“Stories from the Desert” - A Kharad Story

"Stories from the desert"

"The desert has its own life. Goats eat near the trees, camels sit by the huts, a peacock walks close to the water, and a blue river cuts through the land. Birds fly above, and at the bottom people sit together, like they are talking in the village.

The border also tells the story. Cows walk around the rug like a circle, keeping everything inside. The blue steps on the side and the red, green, and blue tassels give it a finish. Nothing is extra - each animal, tree, hut and bird is part of the same world, woven slowly by hand.

This rug is made of local sheep wool, with colours taken from natural dyes and simple yarns. The shapes are broken, never perfect, but that is what makes them alive - each figure carrying the mark of the weaver’s hand."

As Narrated by Tejsibhai Marwada. Tejsibhai is from one of the two weaving families in the world who practices this art. 

History of Kharad Weaving

Kharad carpets - timeless durries woven for over 800 years, carry the spirit of Kutch’s nomadic communities. Once used in ancient palaces, camel caravans, and community gatherings, they represent a heritage where craft, culture, and daily life came together seamlessly.

Each Kharad is meticulously woven from locally sourced sheep wool on a traditional ground loom constructed using simple local materials. The technique is entirely manual and deeply intuitive, passed down through generations.

Artisans sit on the floor behind the loom and work from the back, using a tapestry-like flat weave that interlocks yarns to create strong, durable surfaces. The warp is tightly stretched, while the weft is packed in row by row, forming the dense, signature Kharad texture. Two skilled artisans often work in harmony, controlling tension, pattern formation, and finishing without a single mechanical tool.

The designs unfold slowly, guided by memory rather than drawings, relying on an ancestral understanding of proportion and rhythm. What looks simple is highly technical—each line, motif, and colour shift is manually counted and placed, making even the cleanest geometric patterns challenging to master. The ends of each carpet are finished with hand-tied tassels, an integral part of the traditional construction.

Traditionally woven in earthy tones—black, brown, white, ochre—artisans today also use natural vegetable dyes to introduce vibrant colours while maintaining authenticity. The motifs draw from the world around them: desert landscapes, village life, animal forms, rituals, mud-wall patterns, and memories carried across generations. Every carpet becomes a living narrative of Kutch.

This is a rare craft. Only a few master weavers continue the practice, creating just 3–5 pieces a month. What they produce endures ; hand-spun wool Kharad carpets are known to last over 100 years!

By choosing a Kharad, you preserve an ancient technique, support its artisans, and elevate your space with unmatched character.

Details 

Material - Local sheep wool with plant based dyes

Dimensions - 3/5 Feet

Other sizes available include 4/6 feet & 5/7 feet. We also take requests for custom carpets. Please contact our Concierge Service for more details. 

Production time - Approximately 15-30 days depending on the customization required.

Disclaimer : We specialize in handmade products, antiques and vintage pieces. Some of these are repurposed from old pieces. As a result of the handmade process by skillful artisans, please expect minor imperfections. This adds to its character and is part of our brand aesthetic. Signs of wear and tear are common in vintage or antique pieces and are inherent to its character.