them across towns known for textile crafts but met with no recognition of Majnu Khes. The breakthrough came when Arjunvir’s mother found a cherished Majnu Khes fabric in a family trunk, dating back before the 1947 Partition. Further research revealed that most owners of Majnu Khes had migrated from what is now West Punjab in Pakistan, suggesting the weave had vanished from Indian Punjab following Partition. The students expanded their study into a thesis, gathering oral histories from Partition survivors and weaving a robust narrative connecting fabric to migration and memory.
Why it feels good
The rediscovery of Majnu Khes is a poignant reminder of how cultural heritage can endure through adversity and displacement. By tracing a seemingly ordinary textile to its roots, Arjunvir and Rashi have helped revive the story of families who carried fragments of their past across borders. The project places value on everyday objects as carriers of history, reminding communities that their shared traditions persist beyond political divides.
Their work also sheds light on the resilience of traditional crafts and the rich histories embedded in them. By linking stories from both sides of the India-Pakistan border, they have created a heartfelt bridge, encouraging respect and appreciation for a common cultural thread. This gentle act of preservation honors displaced artisans and families, fostering a sense of pride and connection through generations.
What to enjoy or watch next
For those interested in textiles, history, or Partition stories, following The Khes Project offers insight into how crafts and culture survive upheaval. The students collaborated with Pakistani weavers who still produce Majnu Khes, blending traditional hand-weaving with modern techniques. Observing their process and the revival of motifs lost in India provides a richer understanding of cross-border cultural continuity and change.
Additionally, exploring oral histories from Punjabi migrant families brings personal dimensions to Partition’s broad history. Future exhibitions or documentaries inspired by this work can deepen audiences’ appreciation for everyday cultural treasures and the human stories they carry. Keeping an eye on The Khes Project’s ongoing developments and related folk craft initiatives will reveal more about how art and memory intertwine across generations and geographies.