India Beat were delighted to be featured in The New York Times Style Magazine in 2016, in an article exploring Victoria Dyer’s Jaipur and some of the places and experiences that have made the city so special to her over many years. Rather than following the usual tourist trail, the article offers a glimpse into Victoria’s personal Jaipur – the people, places, crafts and traditions that she has discovered through her life in the city.

One of the highlights is a visit to Bagru, just outside Jaipur, where Victoria introduces writer Hanya Yanagihara to the extraordinary tradition of hand-block printing. The experience takes readers behind the scenes to meet a local printing family, discover the intricacies of the craft and, naturally, have a go at creating their own textile. It is a lovely reflection of the way we like to travel at India Beat: through personal connections, remarkable people and experiences that offer a genuine insight into the place.

We were thrilled that The New York Times returned to Jaipur’s block-printing tradition in 2018, this time exploring the history of the craft in much greater depth. The article looks at Bagru’s centuries-old textile heritage, the specialist artisans involved in creating each piece and the challenges of preserving these skills in the modern world – with India Beat’s hands-on experience once again featuring as a way to discover the craft for yourself.

Behind the T: Passage to India.

The Ancient Art of Jaipur Block Printing, and What It Means to India