We are Tharangini, a heritage wood-block printing studio founded in 1977, producing sustainable textiles with a passion for craftsmanship, equality, and sustainability. Led by experienced artisans, we prioritise fair wages, private medical insurance, and pandemic support. Our free community outreach programs train specially-abled artisans and support autism, women’s empowerment, and disability causes. We champion environmental stewardship through local sourcing, minimal waste, and organic GOTS certified dyes. Our workshops teach traditional techniques and inspire textile enthusiasts, designers and artisan culture lovers.
In the 1960s, while studying art in Delhi, my mother Lakshmi fell in love with the fine art of woodblock printing. Coming from a family of art and culture lovers, she was drawn to her passion decades later in the mid 1970s. She established Tharangini with a single table in our garden shed in 1977. My father, though an electrical engineer by profession, was a huge support to Tharangini since its inception.
We were also fortunate to have amazing mentors like Smt Kamaladevi Chattopadyay, Sri D V Datar and Sri Aiyappa who helped mentor the team and lay a solid foundational practice.
Following my father’s lead, I studied engineering and technology, spending almost two decades in corporate US in Fintech, Media, and Defense. I returned to a very different Bangalore in 2007. Having grown up around master artisans and natural dyes, the beauty of block printing was enduring, however the city had changed. We were now one of the last textile heritage studios left in a rapidly developing technology hub.
As 4th generation Bangaloreans, my sister Singari and I are passionate about preserving Tharangini in our urban ecosystem. Even today, the studio is an extension of our family home, and our artisans are truly extended family. Tharangini remains true to its ethos built around our family values of respect and empathy for people and planet. Above all, we are grateful for all the support, love and blessings from our community of well-wishers;
Padmini Govind
The heart of Tharangini is our highly skilled team of artisans. We are proud to have a team of master artisans with almost 4 decades of experience, as well as the rare newer generation of artisans. Some of our artisans have been with us since our inception in 1977, trained under the guidance of our founder. Today, they not only take on the role of stewards of the craft, but also pass down their knowledge in training future generations of artisans. Many of our artisans have also evolved into talented designers, making effortlessly beautiful textiles and enhancing their creative flair in-house!
A heritage wood block printing studio founded in 1977 that champions eco-friendly practices with an artisan-first approach
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